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CNN Live Today

Congress Reacts to September 11 Warnings

Aired May 17, 2002 - 14:48   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: As anticipated, there is more reaction today, congressional reaction, what we're hearing from the White House, about what was known, what was not known prior to 9/11. Jonathan Karl gauging reaction now in Washington.

Jonathan, what are you finding out?

JONATHAN KARL, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Bill, there's been quite a back and forth here today. And it begins our story today at the White House. White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer had some strong words to say about Democratic criticism.

And especially on this question of, what did you know and when did you know it -- Fleischer was making the case that Democrats, especially Democrats on the intelligence committee, had some of the very same information that the White House had about the danger of impending terrorist attacks before September 11th. Listen to what Fleischer had to say this morning.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ARI FLEISCHER, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: There have been several responsible, many responsible things said by Democrats. Senator Bob Graham of the intelligence committee. Senator Lieberman, Senator Feinstein.

Senator Feinstein, in July of 2001 in CNN, on Wolf Blitzer's program, said, and I quote, "there is major probability of a terrorist incident within the next three months." She continued, "The vice president, when he spoke to the Democratic caucus, mentioned the administration was going to be working on the issue of homeland defense, around that particular issue."

The point being, the administration, prior to September 11th, had shared with the Democrats, was already moving on the homeland security front.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KARL: Ari Fleischer asked rhetorically what did the Democrats know and who did they share it with? Now, if you want to hear for yourself exactly what Dianne Feinstein said back in July before September 11th, on CNN's "LATE EDITION," here it is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. DIANNE FEINSTEIN (D), CALIFORNIA: One of the things that has begun to concern me very much, as to whether we really have our house in order. Intelligence staff have told me that there is a major probability of a terrorist incident within the next three months.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KARL: OK, now, that was Senator Feinstein back in July. Now, after Ari Fleischer made a point of talking about that, she immediately put out a statement expressing some indignation for being dragged into this, and for what she said Ari Fleischer playing politics.

Here's what she said about what she knew. Quote: "I, for one, do not believe that any of our nation's leadership had specific information last summer to know when and what kind of attack to anticipate. My work on the intelligence committee had given me a sense of foreboding for some time. I had no specific data leading to a possible attack."

Now, Senator Feinstein goes on in her statement to say that she made every effort to try to get with the vice president of the United States and his chief goof staff to talk about taking some extraordinary steps to improve homeland defense and intelligence gathering.

In her statement she goes on to say, quote, "Despite repeated efforts by myself and staff, the White House did not address my request. I followed this up in September, 2001, and was told by 'Scooter' Libby" -- that's Vice President Cheney's chief of staff -- "that it might be another six months before he would be able to review the material. I told him I did not believe we had six months to wait."

And one thing that's interesting about that, Bill, is Senator Feinstein said that that conversation she had with Scooter Libby took place on September 10th.

HEMMER: So, Jonathan, if we look at the words that she gave in that statement you just read, what she is saying, in essence, is that in July when she made the comments, there were no specific threats given to anyone within the U.S. government. But she followed up her request looking for more information. She was essentially put off, she says, for a six month period. Is that the way we read this?

KARL: Well, essentially. But there's a very important point here, Bill. And that is that Senator Feinstein hasn't been one of those Democrats that has said that the president had prior knowledge of September 11th. She has not been one of the ones accusing the president.

What she's saying is that through her information, the classified information she was getting at the intelligence committee, she knew that there was danger out there. They were getting warned at the intelligence committees that al Qaeda was very active and was planning something. Not something specific, but something.

HEMMER: We'll see if that moves the ball any on this story. Jonathan, thanks. Jonathan Karl reporting from Capitol Hill.

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