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| TIME | SPEAKER | TEXT |
|---|---|---|
| 00:00:08 |
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THE 2008 DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION BEGINS TONIGHT IN DENVER, AND A LOOK NOW AT THE PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY... |
| 00:00:37 |
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MY FIRST ANNOUNCEMENT, PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CELLPHONE, AND WE ARE EXPECTING ADDITIONAL BUSES SHORTLY,... |
| 00:05:07 |
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THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT GREAT INTRODUCTION, AND GREETINGS TO EVERYBODY, AND WELCOME TO MY HOME... |
| 00:15:29 |
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THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THOSE KIND WORDS AND FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP OF THE NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTE... |
| 00:24:02 |
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THANK YOU, MR. VICE PRESIDENT. IT IS MY ROLE NOW TO PRESENT OUR DISTINGUISHED MODERATOR FOR THE FIRST... |
| 00:25:28 |
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THANK YOU FOR THAT KIND INTRODUCTION, AND LET ME TRY AND VICE PRESIDENT MONDALE AND SECRETARY ALBRIGHT... |
| 00:31:09 |
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I THINK WHAT HAPPENED IS YOU REALIZE THAT SO MUCH GOES ON IN THIS COUNTRY IS GOVERNED BY THE 10TH... |
| 00:33:08 |
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MR. KIRK AND MR. FAHRENKOPF RAISE AN EXCELLENT POINT THAT VOTERS DO NOT VOTE FOR A CANDIDATE IN THE... |
| 00:34:02 |
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ACTUALLY, IT IS POSSIBLE BUT HIGHLY UNLIKELY. THE PLEDGED DELEGATES ARE BASICALLY -- HAVE A MORAL... |
| 00:35:53 |
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WE WILL GET TO THAT. |
| 00:35:55 |
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A LOT OF STATES ON THE REPUBLICAN SIDE OF THEIR DELEGATION FOR A NUMBER OF BALLOTS. ANOTHER WORDS... |
| 00:36:15 |
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VICE-PRESIDENT MONDALE, DON'T YOU THINK VOTERS WOULD BE STUMPED, VOTERS WHO HAVE LINED UP TO A DISOBEYED... |
| 00:36:34 |
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IN EACH OF THESE STATES, THE CANDIDATES ARE THERE. THE POTENTIAL DELEGATES WHO WANT TO BE FOR OBAMA... |
| 00:38:16 |
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TO SUPERDELEGATES EXIST ON THE REPUBLICAN SIDE? |
| 00:38:20 |
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THEY DID NOT FOR A LONG TIME. IN 1984 AND 1988, WHEN I WAS CHAIRMAN OF THE PARTY, IN ORDER TO BE A... |
| 00:39:00 |
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THE REPUBLICANS HAVE A SMALL NUMBER OF SUPERDELEGATES, AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE VISITING FROM... |
| 00:40:01 |
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1982 OR 1984 THERE WAS THE HUNT CONVENTION. I AM A SUPERDELEGATE. THAT IS WHAT WE LOOK LIKE. PAUL,... |
| 00:40:08 |
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YES. |
| 00:40:10 |
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THERE IS ANOTHER ONE. WE ARE ALL FOR THIS IDEA. A COUPLE OF REASONS. AFTER THE REFORMS WERE SET, ... |
| 00:40:29 |
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SO YOU'RE SAYING AFTER THE REFORMS OF 1972, THERE WAS A LITTLE TOO MUCH DEMOCRACY? |
| 00:40:35 |
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I MENTIONED, THERE IS A FEELING THAT WE NEEDED ADULT SUPERVISION, AND YOU DID NOT CEASE ON YOUR TELEVISION... |
| 00:41:37 |
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I DO NOT THINK THAT PARTICULARLY ELECTED OFFICIALS -- I DO THINK ELECTED OFFICIALS ARE IMPORTANT PHASE... |
| 00:43:13 |
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AGAIN, JUST A THUMBNAIL REMINDER FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO WERE NOT FOLLOWING THIS PROCESS WERE INVOLVED... |
