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CNN Live At Daybreak

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

Aired September 13, 2002 - 06:08   ET

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

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Terrorists and Iraq remain on the president's agenda today.
For more on that, we turn our attention now to our Washington deputy bureau chief, Steve Redisch.

Good morning -- Steve.

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

COSTELLO: I'm sure the president will do some more lobbying. Who is the target this time?

REDISCH: Today, he meets with African leaders, including the president of South Africa and other African nations, as well as lobbying for his Iraq plan at the U.N.

COSTELLO: Vice President Dick Cheney is getting a checkup. Can you tell us more about that?

REDISCH: He's had a history of heart trouble. He had a defibrillator -- I can't even say that word this early in the morning -- placed in his heart and in his chest to kind of shock the heart back into a normal rhythm if there was any sign of abnormality. And he is getting an EKG today and getting the defibrillator checked out. And all said to be routine.

COSTELLO: Yes, I was just going to ask you that. He's not having any trouble, this is just a routine checkup.

REDISCH: Apparently, the vice president has never felt the click in his heart that would send the defibrillator into action. All it is is routine. The last time he had something checked out -- had this checked out was February.

COSTELLO: OK. Let's talk about civil rights groups. They are marching in Washington today, trying to send a strong message to Attorney General John Ashcroft.

REDISCH: The Rainbow Push Coalition, and it's not just the Rainbow Coalition, but other groups are going to march on the Justice Department today, referring to their policies post-9/11 as closed-door policies. They are very upset at Secretary Ashcroft and the rest of the Justice Department for coming down on civil rights, and they believe that the policies need to be adjusted and more openness needs to happen. COSTELLO: Got you. Steve Redisch, so you have another busy day on tap. We'll let you get down to the Washington bureau, and we'll check back with you on Monday.

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