THE NEW CONGRESS

	November 13 , 2000
	After a background report, Margaret Warner discusses the current political landscape with four of newly elected members of Congress.

MARGARET WARNER: The new members are two Republicans, Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, and Pat Tiberi of Ohio; and two Democrats, Steve Israel of New York and Brad Carson of Oklahoma. Welcome to you all. Congratulations on your wins. Shelley Capito, let me start with you. How do you feel about this whole unfinished election and all the legal wrangling that is going on in an effort to resolve it? REP.-ELECT SHELLEY MOORE CAPITO: Well, I have the same feelings that I think every citizen across the nation probably has of an unsettling feeling. I'd like to see a resolution come, you know, sooner than later. And I feel that we don't want to damage our process in electing our President, which is absolutely the most important thing we can do. But in terms of being in Washington today, it's... it adds to the excitement of being here. I'm not sure how it has inter-played with our day, but we still have plenty to do. MARGARET WARNER: Steve Israel, to you next. How do you feel about it? Do you think all of this wrangling we're seeing in Florida, does it look like a fair process to you, a constructive one? REP.-ELECT STEVE ISRAEL: Well, Margaret, I think about 50% of the American people voted for a moderate Democrat. About 50% voted for someone who said that he's a moderate Republican. This is a mandate for moderation. And I believe that we in Congress have an obligation now to work in a bipartisan constructive spirit and move ahead on a common sense agenda for our country and not exploit the divisions that seem to be occurring in Florida. MARGARET WARNER: How do you feel about it, Mr. Tiberi? In terms of first of all - and I want to get back to what you all in Congress can do, but what you're seeing going on in Florida? I mean, is this unsettling or do you say to yourself, well, the best minds in both parties are working this out and the result is going to be a fair one? REP.-ELECT PAT TIBERI: I think partly it adds to some cynicism as people see what's happening down there now. And my hope is -- is that we can get by this as soon as possible and begin a new Congress in Washington, D.C. , with a new President and bipartisanship. MARGARET WARNER: What do you mean it adds to cynicism? Do you mean in the American public? REP.-ELECT PAT TIBERI: Sure, I think so. And certainly we've all just been through elections. And when you have 50% turnout, that's great in America today. I have an uncle here from Italy. They have 88% turnout. That's normal. So when you see something like this that kind of goes on for a week now, I think it does add cynicism to some folks. MARGARET WARNER: And Brad Carson, how do you see it in terms of the impact it's having? REP.-ELECT BRAD CARSON: I think it reaffirms for everyone that importance that every vote counts. I don't think we're in a crisis situation. I don't think people even find it unsettling. But people do want a resolution. We have to balance our need for an expeditious result in this election with the even greater desire to have a sense of legitimacy when you go into the presidency. If you don't have that moral authority behind you, it will certainly lead to unhappy times in the future. MARGARET WARNER: Shelley Capito, as you look as what's going on in Florida, does it appear to you that the folks there-- maybe this is very obvious-- but it's been driven purely bipartisanship? Do you get the feeling -- would you even go further that someone is really just trying to win this election, even steal this election however they can, or do you have confidence in the way it's unfolding? REP.-ELECT SHELLEY MOORE CAPITO: I have confidence in the fact that the elected officials in Florida are moving forward to obey the election law as it stands in Florida. I do almost have a sense that we're going through another election. You know, you see the battling of the different Gore and Bush camps and in a way that was portrayed through the election. But I have full faith in our system, and I have full faith in the American people to get together and unite behind whoever comes out whenever. My hope is that we settle this sooner than, as I said earlier, sooner than later in an objective fashion. I think we can do that. MARGARET WARNER: All right. Steve Israel, how do you think... let's turn now to one of these men will finally get picked as the winner. How do you think all of this will affect his ability to lead, the way he's regarded? For instance, if George W. Bush is ultimately declared the winner, are you going to regard him as a legitimate President with a legitimate right to lead? REP.-ELECT STEVE ISRAEL: Of course. Look, I was a local town councilman in a very Republican town working with a very Republican majority in my town hall. I had to learn to reach across party aisles and throw partisan labels aside. That's what I'm going to do here in Congress. Whoever is elected President is the President. And we have a special obligation, Republicans and Democrats, on the Hill to lead by example and to show our constituents that we can work together. We're not going to exploit this. We're not going to allow the divide to deepen. We're going to come together and preserve Social Security and pass a prescription drug plan and do what's in the best interest of our constituents. MARGARET WARNER: Pat Tiberi, how do you think this will affect the ability of the new President to lead and to lead this Congress? REP.-ELECT PAT TIBERI: I think you have a number of people coming in, and I've had the opportunity to work in the minority with a Democrat majority and in the majority with a Democrat majority. MARGARET WARNER: In the Ohio house. REP.-ELECT PAT TIBERI: And we did that to get things done and put aside the partisanship. I think that Shelly has done the same thing and Steve, obviously, and Brad has as well. And so I think you're seeing some folks who have just been elected who are ready to put aside differences to work for people. MARGARET WARNER: Brad Carson, I'm hearing from all of you this not just hope but confidence that you all can make a difference here in Washington. What is going to be different? Why will it be, do you think, if this is what you're all saying, not as acrimonious, not as bitter, not as partisan? REP.