| 00:44:13 |
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I DID NOT REALLY GET WHAT I THOUGHT I WOULD. MAYBE THEY DID NOT FIGURE WAS WORTH THAT MUCH, BUT I... |
| 00:44:31 |
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VICE-PRESIDENT MONDALE TALKED ABOUT THE FACT THAT THE SUPERDELEGATES WERE PUT IN PLACE BECAUSE PARTY... |
| 00:45:05 |
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NOT NECESSARILY. AS I SAY, I DO NOT THINK THERE SHOULD BE HUNDRED. I DO THINK THAT THEY PLAY -- THEY... |
| 00:47:16 |
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THERE'S ANOTHER DYNAMIC INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS THIS TIME, PARTICULARLY WITH SUPERDELEGATES. YOU MENTIONED... |
| 00:48:25 |
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THE REPUBLICANS SEEM TO HAVE A PRIMARY PROCESS THAT IS A BIT MORE EFFICIENT. IS THERE ANYTHING ABOUT... |
| 00:48:41 |
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I HAVE BEEN VERY CRITICAL OF DISPROPORTIONAL RULES, BECAUSE -- OF THIS PROPORTIONAL ROLE, BECAUSE... |
| 00:50:09 |
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WHY WOULD YOU HAVE A SYSTEM OF PROPORTIONAL ALLOCATION OF DELEGATES? |
| 00:50:16 |
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I MENTIONED IN MY REMARKS, THE REASON WE HAVE THESE STEPS WE TOOK -- WE ELIMINATED DISCRIMINATION... |
| 00:52:01 |
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DO YOU THINK THERE SHOULD BE A RETHINKING ABOUT THE A PROPORTIONAL ALLOCATION? |
| 00:52:11 |
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WE WILL HEAR ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF A NATIONAL PRIMARY AND THE POSSIBILITY OF REGIONAL PRIMARIES.... |
| 00:53:50 |
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DESPITE ALL THAT, AS GREAT AS THAT SOUNDED, THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEE ON FRIDAY VOTED TO CREATE... |
| 00:54:09 |
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LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE STATES THAT GO FIRST AND THE FRONT LOADING OF THE PROCESS AND WHY... |
| 00:54:35 |
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REALISTICALLY, THE REASON THAT I WASIOWA AND NEW HAMPSHIRE ARE SO IMPORTANT IS THAT IT IS PART OF... |
| 00:56:07 |
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THIS YEAR, THE DEMOCRATS ADDED SOUTH CAROLINA AND NEVADA TO THE SMALL STATES THAT CANDIDATES CAMPAIGN... |
| 00:58:38 |
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WE SHOULD NOT LEAVE THIS CONVERSATION BEFORE WE CUT A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THOSE STATES THAT HOLD CAUCUSES.... |
| 00:58:52 |
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STATEMENT THE DETERMINATION AS TO HOW THE DELEGATES ARE GOING TO BE CHOSEN, AND -- STATES MAKE THE... |
| 00:59:14 |
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PEOPLE ARGUE THAT THE PRIMARIES ARE MORE DEMOCRATIC THAN CAUCUSES, AND ONE REASON IS THAT PEOPLE WHO... |
| 00:59:58 |
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I HEARD A RUMOR THAT THE CLINTONS THINK THAT WOULDWAY. [LAUGHTER] |
| 01:00:08 |
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I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT, BEFORE THE WINDOW OPENS AND THE BIG STATES TAKEOVER, TO MAINTAIN THREE OR... |
| 01:01:40 |
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EVERY FOUR YEARS OR SO, THEY LIKE TO SPECULATE AS TO WHETHER IT IS POSSIBLE FOR A THIRD-PARTY CANDIDATE... |
| 01:02:28 |
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I THINK IT WILL MAKE IT MORE VIABLE AND POSSIBLE. IT IS GOING TO BE AN OBLIGATION OF THE TWO MAJOR... |
| 01:03:48 |
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IT HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL. PEOPLE FORGET THAT BACK IN 1992 FOR A PORTION OF THE TIME ROSS PEROT WAS ACTUALLY... |
| 01:05:32 |
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THIRD-PARTY CANDIDATES ALSO ARGUE THAT THE COMMISSION ON PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES UNFAIRLY EXCLUDES THEM,... |
