CNN's Schneider Marvels That Voters Like Chafee, But ‘Didn’t Vote For Him!’

During election night coverage, CNN’s Paula Zahn and Bill Schneider exuded giddiness over what Republican Senator Lincoln Chafee’s defeat meant. Schneider marveled that voters liked Chafee, but "they didn’t vote for him!" Zahn wondered if Chafee’s defeat could be seen as a "mandate for change." A transcript follows:

11/7/06 9:43pm

Paula Zahn: "When we asked respondents coming out of the voting booth today how does he handle his job? 62 percent said they approve. Thirty six said they said they disapprove. Now, of those voters who said they strongly disapprove of the war in Iraq, just 27 percent voted for the republican. Some 72 percent for Sheldon Whitehouse, the newly elected senator from Rhode Island.

Bill Schneider: "An amazing result! 62 percent approve of Lincoln Chafee. They like him. They really like him but they didn't vote for him! When I interviewed Sheldon Whitehouse, who has won that Senate seat, he said ‘I’m not going to attack Lincoln Chafee personally. He voted okay, against the war and I agree with him on a lot of issue but he's in the wrong party and when he votes for Majority Leader in the Senate, he empowers the wrong people.’ Fifty two percent of Rhode Island voters told us they, not just disapprove of the war in Iraq they strongly disapprove of the war in Iraq, and they voted 3-1 for Whitehouse even though Lincoln Chafee voted against the war in Iraq. This has got to be a very frustrating night for Lincoln Chafee."

Zahn: "So this is all about a mandate for change? essentially?"

Schneider: "And a very strong message on Iraq in Rhode Island. Lincoln Chafee was liked but he was in the wrong party for Rhode Island voters."

Zahn: "So, don't take it personally tonight, Lincoln, they really, really like you but--"

Schneider: "Wrong position on– Wrong party on the war."