[Daryn Kagan, Cnn Anchor:] We're going to go ahead and turn to politics now. Two more of President Bush's Cabinet choices are expected to win Senate confirmation today. And the Senate Judiciary Committee could vote on the president's most contentious nomination: John Ashcroft as attorney general. CNN national correspondent Bob Franken joining us now from Capitol Hill. He has the latest. Good morning, Bob.
[Bob Franken, Cnn Correspondent:] Good morning here on Capitol Hill.
[Kagan:] Hill.
[Franken:] Where, of course, as you've just pointed out, there's going to be the Senate Judiciary Committee vote today, quite likely, on John Ashcroft. And the vote the only real question is whether it will be a 1010 split partisan, or whether there will be a couple of Democratic defection. In either case, once the committee is through, the nomination of John Ashcroft will go to the Senate floor. Republican leaders are going to try, by the end of the week, to get it through the Senate. There is a consensus that, number one, he will in fact ultimately be confirmed. Two, that there will 30 to 35 Democrats voting against him. The latest ones to announce, now: Pat Leahy, yesterday no surprise; Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York no surprise. But there will be still enough votes for him to be confirmed as attorney general after all the controversy, by the time the dust settles. Now, one of the big controversial figures for a while was Gale Norton. And she is going to be confirmed easily now, probably today, as the secretary of the Interior. She, of course, raises the ire of the environmental groups. They consider her a real danger to the environment. But that controversy is over, at least for now. She will be confirmed. Also, an easy confirmation will be the new head of the environmental Protection Agency, the former New Jersey governor, Christie Todd Whitman. No controversy there. So Daryn, I know you keep a score card. Sports fan that you are, you can check off Norton and check off Whitman, and get ready to check off Ashcroft Daryn.
[Kagan:] I'm all ready for that. Thank you very much for talking to me in terms I can understand, Bob. Very good. Bob Franken, on Capitol Hill, giving us a sports rundown on politics, thank you.