| 01:05:50 |
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WE APPLY THREE CRITERIA TO THE INVITATION TO THE GENERAL ELECTION DEBATES. . SECONDLY, ON ENOUGH STATES,... |
| 01:08:33 |
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AND THE PROCESS HAS HAD THEIR REPORTED CANDIDATES. IF YOURM -- AND I KNOW FRITS REMEMBERS -- IN 1980... |
| 01:10:06 |
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MR. VICE PRESIDENT, HOW IMPORTANT IS THE DEBATE OR ARE THE DEBATES TELEVISED DURING THE GENERAL ELECTION... |
| 01:10:14 |
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I THINK THEY ARE CRUCIAL TO THE PUBLIC'S ABILITY TO PASS JUDGMENT ON THIS MOST CRITICAL QUESTION,... |
| 01:10:22 |
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DO THEY EVER CHANGE ANY MINDS? ARE THEY EVER GAME CHANGERS? |
| 01:10:27 |
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YES, I WAS IN THREE NATIONAL DEBATES. I HAVE WATCHED EVERY DEBATE SINCE IT BEGAN, AND I THINK SOMETIMES... |
| 01:11:32 |
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CYNTHIA, I THINK THE DEBATES THIS YEAR, AS THE VICE PRESIDENT HAS INDICATED, THEY ARE SET. FIRST... |
| 01:13:38 |
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THE OTHER THING IF I MAY, JUST TO PICK UP ON WHAT THE VICE PRESIDENT SAID, HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF... |
| 01:15:25 |
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ONE CHANGE THAT I LIKE IS INCLUDING THE VICE-PRESIDENT TO THE DEBATE. THAT OFFICE HAS CHANGED. IT... |
| 01:16:17 |
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THE VICE-PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE WILL BE OPEN ON ALL TOPICS. RE DIVIDED. THE FIRST IS FOREIGN POLICY AND... |
| 01:16:49 |
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CYNTHIA, ONE OF THE REALLY BIG CHANGES, AND I THINK SENATOR OBAMA AND SENATOR MCCAIN REALLY DID THEMSELVES... |
| 01:18:55 |
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I WANT TO ASK EACH OF YOU ONE LAST QUESTION BEFORE WE GO TO THE AUDIENCE FOR QUESTIONS. THERE HAS... |
| 01:19:50 |
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HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT IT? |
| 01:19:51 |
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YEAH. THAT'S TRUE. |
| 01:19:54 |
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I'M FROM A SMALL STATE. I'M FROM THE STATE OF NEVADA, AND YOU'LL FIND THAT AFTER EVERY ELECTION AS... |
| 01:20:40 |
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MR. KIRK? |
| 01:20:41 |
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YEAH. I'M NOT ONE WHO'S PREPARED TO SCRAP THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE SYSTEM. I KNOW THERE ARE GOING TO... |
| 01:22:04 |
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WHEN THIS IN, IT WAS AN ESTABLISHED TO TRY TO BE SURE THAT AMERICA HAD A SERIES OF GEORGE WASHINGTONS.... |
| 01:22:24 |
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SORT OF LIKE A SUPERDELEGATE. BUT THAT IS RIGHT. [LAUGHTER] -- THAT IS RIGHT. [LAUGHTER] BUT IT... |
| 01:23:16 |
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AT EXACTLY WHY THE COMPROMISE CAME ABOUT, LIKE THE VICE PRESIDENT SAID. IFYOU GO BACK TO THE CONSTITUTIONAL... |
| 01:23:56 |
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WHAT ABOUT ANOTHER PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION YEAR OR TWO WHEN THE POPULAR VOTE GOES ONE WAY AND THE LIKE... |
| 01:24:13 |
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WHEN I WAS INVOLVED IN THE REAGAN RACES AND THE FIRST BUSCH RACE, WE DID NOT PAY ANY ATTENTION TO... |
| 01:25:10 |
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DO WE HAVE MICROPHONES FOR THE AUDIENCE MEMBERS? OR MAYBE YOU SHOULD JUST STAND AND SPEAK LOUDLY. |
| 01:25:18 |
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THERE ARE MICROPHONES. |
| 01:25:19 |
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EXCELLENT. IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, PLEASE MAKE YOUR WAY TO A MICROPHONE, IDENTIFY YOURSELF IF THE ... |
