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CNN Live Saturday

Bush Meets With National Security Team

Aired September 22, 2001 - 17:15   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: President Bush is not in Washington this weekend. He's huddling with his national security advisers at the presidential retreat at Camp David, Maryland. On the president's table, an executive order targeting terrorists and on his phone the Russian President, Vladimir Putin.

Joining us now from nearby Hagerstown, Maryland, CNN White House correspondent Kelly Wallace. Tell us how this day went for the president, Kelly.

KELLY WALLACE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, starting early the president meeting with his national security team as you noted. Actually, doing that via video conference. The president joined by his CIA director, his national security adviser and his chief of -- chief of staff. The rest of his aides, though, elsewhere in Washington.

Also, though, an executive order that the president is expected to sign as early as this weekend. Now this is an example of how this administration is saying this is not going to be just a military campaign that it's also going to be a diplomatic and financial battle. And so this order would name specific terrorists and specific terrorist organization and would freeze their assets in the United States. Now we're not exactly certainly who would be on this list.

But we do believe that Osama bin Laden, the man the administration calls the prime suspect for the deadly terrorist attack, that he will be named along with other organizations linked to that al-Qaeda group which is the network that he heads up. This again, example, a way to choke off money flowing from the United States to bin Laden and his network.

And, Wolf, also as you noted, the president working the phones, a lengthy phone conversation, about 45 minutes to an hour with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Very interesting, it is the third telephone conversation between the two leaders since September 11th and a sign of how the United States is really working with Russia trying to cooperate in this fight against terrorism, trying to get any intelligence Russia might have about bin Laden. Wolf.

BLITZER: Thank you very much, Kelly Wallace, near Camp David, Maryland.

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