Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live Today
Senate Expected to Begin Debate on Possible Military Action Against Iraq
Aired October 03, 2002 - 11:32 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.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: The Senate's expected to begin debate today on possible military action against Iraq. This comes a day after President Bush reached agreement with House leaders on a resolution authorizing the use of force.
Our congressional correspondent John Karl standing by now live on Capitol Hill. He's got the latest details.
Good morning, John.
JONATHAN KARL, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Leon.
Well, the momentum is clearly here for the president to get that resolution, giving him the authority to wage war against Iraq after yesterday's deal with the house, but as the Senate brings up the debate today, and starts debate, possibly setting the stage for a vote next week, many Senate Democratic leaders still are holding out for more changes. Most notably, Tom Daschle, the Senate leader here, said that he's still concerned about the amount of authority that the Congress will be giving the president to wage war against Iraq. He's worried about the precedent that would be set by preemptive action by the United States.
Here's what he said in a press conference just a short while ago:
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. TOM DASCHLE (D-SD), MAJORITY LEADER: I believe that we've got to take very great care as we contemplate setting that precedent, and signaling to other countries that there are circumstances where preemptive strikes now may be acceptable. If we're going to set that standard, we better be prepared to accept that standard with other rationalizations in other parts of the world.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KARL: Senator Daschle said he expected the Senate would be voting on a number of alternatives, of course the president's proposal, the deal he struck with the House, but also some alternatives that would force the president to first go to the United Nations before going to war against Iraq -- Leon.
HARRIS: All right, Jon, before we let you go, what's the word up there on the Hill right now about what happened with the New Jersey Senate race there and the decision made by the New Jersey supreme court? There's got to be some talk up there.
KARL: It's really the talk up here. That was a 7-0 decision by the New Jersey state supreme court. They would allow the Democrats to put a new person on the ballot. Frank Lautenberg instead of Bob Torricelli. Republicans are outraged by that decision. They think it's a violation of New Jersey's election law, and they are appealing, get this, Leon, to the Supreme Court of the United States.
Again, in position of potentially winning another political election issue, listen to what Trent Lott had to say about that just a little while ago.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DASHCLE: How they would find any justification for overturning a 7-0 vote in a supreme court where six of the seven votes were appointed by a Republican governor is something I couldn't figure out.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KARL: Well, that was obviously Tom Daschle, not Trent Lott, and he says he does not believe this court would want to get involved in another election mess after what happened in 2000, Trent Lott and Republicans are saying this decision by the Supreme Court in New Jersey was a decision made by political hacks. That was the word used, the phrase used by Trent Lott -- Leon.
HARRIS: All right, it is the political season, so we shouldn't be too surprised by all of that.
Thanks, Jon. Jonathan Karl on Capitol Hill.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Action Against Iraq>
Aired October 3, 2002 - 11:32 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: The Senate's expected to begin debate today on possible military action against Iraq. This comes a day after President Bush reached agreement with House leaders on a resolution authorizing the use of force.
Our congressional correspondent John Karl standing by now live on Capitol Hill. He's got the latest details.
Good morning, John.
JONATHAN KARL, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Leon.
Well, the momentum is clearly here for the president to get that resolution, giving him the authority to wage war against Iraq after yesterday's deal with the house, but as the Senate brings up the debate today, and starts debate, possibly setting the stage for a vote next week, many Senate Democratic leaders still are holding out for more changes. Most notably, Tom Daschle, the Senate leader here, said that he's still concerned about the amount of authority that the Congress will be giving the president to wage war against Iraq. He's worried about the precedent that would be set by preemptive action by the United States.
Here's what he said in a press conference just a short while ago:
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. TOM DASCHLE (D-SD), MAJORITY LEADER: I believe that we've got to take very great care as we contemplate setting that precedent, and signaling to other countries that there are circumstances where preemptive strikes now may be acceptable. If we're going to set that standard, we better be prepared to accept that standard with other rationalizations in other parts of the world.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KARL: Senator Daschle said he expected the Senate would be voting on a number of alternatives, of course the president's proposal, the deal he struck with the House, but also some alternatives that would force the president to first go to the United Nations before going to war against Iraq -- Leon.
HARRIS: All right, Jon, before we let you go, what's the word up there on the Hill right now about what happened with the New Jersey Senate race there and the decision made by the New Jersey supreme court? There's got to be some talk up there.
KARL: It's really the talk up here. That was a 7-0 decision by the New Jersey state supreme court. They would allow the Democrats to put a new person on the ballot. Frank Lautenberg instead of Bob Torricelli. Republicans are outraged by that decision. They think it's a violation of New Jersey's election law, and they are appealing, get this, Leon, to the Supreme Court of the United States.
Again, in position of potentially winning another political election issue, listen to what Trent Lott had to say about that just a little while ago.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DASHCLE: How they would find any justification for overturning a 7-0 vote in a supreme court where six of the seven votes were appointed by a Republican governor is something I couldn't figure out.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KARL: Well, that was obviously Tom Daschle, not Trent Lott, and he says he does not believe this court would want to get involved in another election mess after what happened in 2000, Trent Lott and Republicans are saying this decision by the Supreme Court in New Jersey was a decision made by political hacks. That was the word used, the phrase used by Trent Lott -- Leon.
HARRIS: All right, it is the political season, so we shouldn't be too surprised by all of that.
Thanks, Jon. Jonathan Karl on Capitol Hill.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Action Against Iraq>