| 01:25:40 |
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I COME FROM EGYPT AND I AM A MEMBER OF THE OLDEST POLITICAL LIBERAL PARTY IN EGYPT, AND IN THE WORLD... |
| 01:26:30 |
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I WANT TO ASSURE YOU THAT THERE'S A LOT OF CONFUSION EVEN IN THE U.S. OVER THIS MATTER OF PLEDGED... |
| 01:26:40 |
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I WAS AN AMBASSADOR TO JAPAN AND I GOT A LOT OF QUESTIONS THAT WERE JUST LIKE YOURS. WHAT IS GOING... |
| 01:27:42 |
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THE SUPERDELEGATES ARE UNPLEDGED, MR. KIRK? |
| 01:27:45 |
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THE SUPERDELEGATES ARE UNPLEDGED AND NOT BECAUSE THE PEOPLE VOTED A CERTAIN WAY DURING THE PRIMARY,... |
| 01:29:29 |
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I AM A MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF LORDS IN THE U.K. AND I REPRESENT A PARLIAMENTARY GROUP. IT HAS BEEN... |
| 01:30:21 |
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THIS WAS ON THE ONE PERSON- ONE VOTE? |
| 01:30:24 |
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CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT YOU MEAN BY IT IN MEMBERSHIP? |
| 01:30:29 |
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DO YOU HAVE THAT SYSTEM OR NOT IN THE DEMOCRATIC PARTIES? I DON'T QUITE UNDERSTAND HOW THE MEMBERS... |
| 01:30:52 |
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IF YOUR COMING TO THE CONVENTION, THERE IS A CREDENTIALS PROCESS AND YOU HAVE TO BE VERIFIED AS A... |
| 01:32:23 |
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BUT GIVEN WHAT YOU ARE SAYING, WOULD ONE-PERSON, ONE- VOTE NOT BE A SIMPLER WAY TO CHOOSE A CANDIDATE?... |
| 01:32:33 |
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THAT IS FUNDAMENTALLY OUR SYSTEM, ONE-PERSON, ONE-VOTE. |
| 01:32:38 |
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IT IS DONE THROUGH THE DELICATE SYSTEM, YES? -- INDELICATEDELEGATE SYSTEM,? |
| 01:32:56 |
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AS PAUL THOSE, WE LECTURE AROUND THE WORLD. I JUST GOT BACK FROM THREE WEEKS IN CHINA LECTURING AT... |
| 01:34:17 |
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THANK YOU. I HAVE UNDERSTOOD -- BE ASSURED I HAVE UNDERSTOOD QUITE A LOT OF WHAT YOU HAVE SAID. THANK... |
| 01:34:35 |
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I COME FROM LEBANON, DEMOCRATIC RENEWAL MOVEMENT. YOU MENTIONED A PROPORTIONAL SYSTEM AS AN EFFECTIVE... |
| 01:35:06 |
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I AM GLAD YOU MADE THAT COMMENT. WE DO HAVE PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION IN THE NOMINATING PROCESS.... |
| 01:36:10 |
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I WOULD AGREE WITH THAT. THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN OUR PARTY WOULD AGREE WITH THAT. |
| 01:36:18 |
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THE OTHER ASPECT OF THE REGIONAL PRIMARIES THAT THE VICE-PRESIDENT MENTIONS IS, PERHAPS, ROTATING... |
| 01:36:40 |
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TO BE CLEAR ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE IN PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION, EACH PARTY GETS TO MAKE ITS OWN RULES... |
| 01:37:55 |
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I WORK FOR THE UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM, BUT EARLIER ON I WAS A POLITICIAN IN MY COUNTRY,... |
| 01:39:49 |
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THANK YOU. IS THIS DIRECTED AT THE DEMOCRATS? |
| 01:39:58 |
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GO AHEAD AND THEN YOU AS WELL. |
| 01:40:00 |
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AS A GENERAL MATTER, TO ECHO WHAT FRANK SAID, IF YOU ARE TRYING TO LEARN ABOUT THE AMERICAN DIALECT... |
| 01:42:37 |
