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CNN Live Event/Special

Bush Announces New Head of National Cancer Institute.

Aired December 06, 2001 - 15:46   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.
JUDY WOODRUFF, ANCHOR: And of course we are going to continue to follow that story in northern Indiana. We are told that right now President Bush is just about to come before a group at the Old Executive Office Building to announce the new head of the National Cancer Institute. We're going to listen to that.

(JOINED IN PROGRESS)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: ...our quality of life for many decades. The war on cancer has been a top priority of medical and research communities, and it's a top priority of this administration.

As we stand on the brink of amazing breakthroughs in cancer research, breakthroughs that will lead to new cancer therapies and hopefully to cancer cures, I am pleased to introduce the man who will lead the National Cancer Institute in its war on cancer: Dr. Andrew von Eschenbach.

And I want to welcome Andy's family. Thank you all for coming. And I want to thank my friend Tommy Thompson for doing such a fine job as the Secretary of Health and Human Services.

Another member of my cabinet is here. The Director of Homeland Security, Governor Tom Ridge. Thank you for coming.

And I've got to recognize my parents' old Congressman, Bill Archer from Houston. Thank you for coming, Bill. Tell them hello back home.

Thirty years ago this month, President Richard Nixon signed into law legislation authorizing the Director of the National Cancer Institute...

WOODRUFF: We are interrupting the president to go back to Joie Chen in Atlanta with the latest from Indiana.

(INTERRUPTED FOR CNN COVERAGE OF A LIVE EVENT)

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