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CNN Live At Daybreak
Iraq Situation One of Three Pressing Issues For Bush
Aired January 06, 2003 - 05:09 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: Of course, the Iraq situation is one of three pressing issues for President Bush.
Our White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux looks at the president's big challenges.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): President Bush returns to Washington facing critical challenges on three different fronts -- an ailing economy, a nuclear North Korea and a defiant Iraq. Mr. Bush's top priority in the next several days, to sell his economic stimulus package, aimed at creating jobs and investment, an expected $600 billion plan over 10 years likely to include a controversial tax cut on stock dividends. That proposed tax break is already sparking debate among Republicans and Democrats who see the health of the economy as a key factor in determining who wins the White House in 2004.
SEN. HARRY REID (D), NEVADA: When they direct their tax programs to benefit the very, very, very few and eliminate the majority from any benefit of these tax cuts, it is class war. That's their job, creating class warfare, not ours.
SEN. DON NICKLES (R), OKLAHOMA: A lot of people want to play class warfare. I think what the president's interested in doing and what I'm interested in doing is growing the economy.
MALVEAUX: Also on the president's plate, North Korea. This week, the State Department is hosting talks with representatives from Japan and South Korea to convince them isolating the communist country is the best way to get Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear weapons programs. But South Korea is still pushing for dialogue with North Korea. Bush critics and presidential hopefuls are seizing on the differences.
SEN. JOHN EDWARDS (D), NORTH CAROLINA: I think the Bush policy in North Korea has been a failure.
MALVEAUX: Monday, the International Atomic Energy Agency, whose inspectors were kicked out of North Korea last week, will hold a special meeting to decide whether to bring Pyongyang before the U.N. Security Council to face possible economic sanctions.
(on camera): As for the showdown with Iraq, in the weeks to come President Bush must make the critical decision whether or not to use military action to force Saddam Hussein to disarm. The White House insists that it will wait until U.N. weapons inspectors report their findings to the U.N. Security Council by the end of the month.
Suzanne Malveaux, CNN, the White House.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
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 6, 2003 - 05:09 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Of course, the Iraq situation is one of three pressing issues for President Bush.
Our White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux looks at the president's big challenges.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): President Bush returns to Washington facing critical challenges on three different fronts -- an ailing economy, a nuclear North Korea and a defiant Iraq. Mr. Bush's top priority in the next several days, to sell his economic stimulus package, aimed at creating jobs and investment, an expected $600 billion plan over 10 years likely to include a controversial tax cut on stock dividends. That proposed tax break is already sparking debate among Republicans and Democrats who see the health of the economy as a key factor in determining who wins the White House in 2004.
SEN. HARRY REID (D), NEVADA: When they direct their tax programs to benefit the very, very, very few and eliminate the majority from any benefit of these tax cuts, it is class war. That's their job, creating class warfare, not ours.
SEN. DON NICKLES (R), OKLAHOMA: A lot of people want to play class warfare. I think what the president's interested in doing and what I'm interested in doing is growing the economy.
MALVEAUX: Also on the president's plate, North Korea. This week, the State Department is hosting talks with representatives from Japan and South Korea to convince them isolating the communist country is the best way to get Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear weapons programs. But South Korea is still pushing for dialogue with North Korea. Bush critics and presidential hopefuls are seizing on the differences.
SEN. JOHN EDWARDS (D), NORTH CAROLINA: I think the Bush policy in North Korea has been a failure.
MALVEAUX: Monday, the International Atomic Energy Agency, whose inspectors were kicked out of North Korea last week, will hold a special meeting to decide whether to bring Pyongyang before the U.N. Security Council to face possible economic sanctions.
(on camera): As for the showdown with Iraq, in the weeks to come President Bush must make the critical decision whether or not to use military action to force Saddam Hussein to disarm. The White House insists that it will wait until U.N. weapons inspectors report their findings to the U.N. Security Council by the end of the month.
Suzanne Malveaux, CNN, the White House.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
