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CNN Live At Daybreak

Interview With Neal Boortz

Aired October 10, 2002 - 06:35   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: It's Baghdad that has nationally- syndicated radio talk show host Neal Boortz all riled up this morning, as usual.
NEAL BOORTZ, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: Oh, I can get riled up.

COSTELLO: I think you already are.

BOORTZ: What a joke. I mean, come over here and we'll let you look here, in here, and that will prove we don't have the weapons, and then you can go back and not attack us.

COSTELLO: Well, I think the difference in this case is the two sites that President Bush showed on national television during his speech to the nation...

BOORTZ: Yes.

COSTELLO: ... are the two sites that this Iraqi deputy prime minister is talking about. And he has invited journalists to come in and go through these two sites...

BOORTZ: Sure.

COSTELLO: ... to prove they have rebuilt something.

BOORTZ: They've had a chance to cleanse them, too, before the journalists come in. The idea -- it's like the police. We have a search warrant for your house. Well, fine, come on in. Give me about 24 hours, so I just want to make sure everything is nice and tidy when you come in, and clean.

It's a joke. He's buying time. He's stalling. And the longer the international community goes for that, the more dangerous things to come.

COSTELLO: OK, in the world of talk radio, your talk radio...

BOORTZ: Yes.

COSTELLO: ... is there anything that Iraq could do to offer that would -- that in your mind, would prevent a war with Iraq?

BOORTZ: I think so, sure.

COSTELLO: What? BOORTZ: Absolutely unfettered, unconditional inspections of every nook, cranny, outhouse, palace, military installation, children's hospital, mosque, minaret...

COSTELLO: Palaces?

BOORTZ: ... everything -- every square inch of that country is opened, no delays, no interference, allow the inspectors to take anybody they want to, and their family, out of the country to question them, and then allow them back. Yes, if that happened, I think that, talking to my listeners, they'd be perfectly happy to see that sort of an inspection regime.

COSTELLO: But isn't the United Nations working on that right now?

BOORTZ: The United Nations, Carol, is worthless.

COSTELLO: Oh, man!

BOORTZ: Tell me a war the United Nations has ever prevented -- just one. They've been around now for 50 -- what -- 6 years? Tell me a war they've prevented.

COSTELLO: But isn't that the point -- I mean, isn't that beside the point, I meant to say? Some people believe that the United Nations should get their act together, pass a resolution, send the inspectors in, and then it would give the United States more of a reason to attack Iraq.

BOORTZ: But they show no inclination to do that. I mean, the chief weapons inspector, Hans Blix, he goes out there and proudly negotiates a new inspection regime that eliminates all of these so- called presidential palaces, many of whom used to be -- or many of which used to be military sites.

Now, is this what you call a serious weapons inspection program by the United Nations?

COSTELLO: Well, we'll see what happens in Congress today, because the U.S. House is probably going to vote on the resolution today.

BOORTZ: And Saddam Hussein is getting nervous. I'm betting on exile.

COSTELLO: Well, we'll see what happens.

BOORTZ: OK.

COSTELLO: Neal Boortz, I wish we could debate longer, but we cannot this morning.

BOORTZ: Are you going to come by the show today?

COSTELLO: Yes, I am. I'll be there, I promise. BOORTZ: Great. OK.

COSTELLO: Thank you, Neal.

BOORTZ: Bye.

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 October 10, 2002 - 06:35   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: It's Baghdad that has nationally- syndicated radio talk show host Neal Boortz all riled up this morning, as usual.
NEAL BOORTZ, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: Oh, I can get riled up.

COSTELLO: I think you already are.

BOORTZ: What a joke. I mean, come over here and we'll let you look here, in here, and that will prove we don't have the weapons, and then you can go back and not attack us.

COSTELLO: Well, I think the difference in this case is the two sites that President Bush showed on national television during his speech to the nation...

BOORTZ: Yes.

COSTELLO: ... are the two sites that this Iraqi deputy prime minister is talking about. And he has invited journalists to come in and go through these two sites...

BOORTZ: Sure.

COSTELLO: ... to prove they have rebuilt something.

BOORTZ: They've had a chance to cleanse them, too, before the journalists come in. The idea -- it's like the police. We have a search warrant for your house. Well, fine, come on in. Give me about 24 hours, so I just want to make sure everything is nice and tidy when you come in, and clean.

It's a joke. He's buying time. He's stalling. And the longer the international community goes for that, the more dangerous things to come.

COSTELLO: OK, in the world of talk radio, your talk radio...

BOORTZ: Yes.

COSTELLO: ... is there anything that Iraq could do to offer that would -- that in your mind, would prevent a war with Iraq?

BOORTZ: I think so, sure.

COSTELLO: What? BOORTZ: Absolutely unfettered, unconditional inspections of every nook, cranny, outhouse, palace, military installation, children's hospital, mosque, minaret...

COSTELLO: Palaces?

BOORTZ: ... everything -- every square inch of that country is opened, no delays, no interference, allow the inspectors to take anybody they want to, and their family, out of the country to question them, and then allow them back. Yes, if that happened, I think that, talking to my listeners, they'd be perfectly happy to see that sort of an inspection regime.

COSTELLO: But isn't the United Nations working on that right now?

BOORTZ: The United Nations, Carol, is worthless.

COSTELLO: Oh, man!

BOORTZ: Tell me a war the United Nations has ever prevented -- just one. They've been around now for 50 -- what -- 6 years? Tell me a war they've prevented.

COSTELLO: But isn't that the point -- I mean, isn't that beside the point, I meant to say? Some people believe that the United Nations should get their act together, pass a resolution, send the inspectors in, and then it would give the United States more of a reason to attack Iraq.

BOORTZ: But they show no inclination to do that. I mean, the chief weapons inspector, Hans Blix, he goes out there and proudly negotiates a new inspection regime that eliminates all of these so- called presidential palaces, many of whom used to be -- or many of which used to be military sites.

Now, is this what you call a serious weapons inspection program by the United Nations?

COSTELLO: Well, we'll see what happens in Congress today, because the U.S. House is probably going to vote on the resolution today.

BOORTZ: And Saddam Hussein is getting nervous. I'm betting on exile.

COSTELLO: Well, we'll see what happens.

BOORTZ: OK.

COSTELLO: Neal Boortz, I wish we could debate longer, but we cannot this morning.

BOORTZ: Are you going to come by the show today?

COSTELLO: Yes, I am. I'll be there, I promise. BOORTZ: Great. OK.

COSTELLO: Thank you, Neal.

BOORTZ: Bye.

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