CNN Again Worries About Lack of Attacks on Republicans

During Monday’s convention coverage, CNN’s Jeffrey Toobin fretted that the Democrats weren’t doing enough Bush-bashing.  Tuesday afternoon, CNN aired two segments during the 1:00 hour of CNN’s Newsroom in which they promoted Democrat fears that Virginia Senate candidate Mark Warner “won’t go for the jugular” in his speech tonight.

White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux highlighted the split between Hillary Clinton supporters and Barack Obama supporters in the first segment.  She stated,  “A lot of the Clinton camp want that kind of attack dog, want that red meat to be thrown to the delegates. They're ready -- they're ready for that fight. The Obama folks, a little bit more laid back about it, saying, look, you know, we're reaching across the aisle. We want to reach out to the independents and some of the Republicans. A little less, though, of that red meat style.”  

In the second segment congressional correspondent Dana Bash labeled the Democratic former Virginia governor a “moderate” and  “more socially conservative” and  drew parallels between his keynote address and that of Obama’s in 2004 before she noted “there's a little bit of concern about the fact that he's not going to be -- sort of go for the jugular the way that many Democrats are hoping that they really step up here at this convention here in Denver.”

Transcripts of the segments are below:

1:08

O'BRIEN: What are the expectations for Warner's speech tonight?

MALVEAUX: Well, actually, there's -- there's a little bit of -- already a little bit of dust-up about that, as well, because we have heard from our own CNN contributors and Clinton supporters, Paul Begala, as well as James Carville, complaining that Warner says that he -- this is going to be a note to bipartisanship. He's going to be reaching across the aisle. You know, he's running for U.S. Senate. So he needs independent voters. He needs some Republicans, as well. So we don't expect kind of the red meat that some are looking for from him. Perhaps they'll get it from Hillary Clinton.

But what it really signifies, Soledad, is a difference in style here. A lot of the Clinton camp want that kind of attack dog, want that red meat to be thrown to the delegates. They're ready -- they're ready for that fight.

The Obama folks, a little bit more laid back about it, saying, look, you know, we're reaching across the aisle. We want to reach out to the independents and some of the Republicans. A little less, though, of that red meat style. So you're seeing almost a jockeying of two camps, trying to come together at this convention. So we'll see how it plays out tonight.

O'BRIEN: We certainly will. Suzanne Malveaux for us. Thanks, Suzanne.

1:36

O'BRIEN: Besides Hillary's speech, what do you think we should be watching for specifically tonight, Dana?

DANA BASH: Well, tonight is also the keynote address. The keynote address of the convention. And that's a pretty important slot. And you'll remember the last time around in 2004, that was given to Barack Obama and that's how he made his name on the national stage because of the speech that he gave.

Tonight it is going to be Mark Warner. He's the former governor of the state of Virginia. He's also somebody who was running for the Senate seat in Virginia. And he is somebody who the Democrats wanted to showcase for a number of reasons. One is because Mike [sic] is what Barack Obama was then. He is an up and comer in the party. He also is somebody who is perhaps more socially conservative and might help bring in into the fold others into the Democratic Party. But I've got to tell you, there is a little bit of concern that we're hearing among some Democrats about the kind of address he's going to give, Soledad. Because of the fact that he is a moderate, he is making pretty clear that he isn't going to be the kind of guy he is going to give a red meat speech. He said, actually, to the Politico that if that's what they wanted, I'm not their guy.

Well, there's some Democrats saying, wait a minute, that's exactly what we need. We need red meat, especially from the person who we gave this very important speaking slot to. So, there's a little bit of concern about the fact that he's not going to be -- sort of go for the jugular the way that many Democrats are hoping that they really step up here at this convention here in Denver.

O'BRIEN: And there's a little time for speech tweaks to be made if they need to be made, I suppose.  Dana Bash for us. Thanks, Dana.