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CNN Live At Daybreak

Saddam Wins One-Man Race

Aired October 16, 2002 - 06:36   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: Saddam Hussein has won another seven-year term as president of Iraq. No surprise there. It was, after all, a one-man race.
We want to go live to Baghdad now for more on the election. Our Nic Robertson is in the Iraqi capital.

Good morning.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.

Well, a few hours ago, the head of the election commission here announced 100 percent support for President Saddam Hussein and 100 percent turnout. That was almost 11-and-a-half million voters, he said.

As you said, however, no surprise, because that's what officials here have been predicting, that he would win indeed. Some of the newspapers today calling President Saddam Hussein, "president for life."

There was celebration on the streets. We did see people firing off Kalashnikov rifles, people waving pistols, and also some of the heavy anti-aircraft machine guns around the city firing off in celebration a little bit earlier, but that's died away.

The focus now being placed by Iraqi officials on those talks at the United Nations, saying if there is a new U.N. mandate, they will cross that bridge when they come to it; perhaps a softening of their position. However, they also say that they will accept no conditions from President Bush -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Nic, will we expect to see Saddam Hussein make a comment publicly about his big win?

ROBERTSON: It's unlikely to see him appear in public. We will likely see him on Iraqi television tonight. He will likely be talking with the revolutionary command council or perhaps his cabinet of ministers. He will -- they will come to him to pledge their allegiance, to show their support for him following his victory on the referendum. That's normal.

What is not normal here is to see President Saddam Hussein out on the streets. That, as far as we know -- the last time that happened, as far as we know, is perhaps as long as a year ago -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Well, that says something about his perceived safety there.

ROBERTSON: Certainly, we know from analysts that safety and security for President Saddam Hussein is one of his top concerns. We don't have specifics on where he lives, what he does during the day, but analysts do believe that he shifts routinely, regularly, from different locations. He'll sleep in a different house on different nights, perhaps not using his presidential palaces, perhaps using houses belonging to ordinary Iraqis. Certainly, that's something Iraqi officials have said in the past.

His whereabouts are a very, very closely-guarded secret at any time.

COSTELLO: All right, Nic Robertson, thank you for the live report from Baghdad this morning.

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 16, 2002 - 06:36   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Saddam Hussein has won another seven-year term as president of Iraq. No surprise there. It was, after all, a one-man race.
We want to go live to Baghdad now for more on the election. Our Nic Robertson is in the Iraqi capital.

Good morning.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.

Well, a few hours ago, the head of the election commission here announced 100 percent support for President Saddam Hussein and 100 percent turnout. That was almost 11-and-a-half million voters, he said.

As you said, however, no surprise, because that's what officials here have been predicting, that he would win indeed. Some of the newspapers today calling President Saddam Hussein, "president for life."

There was celebration on the streets. We did see people firing off Kalashnikov rifles, people waving pistols, and also some of the heavy anti-aircraft machine guns around the city firing off in celebration a little bit earlier, but that's died away.

The focus now being placed by Iraqi officials on those talks at the United Nations, saying if there is a new U.N. mandate, they will cross that bridge when they come to it; perhaps a softening of their position. However, they also say that they will accept no conditions from President Bush -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Nic, will we expect to see Saddam Hussein make a comment publicly about his big win?

ROBERTSON: It's unlikely to see him appear in public. We will likely see him on Iraqi television tonight. He will likely be talking with the revolutionary command council or perhaps his cabinet of ministers. He will -- they will come to him to pledge their allegiance, to show their support for him following his victory on the referendum. That's normal.

What is not normal here is to see President Saddam Hussein out on the streets. That, as far as we know -- the last time that happened, as far as we know, is perhaps as long as a year ago -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Well, that says something about his perceived safety there.

ROBERTSON: Certainly, we know from analysts that safety and security for President Saddam Hussein is one of his top concerns. We don't have specifics on where he lives, what he does during the day, but analysts do believe that he shifts routinely, regularly, from different locations. He'll sleep in a different house on different nights, perhaps not using his presidential palaces, perhaps using houses belonging to ordinary Iraqis. Certainly, that's something Iraqi officials have said in the past.

His whereabouts are a very, very closely-guarded secret at any time.

COSTELLO: All right, Nic Robertson, thank you for the live report from Baghdad this morning.

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