Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Today

Iraq Debate on Capitol Hill

Aired September 23, 2002 - 13:05   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.


KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: The issue of Iraq is still under debate on Capitol Hill.
For the latest now, we turn to CNN congressional correspondent Jonathan Karl.

Hi, Jon.

JONATHAN KARL, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Kyra.

Well, as this debate goes on on Capitol Hill, there are signs today of a significant split within the Democratic Party on the issue of Iraq. On one hand, you have the Democratic leaders -- Tom Daschle in the Senate, Dick Gephardt in the House. They are involved in negotiations ongoing this week with the White House over the specific wording of a resolution authorizing the use of military force. Both leaders, although they have expressed some minor concerns about the specific wording of that resolution, have been largely supportive of the White House.

But today, we have this No. 2 Democrat in the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, come out and say that the White House has overstated the threat posed by Saddam Hussein.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. NANCY PELOSI (D), CALIFORNIA: As the senior Democrat on the Intelligence Committee, I have seen nothing that says that Saddam Hussein has nuclear capability to either develop a weapon or to launch it, and certainly not to launch it to the United States. He has SCUDs, 400 to 600 kilometers. We don't want him launching at any place. But if you are saying it's a thread to the United States and that's the justification that takes us down this path, there is no justification for that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KARL: Pelosi and a number of other Democrats in the House are working on an alternative resolution, an alternative to the resolution that's being negotiated between the White House and their leaders. Doing so potentially puts them squarely at odds with their leader, Congressman Dick Gephardt, who all along has been extremely supportive of the president's position on all of this.

Meanwhile, over here in the Senate side of the Capitol, Iraq remains front and center. The Senate Armed Services Committee is holding yet another hearing on Iraq, this one on the military options -- the military potential for war with Iraq. They will hear from several prominent former generals, including the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, John Shalikashvili, and the former NATO Supreme Allied commander in Europe, General Wesley Clark. They will both be talking to the Senate Armed Services Committee. That hearing begins at 2:30.

And Kyra, by the way, the chairman of that committee, the person holding that hearing, is Carl Levin. He is another Democrat who has also been very critical of the approach that the White House has taken towards Iraq, and has said that the U.S. should first get authorization from the U.N. before talking about military intervention in Iraq -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right, Jon Karl on the Hill -- thanks, Jonathan.

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 23, 2002 - 13:05   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: The issue of Iraq is still under debate on Capitol Hill.
For the latest now, we turn to CNN congressional correspondent Jonathan Karl.

Hi, Jon.

JONATHAN KARL, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Kyra.

Well, as this debate goes on on Capitol Hill, there are signs today of a significant split within the Democratic Party on the issue of Iraq. On one hand, you have the Democratic leaders -- Tom Daschle in the Senate, Dick Gephardt in the House. They are involved in negotiations ongoing this week with the White House over the specific wording of a resolution authorizing the use of military force. Both leaders, although they have expressed some minor concerns about the specific wording of that resolution, have been largely supportive of the White House.

But today, we have this No. 2 Democrat in the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, come out and say that the White House has overstated the threat posed by Saddam Hussein.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. NANCY PELOSI (D), CALIFORNIA: As the senior Democrat on the Intelligence Committee, I have seen nothing that says that Saddam Hussein has nuclear capability to either develop a weapon or to launch it, and certainly not to launch it to the United States. He has SCUDs, 400 to 600 kilometers. We don't want him launching at any place. But if you are saying it's a thread to the United States and that's the justification that takes us down this path, there is no justification for that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KARL: Pelosi and a number of other Democrats in the House are working on an alternative resolution, an alternative to the resolution that's being negotiated between the White House and their leaders. Doing so potentially puts them squarely at odds with their leader, Congressman Dick Gephardt, who all along has been extremely supportive of the president's position on all of this.

Meanwhile, over here in the Senate side of the Capitol, Iraq remains front and center. The Senate Armed Services Committee is holding yet another hearing on Iraq, this one on the military options -- the military potential for war with Iraq. They will hear from several prominent former generals, including the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, John Shalikashvili, and the former NATO Supreme Allied commander in Europe, General Wesley Clark. They will both be talking to the Senate Armed Services Committee. That hearing begins at 2:30.

And Kyra, by the way, the chairman of that committee, the person holding that hearing, is Carl Levin. He is another Democrat who has also been very critical of the approach that the White House has taken towards Iraq, and has said that the U.S. should first get authorization from the U.N. before talking about military intervention in Iraq -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right, Jon Karl on the Hill -- thanks, Jonathan.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.