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CNN Live At Daybreak

What's on Tap in D.C. Today?

Aired July 25, 2002 - 06:12   ET

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

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: For more on what's going on in and around the nation's capital, we're joined on the phone by our Washington bureau morning producer, Paul Courson.
Thanks very much for being with us -- Paul.

PAUL COURSON, CNN WASHINGTON BUREAU MORNING PRODUCER: Morning, Anderson, how are you?

COOPER: I'm doing well -- doing well.

So Zacarias Moussaoui back in court today?

COURSON: Yes. Before we get away from Traficant, though, I have to look at the vote tally on that. You know we mentioned a comparison yesterday to the Gary Condit ordeal.

COOPER: Right.

COURSON: Voters decided against his reelection even though he was never criminally collected -- connected with the Chandra Levy case. Well CNN's Kate Snow today will have some reaction from voters around Traficant's Youngstown, Ohio. Some of them say they're still going to support Traficant and his vow to return to office someday. It's just -- it's Condit was the only one voting in favor of Traficant.

COOPER: Yes, definitely an interesting -- was that -- was that a surprise? I mean had Condit spoken out at all?

COURSON: I hadn't heard that. And our Capitol Hill team had not mentioned that he'd indicated he would still vote in favor of Traficant. But it's just -- it's one of those things of history, I suppose, that'll go down.

Let me come back to Capitol Hill in a moment. You've got accused September 11 suspect Moussaoui back in court today, as you mentioned. It's been a week since he told the judge he wanted to plead guilty to charges related to the September 11 hijackings. The judge then told him to think about it for a week, and today's the day.

Well complicating things, Anderson, is a filing from the attorneys who are trying to represent him. They want to delay the plea hearing and try to convince the judge they should be allowed to meet with him, which they've yet to do. CNN's Deb Feyerick has been covering the case. She'll be at U.S. District Court in Alexandria, Virginia this morning ahead of the 1:00 p.m. hearing. COOPER: Now the judge is allowing -- continuing to allow Moussaoui to represent himself?

COURSON: It's true. The judge believes he's mentally competent to do so. He has used the proceedings so far as kind of a forum for the causes he believes in. That's not necessarily contributing to his defense and the judge still so far has allowed him to continue. Well her decision to not immediately accept his guilty plea a week ago was kind of an acknowledgement that he might not be fully aware of the consequences.

COOPER: Talked a little bit about Capitol Hill, let's go back to it today. What's on tap there and also at the White House?

COURSON: Well at the White House, President Bush travels to North Carolina today, Anderson, for a speech on healthcare. He'll be talking about medical malpractice reform. Later he has a political event benefiting Libby Dole, the congressional candidate in Carolina, wife of former Senator Bob Dole. CNN's Bill Schneider has a profile on "INSIDE POLITICS" tonight. It's called "The Bush's and the Dole's."

And in the House now that they're done with Traficant, the House today is supposed to vote on the compromised corporate responsibility proposal. Word of a deal yesterday sent the stock market higher as business and shareholders each look for some reassurance out of that. The House also holds debate on homeland security legislation. It would reorganize several government agencies. CNN's Jon Karl will be covering that for us.

Over in the Senate, Anderson, the Transportation Committee today holds a hearing on aviation security. This is the guns in the cockpit story again. But it's the first time this committee has held a hearing on the issue. It's Chairman, Fritz Hollings, is opposed to firearms in airline cockpits so expect some tough questioning of the witnesses, including Transportation Secretary Norm Mineta on the Hill again.

COOPER: There's also a joint intelligence hearing on 9/11 issues?

COURSON: Yes, 9/11 issues do come up again. Attorney General Ashcroft is on Capitol Hill today before a Senate judiciary. The hearing is on the oversight of the Justice Department. He's likely to be questioned about his new anti-terrorism strategy that some say raises some constitutional issues. Chairman Pat Leahy of Vermont so far hasn't gotten an answer to a letter he sent to FBI direct Mueller asking whether he'd be willing to tell lawmakers how he plans to make sure law enforcement doesn't cross the line of privacy and personal liberty. Ashcroft may have to answer that question.

COOPER: All right, Paul, thanks very much for keeping us up to date. We'll talk to you tomorrow morning.

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