-ELECT BRAD CARSON: I think what will be different is the circumstances of the presidential election are going to force upon us the need to have even more good faith, to extend credit to the other party, to make sure that no one in the country, regardless of what political differences might arise see the president, whomever that might ultimately be, as illegitimate. Before us are a couple of alternatives. Rutherford B. Hayes, who was in this position in 1866, had a terrible presidency. On the other hand, John F. Kennedy won in a very close election with widespread allegations of fraud in 1960 and was seen as legitimate, having a great deal of authority. So the difference is going to be the spirit of the people who are elected the spirit of the people across the country and making sure that even though there will be differences of policy that we never question one's right to be in the office in the first place. MARGARET WARNER: Why do you think it will be different? I'm sorry. I was turning to Ms. Capito; I should have said so. REP.-ELECT SHELLEY MOORE CAPITO: I think it will be different because I really think the American people by having so many close races across the nation, not only the presidential race, my race, many, many races, I think the American people are saying enough of the divisiveness, enough of the partisanship; let's work together; let's get some of these issues that we've all talked about in our campaigns decided and worked in a bipartisan way so we get the best solution. So I feel the fact that we're having close elections everywhere to me is the fact that the American people are listening, and they're paying attention to their candidates and what they're talking about. So I'm an optimist. I'm encouraged. We're going to come out of this just fine. MARGARET WARNER: Steve Israel, you sounded optimistic from the get-go in our little discussion. From being here just this day or two, one, how do you find your fellow freshmen and, two, how do you find the leadership in that regard? In other words, do you feel -- are you hearing anything different? This is the same leadership that's presided over a pretty acrimonious couple of years. REP.-ELECT STEVE ISRAEL: Yeah, I think that there are several important distinctions. First of all we're a freshman class of over 40 people. And I believe that virtually all of us heard on the campaign trail our constituents say, "end the partisanship. Don't close the government down. Learn how to work together." I believe that's a mandate that we all carry to this institution. We were in a meeting, the Democrats were in a meeting this afternoon, with Leader Gephardt. And he made a very strong appeal on the need for bipartisanship. He said, "look, you guys have to work together. You need to have relationships with Republicans. You need to reach across party aisles." He noted that he had had a conversation with Speaker Hastert. That's the model that we have to per sue because the alternative is more years of paralysis. And that's no alternative. MARGARET WARNER: But why, Pat Tiberi, I keep coming back to this -- why do you think it will be different? I mean, in other words, all these members of Congress -- including the members who have been here a long time -- were also elected by ostensibly folks who said we want you to work together. REP.-ELECT PAT TIBERI: Well, I think Shelly hit the nail on the head. We have a number of people who are in close elections. We have a situation in Florida right now, we have a razor-thin majority in the House and in the Senate. And I think there's going to be an extraordinary effort by Republicans and Democrats to work together in a bipartisan style. MARGARET WARNER: All right. And what are you hearing from the leadership here? REP.-ELECT PAT TIBERI: Same thing what Steve just talked about, that we need to work in a bipartisanship style to move the ball forward, to get things done for the people of America. MARGARET WARNER: Brad Carson, are you getting the impression from the leadership that working together, that they're ready to actually compromise, which is, I mean, you can always have nice feelings but ready to give? REP.-ELECT BRAD CARSON: They're all saying that we want to compromise. I do think that the country is ready for that kind of moderation, for that kind of compromise where we get actually something done. You know, maybe the triumph of hope over experience but that's the nature of running for office is that you believe you can do something differently. The country is ready for an end to this kind of massive gridlock where people use issues not to help people but as a wedge to try to win the next election. I believe people are tried of that. People are saying today that we come from all across the political spectrum, that we want to do something different and actually effect change rather than simply worry about using something as an issue to club the opponent with. MARGARET WARNER: And, briefly, I'd like to get around to all four of you. How difficult is it for you to envision, starting with you, Shelley Capito, to envision what it is going to be like as a member without knowing who the President is going to be? REP.-ELECT SHELLEY MOORE CAPITO: Well, quite honestly, Margaret, there so much to learn that we learned today that I'm putting my head down, I'm almost in the campaign mode and just trying to study. So, as I said, whoever comes out on top we'll unite behind them. We're looking forward to the resolution. MARGARET WARNER: Steve Israel? REP.-ELECT STEVE ISRAEL: Well, I'm still learning how to find my way to the rest rooms. Look, I think I can work with anyone. That's why I was elected on a campaign pledge of bipartisanship, so no matter who the President is, I'm going to support my President and work for a legislative agenda that makes sense. MARGARET WARNER: Pat Tiberi? REP.-ELECT PAT TIBERI: Same thing. We have to work together to make America a better place to live and work and raise a family. MARGARET WARNER: And it isn't hard for you to think ahead not even knowing who the President is going to be? REP.-ELECT PAT TIBERI: No. We have a lot on our plate and a lot to do in the next couple of months. MARGARET WARNER: All right. Brad Carson. REP.-ELECT BRAD CARSON: Well, I agree. I think by the next couple of weeks we'll know who the President is. By the time any of us get to Washington and start casting votes we'll have a President and a full cabinet. MARGARET WARNER: Great. Well, thank you all four very much and good luck.