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CNN Live Today
President Visits Troops at Fort Bragg
Aired March 15, 2002 - 13:06 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.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Earlier today, the president was speaking with a group of Marines, U.S. military there in Fort Bragg, North Carolina. This is new videotape coming from his visit now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
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GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: ... conditions for peace, which begins with getting into the Tenet plan, then eventually the Mitchell plan.
But I thought that was a positive development yesterday.
QUESTION: How hopeful are you that they'll be able to succeed?
BUSH: If I wasn't hopeful I wouldn't have sent him. Mikey, Mikey, Mikey. Is that getting national play, that "Mikey, Mikey, Mikey"?
QUESTION: With my family.
BUSH: That's good. I was hoping to give you a little boost.
QUESTION: What about lunch, Mr. President? What do you think about it? Are you getting ready to dig in? Pretty happy...
BUSH: Well, first of all, I knew our troops were good, because I've been reading reports about how good they are. I got to see firsthand -- I'm going to see all day long, firsthand, why.
The esprit de corps is very high here. These soldiers are proud to wear the uniform. They've got a great command staff. They've got highly motivated officers. They're well-trained. Every one of the troops, as I moved down the line, spoke a foreign language.
To give you an example of how well-trained they are: The medics, these highly trained young men, conduct -- they can pull a tooth or they can amputate a leg, if need be. I mean, these are fabulously trained soldiers. I'm real proud of the training.
One of the things we make sure that Congress understands is that we got to spend the money necessarily to keep them highly trained. They all know we're in for a long struggle. They're prepared to make sacrifices to meet that struggle.
I had the honor of meeting with the widows of two of the soldiers who died. They, too, and their dad and mom of one of the guys, and to a person they said, "Mr. President, don't falter." These people just lost a loved one and they are just as resolved about winning this war on terror as I am. And I was very impressed by their steadfast support for what we're doing and their understanding of the sacrifices necessary to defend freedom.
Now, I'm going to eat my lasagna before it gets cold. If it gets cold, you have to eat the lasagna.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HEMMER: Again, videotape from Fort Bragg with President Bush. From here, he will witness, in person, a few live exercises, training exercises there at Fort Bragg. And a number of the people in the crowd earlier today made up the Army special forces that are stationed there at Fort Bragg.
Also stationed there, at least for the day anyway, here's Kelly Wallace traveling with the president giving a preview of what's ahead there. Hey, Kelly.
KELLY WALLACE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hey there to you, Bill. Yes, I'm a little ways away in Fayetteville. Interesting, the president talking to reporters and noting how he met with two widows. He met with two individuals, members of the military, their wives who were killed -- the men were killed earlier this month in Afghanistan. Interesting, the president saying that the widows telling the president, quote, "don't falter."
The president, as you said, viewed some training exercises, in essence, really an exercise where U.S. embassy building is about to be overtaken by some rioters. You have U.S. special forces coming in and basically eliminating the threat. The president talking about how well trained these men and women are. And, of course, he's using this visit, Bill, to press Congress, to send a message to the House and the Senate. The House expected to vote on the president's budget in just days. The president calling on the House to pass his budget, including his call for about $48 billion extra in defense spending. The president saying earlier during his speech here that the price of freedom is high, but never too high. You heard him, again, say during that little session there that Congress needs to fork over this money to make sure the men and women will remain very trained and in very good shape to do what they must do.
The president received an incredible reception here from the men and women who came here to this auditorium here in Fayetteville to cheer the president on. And the president, Bill, really outlining what he now calls the second stage of this war on terrorism. The president saying it includes denying sanctuary to terrorists all around the world, denying them any safe haven, even a safe place to sleep. And then he talks about the concern, the concern of weapons of mass destruction. The president, Bill, not mentioning any countries by name. No mention of Iraq or Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, but the president making it very clear in his own words, he said whatever it takes, this administration will do to fight against that threat and to protect Americans -- Bill.
HEMMER: Kelly, thank you. Ironic on a day like today where the training exercise is carried out against a mock U.S. embassy that we have the story from Yemen, in Sanaa, the capital city. Kelly, thanks. Kelly Wallace traveling with the president there in Fayetteville. And, obviously, the president there at Fort Bragg there visiting U.S. men and women.
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