CNN Highlights Vermont's 'Impeach Bush' Movement That's 'Spreading Like Wildfire'

On Wednesday afternoon's The Situation Room, CNN correspondent Carol Costello filed a story about Vermont residents who have successfully voted on resolutions calling for the impeachment of President Bush and Vice President Cheney. Costello described the impeachment supporters as "mad as hell and they're not going to take it anymore" as she remarked that "even if this effort doesn't pay off, sure feels good."

After anchor Wolf Blitzer introduced the story as "pretty interesting," Costello made her introduction: "Interesting story, and you might say, Wolf, they are mad as hell and they're not going to take it anymore. And even if this effort doesn't pay off, sure feels good. They turned out in droves in tiny Jericho, Vermont. Despite the cold and the long wait, for the townsfolk, it was worth it." (Transcript follows)

Costello further hyped the movement as she described the resolution as "spreading like wildfire" before she went on to point out that this movement is happening in "liberal" Vermont which "voted for John Kerry." Costello also relayed anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan's involvement in Vermont's impeachment movement. After describing Washington Democrats as uninterested in such an impeachment, the CNN correspondent concluded by relaying that pro-impeachment activists "hope, at the very least, the whole state of Vermont will jump on board." Below is a complete transcript of the story from the Wednesday March 7 The Situation Room:

Wolf Blitzer: "In Vermont, calls for impeaching President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney. Towns around the state approved nonbinding resolutions on the subject during the state's annual town meetings. Let's go back to CNN's Carol Costello. She's watching all of this in New York. Pretty interesting story, Carol."

Carol Costello: "Interesting story, and you might say, Wolf, they are mad as hell and they're not going to take it anymore. And even if this effort doesn't pay off, sure feels good. They turned out in droves in tiny Jericho, Vermont. Despite the cold and the long wait, for the townsfolk, it was worth it."

Unidentified man #1: "Whereas George W. Bush and Richard B. Cheney have, one, deliberately misled the nation about the threat from Iraq-"

Costello: "Voters love the 'Impeach Bush' resolution, passing it overwhelmingly."

Unidentified man #2: "I'm very dissatisfied with President Bush."

Costello: "The resolution is spreading like wildfire. People at more than 30 other town meetings across Vermont also voted to impeach Bush and Cheney. Now, keep in mind this is liberal Vermont, land of Howard Dean and Ben & Jerry's ice cream. It voted for John Kerry in 2004. And, um, oh yeah, one of the organizers behind the impeachment push is none other than anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan. Some Vermonters say, 'So what?'"

Ellen McCay, Voted to impeach President Bush: "This is not a liberal issue. This is an American issue."

Costello: "And the 'Impeach Bush' movement is moving so fast in the state, Vermont Congressman Peter Welch pledges to carry its sense of urgency to Washington, saying, 'I will work in Congress to aggressively hold the President accountable through strict oversight and investigations that follow the facts.' Translation: He'll do what he can because the Speaker of the House has already squelched any congressional conversation about impeachment."

Nancy Pelosi, House Speaker: "I have said, and I say again that impeachment is off the table."

Costello: "Some analysts say it's not so much that the Democrats wouldn't consider impeachment, but they don't want to give the President any ammunition."

Stuart Rothenberg, Political analyst: "I think the Democrats know they have the upper hand now, and they want to keep pushing that without causing themselves problems."

Costello: "Of course, no local resolution carries weight in Washington, D.C., but organizers in Vermont hope, at the very least, the whole state of Vermont will jump on board."