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Published January 26, 2017
This is a rush transcript from "Your World With Neil Cavuto," September 1, 2008. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.
NEIL CAVUTO, HOST:Well, the McCain camp is hoping, certainly, as the senator pointed out, that Governor Palin hits it out of the park with tonight's speech.
Former Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott is betting that she will.
Geraldine Ferraro, perhaps the only woman in America who knows exactly what is going through Governor Palin's mind, hopes as well tonight.
Geraldine, 24 years ago, you probably knew that feeling well. What was it like?
GERALDINE FERRARO, FORMER U.S. CONGRESSWOMAN: It was nerve-wracking.
But we had — the public had a little bit more time to get to know me, because we had a week before, when my nomination was announced in Minnesota, in Saint Paul, as a matter of fact. And, so, they had a week to get kind of used to the fact that I was going to be the nominee.
I watched her going in earlier today to look over the whole area and to test the Teleprompters. We did that at 11:30 at night the night before, when the place was totally empty. And I — I had had no experience in Teleprompters.
• Video: Watch Neil's interview with Geraldine Ferraro and Trent Lott
(LAUGHTER)
FERRARO: And somebody yelled at me: "Slow down." You look as if you're watching a race or a tennis match."
And, so, I worked on the Teleprompters. We tested the level of the — of the platform, so that George Bush, the dad, would not be looking down on me. He is 6'4''. I'm 5'4''. We raised it up, so it looked as if I was just walking up and I was on an equal basis with him.
(LAUGHTER)
FERRARO: I mean, we did all those things before. And so those are not things that she is obviously concerned about.
CAVUTO: OK.
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FERRARO: But she has to be concerned coming in there about how — how not the convention will see her, but in light of all the stuff that is going on in the press about her, how the public will perceive her.
And — and my sense is, is that she has got to focus, which I did as well, on the issues and on the importance of electing John McCain...
CAVUTO: OK.
FERRARO: ... vs. Senator Obama.
CAVUTO: Senator Trent Lott, what do make of that — I'm sorry, Geraldine — that there is enormous pressure on the governor? Maybe not to the degree that there was with Geraldine Ferraro. But, for the Republicans, this is a first. So, that does mean that either she addresses all of this stuff or she ignores it and charges on with a boffo speech. What do you think?
TRENT LOTT (R), FORMER U.S. SENATOR: Well, I think, obviously, she wants to do her very best tonight. I think everybody is waiting to see her performance.
But, if she will do something close to what she did in Dayton, Ohio, last week, when she was first introduced, she is going to do great. I thought she was very articulate. She was obviously very capable and committed. Tough is the one word that I would ascribe to her.
But, like Geraldine, there is pressure on her, but I think she is going to rise to the occasion, Neil.
CAVUTO: Do you think, Senator, that she should address some of these family concerns that have come out, or does she rise above it and not go tit for tat, talk about big issues, talk about drilling, talk about how she is a maverick governor, and — and leave all the other stuff alone?
LOTT: Yes, I think she should rise above it, actually.
There are a lot of big issues. People want to get to know her. They want to know her positions. They want to know what she really cares about. We can't say leave her children alone and then have her introduce it. I just don't think this would be the right time or place to focus on that.
CAVUTO: Geraldine, your family became a focus. It happens with candidates, male or female. Of course, you got more than your fair share of that. Is it going to happen to Governor Palin? Does it just come with the turf?
FERRARO: You know, I think, with reference to her personally and — and her husband, I think, looking at people who have jobs — and John was the first spouse who had a business outside of sitting there and looking adoringly at the husband as he was running — I think that that is legitimate, looking into those things, because it has been done with Hillary Clinton as a professional spouse, Michelle Obama as a professional spouse. That is all fine.
CAVUTO: OK. We shall see.
FERRARO: With the children, I think the children are off-limits. And it is unfortunate that this young girl is in the national and international spotlight about a problem that she is now having to deal with.
CAVUTO: OK. We shall see.
Thank you both very, very much.
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