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CNN Live At Daybreak
What's on Tap for D.C. Today?
Aired September 20, 2002 - 06:07 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.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Iraq and intelligence will again be the two big items out of Washington, D.C. today.
We turn our attention now to Washington morning producer, Paul Courson, to fill us in.
So, what has the president got on tap today, Paul?
PAUL COURSON, CNN WASHINGTONBUREAU MORNING PRODUCER: Good morning, Carol.
COSTELLO: Good morning.
COURSON: It's interesting, your report just now on the German contrast with the U.S. position on Iraq is reflected somewhat in relations with Russia right now.
President Bush today meets with the Russian foreign minister, Sergei Ivanov, at the Pentagon -- or at the White House, where he was yesterday at the Pentagon with Secretary Rumsfeld, as you can see here. He meets both with the foreign minister and the defense minister to talk more about how to handle Iraq.
Secretary Rumsfeld yesterday was greeting Ivanov, as you can see here, and reporters took the opportunity to talk with Ivanov about what should be done about Iraq.
Ivanov answered that both the U.S. and Russia have the experience to easily find out whether Iraq has weapons of mass destruction, and he said the inspections are the way to discover that.
Now, Rumsfeld didn't say anything as Ivanov spoke with reporters. This is at a time he, the president and other administration officials are suggesting military action is a way to solve that problem, while President Bush today will probably share a few thoughts along those lines when he sits down with Sergei Ivanov and Igor Ivanov, the Russian foreign minister.
COSTELLO: Oh, sure he will.
So I must ask you, what's the pulse in Congress regarding Iraq?
COURSON: Well, on Capitol Hill, there are feelings that we need to move cautiously. Thursday, we had Secretary of State Powell on the Hill. He was testifying about the Iraq situation, and told lawmakers that if Saddam Hussein does try to get in the way of inspections, there should be some major consequences. Powell today meets with the Ivanovs at the State Department, and then comes over to the White House for the president's meeting with the Russian ministers.
But today, you know, the congressional focus really seems more to be on what went wrong ahead of the 9/11 attacks.
COSTELLO: That's right. And will they hear any more from the intelligence community on that issue?
COURSON: Well, first up on the witness list today, Carol, the panel's staff director, Eleanor Hill. Now, she has already told lawmakers and us about several of the overlooked clues that were missed among intelligence gathering. Today, she presents a report dealing specifically with the hijackers.
Now, as far as the intelligence community is concerned, Carol, yes, we're going to see some interesting television today. The second half of this joint intelligence hearing will have two people from the CIA and one from the FBI, and there's an effort to hide their identities. You've seen how these hearings are normally set up. A witness testifies from a table across from the lawmakers.
COSTELLO: Yes.
COURSON: Well, this time, two of the witnesses will speak from behind a screen and out of view. And the third witness, one of the CIA types, will be at the table, as typical, but we're allowed to have only one camera from the back of the room, so that witness will be seen only from behind.
COSTELLO: Wow! Well, it should be a very interesting hearing, and of course, as you said, CNN will be following it.
Paul Courson, I'll let you get back to work. I know you're already at the Washington bureau at this early hour.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
Aired September 20, 2002 - 06:07 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Iraq and intelligence will again be the two big items out of Washington, D.C. today.
We turn our attention now to Washington morning producer, Paul Courson, to fill us in.
So, what has the president got on tap today, Paul?
PAUL COURSON, CNN WASHINGTONBUREAU MORNING PRODUCER: Good morning, Carol.
COSTELLO: Good morning.
COURSON: It's interesting, your report just now on the German contrast with the U.S. position on Iraq is reflected somewhat in relations with Russia right now.
President Bush today meets with the Russian foreign minister, Sergei Ivanov, at the Pentagon -- or at the White House, where he was yesterday at the Pentagon with Secretary Rumsfeld, as you can see here. He meets both with the foreign minister and the defense minister to talk more about how to handle Iraq.
Secretary Rumsfeld yesterday was greeting Ivanov, as you can see here, and reporters took the opportunity to talk with Ivanov about what should be done about Iraq.
Ivanov answered that both the U.S. and Russia have the experience to easily find out whether Iraq has weapons of mass destruction, and he said the inspections are the way to discover that.
Now, Rumsfeld didn't say anything as Ivanov spoke with reporters. This is at a time he, the president and other administration officials are suggesting military action is a way to solve that problem, while President Bush today will probably share a few thoughts along those lines when he sits down with Sergei Ivanov and Igor Ivanov, the Russian foreign minister.
COSTELLO: Oh, sure he will.
So I must ask you, what's the pulse in Congress regarding Iraq?
COURSON: Well, on Capitol Hill, there are feelings that we need to move cautiously. Thursday, we had Secretary of State Powell on the Hill. He was testifying about the Iraq situation, and told lawmakers that if Saddam Hussein does try to get in the way of inspections, there should be some major consequences. Powell today meets with the Ivanovs at the State Department, and then comes over to the White House for the president's meeting with the Russian ministers.
But today, you know, the congressional focus really seems more to be on what went wrong ahead of the 9/11 attacks.
COSTELLO: That's right. And will they hear any more from the intelligence community on that issue?
COURSON: Well, first up on the witness list today, Carol, the panel's staff director, Eleanor Hill. Now, she has already told lawmakers and us about several of the overlooked clues that were missed among intelligence gathering. Today, she presents a report dealing specifically with the hijackers.
Now, as far as the intelligence community is concerned, Carol, yes, we're going to see some interesting television today. The second half of this joint intelligence hearing will have two people from the CIA and one from the FBI, and there's an effort to hide their identities. You've seen how these hearings are normally set up. A witness testifies from a table across from the lawmakers.
COSTELLO: Yes.
COURSON: Well, this time, two of the witnesses will speak from behind a screen and out of view. And the third witness, one of the CIA types, will be at the table, as typical, but we're allowed to have only one camera from the back of the room, so that witness will be seen only from behind.
COSTELLO: Wow! Well, it should be a very interesting hearing, and of course, as you said, CNN will be following it.
Paul Courson, I'll let you get back to work. I know you're already at the Washington bureau at this early hour.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
