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CNN Live At Daybreak

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

Aired September 04, 2002 - 06:05   ET

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

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Joining us now on the phone, our Washington deputy bureau chief, Steve Redisch, with a look at what's on tap there today.
Good morning -- Steve.

STEVE REDISCH, CNN WASHINGTON DEPUTY BUREAU CHIEF: Good morning, Carol.

COSTELLO: Iraq -- that must be on the president's agenda today.

REDISCH: Center stage, not just at the White House, but also on Capitol Hill. Members of Congress, the leadership, members of the Armed Services and the Foreign Affairs Committee, on their way down to the White House later this morning to meet with the president and get a briefing on his thinking about Iraq and perhaps some of the evidence that the administration has regarding Saddam Hussein. But anyway, they'll get heard, and they'll hear the president.

COSTELLO: Yes, what do you think the president will say? Will he show them intelligence that his administration has on Iraq?

REDISCH: I think this is more of a first -- it seems like this is just more of a first type of meeting, an opportunity for the members of Congress to get their airing and get their feelings heard by the president, for the president to let members of Congress know what he's thinking.

I don't think we're going to actually see any briefings or any kind of evidence by the -- hard evidence by the administration for the members of Congress. I think it's just more of an opportunity for the two sides to get together.

Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld will be up on the Hill briefing senators on Iraq. It's one of many briefings that he gives to the members of the Senate. So maybe there will be something more there later this afternoon.

COSTELLO: It should be interesting.

I wanted to ask you about this, because Congress has just started its session, and already Hollywood is invading.

REDISCH: Hollywood is invading. Well, the mother on one of the popular shows, "Everybody Loves Raymond," will be...

COSTELLO: Doris Roberts, right? REDISCH: Doris Roberts, that's her name, that's her real name, will be up on Capitol Hill today. Senator John Breaux is holding a hearing on aging, and Ms. Roberts will be talking about how the elderly are portrayed on television, and how they're perceived in the media or by the media, and how that affects their lives.

COSTELLO: Isn't this kind of strange? I mean, what's the point?

REDISCH: I think that what you've been seeing in the media is more of a targeting of younger audiences, and the older population believes that it has a lot to offer in ways of disposal income and a larger image.

COSTELLO: But what is Congress going to do about that?

REDISCH: I don't know what Congress is going to do about it, but what it is, is an opportunity for this issue to be heard. It's more of an, you know, opportunity for members of Congress to get to know and to be seen on the side of the older Americans, who vote more often than the younger Americans.

COSTELLO: Now, it all makes sense to me.

OK, Steve Redisch, thank you very much. We'll check back with you tomorrow, and let you get down to the Washington bureau.

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