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IN THE LATE '50S AND EARLY '60S, THERE WAS A POWERFUL MEMBER OF THE STATE LEGISLATURE IN CALIFORNIA,... |
| 01:44:02 |
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YOU ARE RAISING A TRALEE ASPECT ABOUT AMERICAN POLITICS, WHICH IS THERE IS ENTIRELY TOO MUCH MONEY.... |
| 01:45:00 |
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YOU KNOW WHERE MOST OF THE MONEY GOES, MOST OF THE MONEY GOES TO TELEVISION STATIONS FOR ADVERTISEMENT.... |
| 01:45:32 |
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I AM FROM THE BANGLADESH AREA. I HAVE TO QUESTIONS. WE HAVE HEARD, AND IT HAS BEEN VERIFIED THAT... |
| 01:46:15 |
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MR. FAHRENKOPF, YOU FIRST. ITIS THAT A DELEGATE AT A TIME OR A PANEL OF DELEGATES AND AS THE CANDIDATE... |
| 01:46:27 |
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IN SOME STATES, WHEN THE FOLKS GO TO THE PRIMARY, THEY ARE ACTUALLY PULLING A LEVER FOR A NAME DOES... |
| 01:47:34 |
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AND THE QUESTION OF -- WAS THE QUESTION ABOUT MONEY TO POLITICAL PARTIES? |
| 01:47:40 |
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NO, THE PRIMARIES THEMSELVES BECAUSE THAT TAKES A LOT OF FUNDING ONE IS THE INDIVIDUAL CANDIDATES... |
| 01:47:57 |
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MR. KIRK, HOW IS THE DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION BEING FUNDED? |
| 01:48:01 |
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I FORGET WHEN THE LAW WAS PASSED, BUT THE CONVENTION -- |
| 01:48:08 |
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BAKKEN 84, 1980 WAS THE FIRST TIME. |
| 01:48:15 |
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THE UNITED STATES TREASURY FUNDS THE ACTUAL OPERATIONS OF THE CONVENTIONS. THE HOSPITALITY, THE PARTIES,... |
| 01:49:10 |
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WITH THE INDIVIDUAL TAXPAYER BE ABLE TO DETERMINE WHICH PARTY HIS CONTRIBUTION GOES TO? OR DOES IT... |
| 01:49:23 |
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YOU AS A TAXPAYER CANNOT DESIGNATE WHICH PARTY THEY GO TO. IT GOES INTO THE GENERAL POOL OF FUNDS... |
| 01:49:34 |
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ARE THE PARTY IS FUNDED IN ANY WAY BY THE TREASURY OUTSIDE OF THE PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN? DOES THE... |
| 01:49:47 |
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NO MONEY FOR THE PARTY'S DURING THE YEAR. |
| 01:49:52 |
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I AM A MEMBER OF THE HOUSE LORDS IN BRITAIN, WHICH IS THE NEAREST THING WE HAVE TO BEING A SUPERDELEGATE.... |
| 01:50:52 |
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I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER. I BELIEVE THAT EVERY CANDIDATE AGREED IN TOOK THE GENERAL ELECTION MONEY UP... |
| 01:54:55 |
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FOR ALL THE THINGS THAT HAVE TO BE CHANGED AROUND THE EDGES, I THINK THIS IS A SPECTACULARLY SUCCESSFUL... |
| 01:56:03 |
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I'M ITALIAN. I HAVE A QUESTION OF THE SUPERDELEGATES. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHO DESIGNATES THE SUPERDELEGATES.... |
| 01:56:32 |
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IN THE INSTANCE OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY, THE RULES COMMITTEE MAKES A RECOMMENDATION TO THE FULL NATIONAL... |
| 01:57:36 |
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SO IN THEORY, IT IS A DEMOCRATICALLY DECIDED? |
| 01:57:48 |
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YES, THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEE PEOPLE ARE ELECTED. THERE ARE ELECTED FROM THEIR PERSPECTIVE... |
| 01:58:07 |
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THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE APPRECIATE YOUR QUESTIONS AND WE ARE SORRY THAT WE DID NOT HAVE... |
NOTE: The transcript for this program was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.
