Monitor Lunch: Edward Kennedy

"An overarching area – a key to all the hopes and dreams of the American people – is the shape of our economy. What we are faced with now is not just the question of recession and how deep it is, but the question of how we are going to respond to this.

"America has always been at its best when it is challenged and when it has been challenged in times of conflict. American leadership has always been at its best (when it recognizes) that there is a warfront – but also there is a homefront. ...

"Hopefully we will be able to address those domestic issues in the same atmosphere and same kind of response that we have been able to start off with in addressing the kind of challenges we have been facing (abroad)."

"I don't think there is a backlash against immigrants, it is against terrorists. ...You have a handful (coming in) who are potentially dangerous. The question about the free flow of people and the reunification of families you have to put into perspective. We want the free flow of people; we want the free flow of ideas, the free flow of goods. But we don't need the free flow of those supportive or actually involved in terrorism.

"There has been a complete breakdown of information that has been available to our counselor offices particularly from countries in the Middle East. The CIA wouldn't give to the FBI (the names of) those individuals they suspected of terrorism. They felt they would be undermining their own sources. That has to end. A counselor's office has to have updated information – that means daily information at the tip of their fingers, an enhanced watch list..."

"I would hope we would be able to find some common ground. .... If we establish criteria in terms of what is fair, temporary, and would be a real stimulus – I think we ought to be able to find (compromise). We have made suggestions in terms of unemployment insurance, COBRA, also suggestions to help states that are also in decline. They are also reducing their budgets. We have to understand that. We can't offset everything but particularly in some of the areas that we can help offset – in Medicaid perhaps in terms of their spending, and provide some tax reductions. ...

"Let's try and find out what makes the greatest difference in terms of stimulating the economy. What does not make a lot of difference is providing the repayments for (the corporate) alternative minimum tax over the past several years. And what doesn't make a lot of sense is other kinds of tax proposals that are going to be finalized in the out years. What we need is something right now. The quicker it comes, the better it is. ..."

"I think the politics will take care of itself. ...I am not one who believes we should be second-guessing the military decisions whether it is the use or non-use of combat forces, or the extent of combat forces, or whether we should bomb or not bomb during Ramadan...

"I think we ought to be supportive of those that are charged with the national security issues. ...I think 2002 and 2004 (are a) changed world. I think those will take care of themselves. I don't see, myself, political breakouts in terms of my colleagues or activity up there in Congress and the Senate. People are expecting to work on these matters and that is generally the attitude.

"...I don't think there is much you can say about what has changed here. ...With regards to the political outcome of the 2002 election in the House and Senate, I don't see that you can draw any kind of conclusions now. There is enough historically that points both ways and it would be a mistake in terms of the current issues and in terms of the politics to be trying to second-guess it."

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