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CNN Live At Daybreak

D.C. Daytimer: What's on Tap?

Aired November 22, 2002 - 06:15   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 hard to believe, but 39 years ago today President John F. Kennedy was assassinated while riding in a motorcade in Dallas, Texas.
Want to go live to Washington now to find out from CNN morning producer Paul Courson if there are any events planned related to that unforgettable day.

Good morning -- Paul.

PAUL COURSON, CNN WASHINGTON BUREAU MORNING PRODUCER: Carol, when you worked in Washington, did you ever visit Arlington National Cemetery and...

COSTELLO: Oh yes!

COURSON: ... see the president's gravesite with the eternal flame and all that?

COSTELLO: Yes.

COURSON: I've been looking, you know part of our preparation here in the Washington bureau in the morning is to check the activities list to see what's going on on a given day. I can't find any formal ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery today.

COSTELLO: Really?

COURSON: It's kind of surprising. We are going to send a crew over there, though, to look at the -- at the visitors who show up today. I would imagine that on the anniversary of the president's death more people do visit the gravesite where the eternal flame burns. I've been there. I grew up in Washington, and usually the crowd, if there's a lot of people gathered around, it's very quiet except for the clicking of cameras and such like that. People don't talk and they just kind of look and reflect a little bit.

Carol, you probably weren't even born yet when the president was assassinated...

COSTELLO: Bless you, yes.

COURSON: I was in elementary school about 15 miles up the road from here. And I remember the teacher gave us composition books and we were to write our thoughts as they announced over the public address system that the president had been assassinated. And it still stays with me. But CNN senior political analyst Jeff Greenfield tonight on "INSIDE POLITICS" will be looking at whether the president's -- the anniversary of the president's death is losing its meaning in the public's mind. I mean 39 years is not one of those round numbers that you might expect a lot of festivities...

COSTELLO: No, that's true, and there's so many things coming out about John F. Kennedy now that...

COURSON: The health problems, the audio tapes from yesterday.

COSTELLO: Exactly.

COURSON: But you don't see the ceremonies except in, I suppose, in Dallas. The -- it's now called the Sixth Floor Museum, they had some events planned yesterday and today. And the Dallas morning news had a big feature today, but around Washington we're not seeing too much -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Yes. Just a little bit on the present day president, President Bush, he's going to be in Russia soon, right?

COURSON: He's on his way. He has left Prague where the NATO summit was going on. He's headed to Russian -- Russia for meetings with President Putin, and he'll be spending tonight in Lithuania.

COSTELLO: All right. Paul Courson, thanks. We'll let you get back to work. We appreciate it.

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 November 22, 2002 - 06:15   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 hard to believe, but 39 years ago today President John F. Kennedy was assassinated while riding in a motorcade in Dallas, Texas.
Want to go live to Washington now to find out from CNN morning producer Paul Courson if there are any events planned related to that unforgettable day.

Good morning -- Paul.

PAUL COURSON, CNN WASHINGTON BUREAU MORNING PRODUCER: Carol, when you worked in Washington, did you ever visit Arlington National Cemetery and...

COSTELLO: Oh yes!

COURSON: ... see the president's gravesite with the eternal flame and all that?

COSTELLO: Yes.

COURSON: I've been looking, you know part of our preparation here in the Washington bureau in the morning is to check the activities list to see what's going on on a given day. I can't find any formal ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery today.

COSTELLO: Really?

COURSON: It's kind of surprising. We are going to send a crew over there, though, to look at the -- at the visitors who show up today. I would imagine that on the anniversary of the president's death more people do visit the gravesite where the eternal flame burns. I've been there. I grew up in Washington, and usually the crowd, if there's a lot of people gathered around, it's very quiet except for the clicking of cameras and such like that. People don't talk and they just kind of look and reflect a little bit.

Carol, you probably weren't even born yet when the president was assassinated...

COSTELLO: Bless you, yes.

COURSON: I was in elementary school about 15 miles up the road from here. And I remember the teacher gave us composition books and we were to write our thoughts as they announced over the public address system that the president had been assassinated. And it still stays with me. But CNN senior political analyst Jeff Greenfield tonight on "INSIDE POLITICS" will be looking at whether the president's -- the anniversary of the president's death is losing its meaning in the public's mind. I mean 39 years is not one of those round numbers that you might expect a lot of festivities...

COSTELLO: No, that's true, and there's so many things coming out about John F. Kennedy now that...

COURSON: The health problems, the audio tapes from yesterday.

COSTELLO: Exactly.

COURSON: But you don't see the ceremonies except in, I suppose, in Dallas. The -- it's now called the Sixth Floor Museum, they had some events planned yesterday and today. And the Dallas morning news had a big feature today, but around Washington we're not seeing too much -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Yes. Just a little bit on the present day president, President Bush, he's going to be in Russia soon, right?

COURSON: He's on his way. He has left Prague where the NATO summit was going on. He's headed to Russian -- Russia for meetings with President Putin, and he'll be spending tonight in Lithuania.

COSTELLO: All right. Paul Courson, thanks. We'll let you get back to work. We appreciate it.

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