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CNN Live At Daybreak

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

Aired September 16, 2002 - 06:06   ET

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

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: There has been an apparent turnaround in Saudi Arabia's policy regarding Iraq. Saudi's foreign minister tells CNN the U.S. will be allowed to use Saudi bases to attack Iraq, if the military action is backed by the United Nations. The Saudi foreign minister says he's still opposed to a unilateral American attack, though.
We want to get more on this and other news, so let's head to our nation's capital now to find out what's on tap there today.

Joining us live on the phone is our Washington deputy bureau chief, Steve Redisch.

Good morning -- Steve.

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

COSTELLO: The president is on the road again. And of course, he's going to talk about Iraq, and maybe the budget?

REDISCH: The budget is -- and domestic issues are center stage for the president when he goes to Davenport, Iowa. He is going to tour the Sears Manufacturing Company, which makes farm equipment, and make a speech on the budget, and also attend a fund-raiser for Congressman Jim Nussle.

COSTELLO: Gotcha. Condoleezza Rice and Colin Powell made the Sunday talk show rounds...

REDISCH: They were out...

COSTELLO: ... this weekend -- go ahead.

REDISCH: They were out talking about Iraq, and as you heard just before, Secretary Powell talking about the war on terror, and Iraq is still front and center in the administration's international policy. And Secretary Powell is going back to New York today, where the United Nations General Assembly is still meeting, and making a few more diplomatic forays into the whole issue of making sure that Iraq's feet are kept to the fire.

COSTELLO: The USO is also planning to do something special for troops in Afghanistan. Can you tell us about that?

REDISCH: They're going to -- today, in Washington, they're going to pack together about 1,000 packages, care packages, that include everything from paper to toothpaste, sunscreen, shampoo. It's a large stuffing party today for the USO, so that the U.S. troops overseas are taken care of.

COSTELLO: Gotcha. Steve Redisch, I know you have a lot to do, so we'll let you get down to the Washington bureau. Thank you very much. We'll talk to you again tomorrow.

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