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CNN Live Today

Bush to Visit Fort Hood

Aired January 03, 2003 - 10:07   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 LIN, CNN ANCHOR: President Bush is rallying the troops today at Fort Hood, Texas, an Army base that would likely send thousands of troops to a war in the Persian Gulf.
CNN White House Correspondent Dana Bash is in Crawford, Texas at or near the president's ranch. Dana, what is the president expected to talk about with these troops today?

DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Carol, the president is going to leave Crawford for the first time in about a week. He's going to take a short ride over to Fort Hood Army Base. That's in Killeen, Texas, and we are told that he is going to review the troops, he is going to thank them for their service, he is going to have lunch with them.

And of course, Fort Hood is the home of the 1st Cavalry. They sent thousands of men and women in the military to the Persian Gulf in 1991 to fight in that war, and they would likely send thousands more if we fought against Saddam Hussein again in the future -- Carol.

LIN: At the same time, Dana, the president is thinking about domestic issues as well. He's expected to make a major announcement about how to stimulate the economy next week.

BASH: That's right. The president is very focused on the home front as well. He told reporters yesterday that he will give a speech next week in Chicago, talking about a stimulus package that he hopes will jump start the economy. We're told that some of the components that will likely be in that stimulus package will be tax cuts on dividends, acceleration of the 2001 tax cut, and tax breaks for businesses.

And we're told that the president will likely try to focus on the fact that he thinks that this will help all Americans, and that he also intends to help unemployed workers, but of course, this is an attempt to blunt Democratic criticism that the president is focused on helping the wealthy and not the needy. And the Democrats, along with Republicans will come back to work next Tuesday, the same day he gives his speech. Back to work in Congress. And we're sure they will for sure criticize the president and say that he is not doing the right thing to help jump start the economy, and that is his stewardship of the economy that has sent it into the deficits that we see today -- Carol.

LIN: Both sides have their plans. We'll hear them -- or a lot about them next week. Thank you very much. Dana Bash reporting live from Crawford, Texas. 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 January 3, 2003 - 10:07   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: President Bush is rallying the troops today at Fort Hood, Texas, an Army base that would likely send thousands of troops to a war in the Persian Gulf.
CNN White House Correspondent Dana Bash is in Crawford, Texas at or near the president's ranch. Dana, what is the president expected to talk about with these troops today?

DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Carol, the president is going to leave Crawford for the first time in about a week. He's going to take a short ride over to Fort Hood Army Base. That's in Killeen, Texas, and we are told that he is going to review the troops, he is going to thank them for their service, he is going to have lunch with them.

And of course, Fort Hood is the home of the 1st Cavalry. They sent thousands of men and women in the military to the Persian Gulf in 1991 to fight in that war, and they would likely send thousands more if we fought against Saddam Hussein again in the future -- Carol.

LIN: At the same time, Dana, the president is thinking about domestic issues as well. He's expected to make a major announcement about how to stimulate the economy next week.

BASH: That's right. The president is very focused on the home front as well. He told reporters yesterday that he will give a speech next week in Chicago, talking about a stimulus package that he hopes will jump start the economy. We're told that some of the components that will likely be in that stimulus package will be tax cuts on dividends, acceleration of the 2001 tax cut, and tax breaks for businesses.

And we're told that the president will likely try to focus on the fact that he thinks that this will help all Americans, and that he also intends to help unemployed workers, but of course, this is an attempt to blunt Democratic criticism that the president is focused on helping the wealthy and not the needy. And the Democrats, along with Republicans will come back to work next Tuesday, the same day he gives his speech. Back to work in Congress. And we're sure they will for sure criticize the president and say that he is not doing the right thing to help jump start the economy, and that is his stewardship of the economy that has sent it into the deficits that we see today -- Carol.

LIN: Both sides have their plans. We'll hear them -- or a lot about them next week. Thank you very much. Dana Bash reporting live from Crawford, Texas. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com