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CNN Live Today

Bush Dealing With Eroding Support

Aired January 22, 2003 - 10:01   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.


LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: President Bush says that it is clear that Saddam Hussein is not disarming, and he's pressuring world leaders who are demanding more time for weapons inspections.
France, Germany, Russia, and China say that there is no need to rush to military action right now.

CNN Senior White House Correspondent John King checks in. He is following these latest developments for us from the White House. Good morning, John.

JOHN KING, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Leon. And in the face of this stiff opposition from key traditional allies around the world, the Bush administration saying once again the credibility of the United Nations is at stake in this showdown with Saddam Hussein and Iraq. Mr. Bush is on the road today. He left the White House earlier today for St. Louis, Missouri. His focus there will be trying to sell his economic plan anchored largely on another round of big tax cuts.

Mr. Bush, though, do not be surprised if you hear him also mention his current thoughts on the showdown with Iraq. Mr. Bush, yesterday, voiced growing frustration. He says he does not understand why the allies would want to give Saddam Hussein more time when Mr. Bush says he is already cheating in the inspections process underway. But today, just hours after the president's tough words, in Paris, France, the president of France, Jacques Chirac, the German chancellor, Gerhard Schroeder meeting in Paris. Both say they believe the inspectors should be given more time. President Chirac had a message for Mr. Bush, and you might sum it up by saying this: slow down.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JACQUES CHIRAC, PRESIDENT OF FRANCE: As far as we're concerned, war always means failure. And therefore, everything must be done to avoid war.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: The deputy secretary of state, Richard Armitage, is in Moscow today. Russia also has veto power on the Security Council, like the French. It has said it believes this is not the time to talk about war, that it is the time to let the inspections continue. Deputy Secretary of State Armitage trying to bring the Russians around as well. White House officials say the president's position is as it was at the very beginning of this debate, that he wants to work through the United Nations, wants to have Security Council blessing if he makes the final determination to move to military confrontation. But they say the president also is determined not to get bogged down in another lengthy Security Council debate, that if he reaches the final conclusion that the inspections have failed, and most believe here that he will make that determination several weeks down the road, Mr. Bush will work outside of the United Nations if he cannot bring France, Russia, others around to his point of view -- Leon.

HARRIS: Now, John, we understand the frustration that the administration in expressing with these members of the Security Council, but the leaders in France and Germany and their U.N. ambassadors as well are really just reflecting what their domestic audiences are saying about where they stand on the war.

Aren't we also now seeing that there is something of an erosion of support here in the United States as well with the recent polling?

KING: A significant erosion of support here in the United States, Leon, especially on the question of whether the president should act if he does not have the support of those key members of the United Nations Security Council. Rising public opinion in the United States raising doubts about the war. Rising public opinion saying there should only be a war if the United Nations is on board with the United States, so a major diplomatic challenge is also a major domestic political challenge for the president. That is one reason, we are told, senior officials are out making big speeches this week and next. And, of course, the president's speech Tuesday night, the State of the Union address, we are told to look for a significant section dealing with his thoughts on the confrontation with Iraq. The president trying to get back on the initiative, of you will, in leading public opinion.

HARRIS: All right. Good deal. Thanks, John. John King at the White House, we'll get back to you.

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 22, 2003 - 10:01   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: President Bush says that it is clear that Saddam Hussein is not disarming, and he's pressuring world leaders who are demanding more time for weapons inspections.
France, Germany, Russia, and China say that there is no need to rush to military action right now.

CNN Senior White House Correspondent John King checks in. He is following these latest developments for us from the White House. Good morning, John.

JOHN KING, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Leon. And in the face of this stiff opposition from key traditional allies around the world, the Bush administration saying once again the credibility of the United Nations is at stake in this showdown with Saddam Hussein and Iraq. Mr. Bush is on the road today. He left the White House earlier today for St. Louis, Missouri. His focus there will be trying to sell his economic plan anchored largely on another round of big tax cuts.

Mr. Bush, though, do not be surprised if you hear him also mention his current thoughts on the showdown with Iraq. Mr. Bush, yesterday, voiced growing frustration. He says he does not understand why the allies would want to give Saddam Hussein more time when Mr. Bush says he is already cheating in the inspections process underway. But today, just hours after the president's tough words, in Paris, France, the president of France, Jacques Chirac, the German chancellor, Gerhard Schroeder meeting in Paris. Both say they believe the inspectors should be given more time. President Chirac had a message for Mr. Bush, and you might sum it up by saying this: slow down.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JACQUES CHIRAC, PRESIDENT OF FRANCE: As far as we're concerned, war always means failure. And therefore, everything must be done to avoid war.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: The deputy secretary of state, Richard Armitage, is in Moscow today. Russia also has veto power on the Security Council, like the French. It has said it believes this is not the time to talk about war, that it is the time to let the inspections continue. Deputy Secretary of State Armitage trying to bring the Russians around as well. White House officials say the president's position is as it was at the very beginning of this debate, that he wants to work through the United Nations, wants to have Security Council blessing if he makes the final determination to move to military confrontation. But they say the president also is determined not to get bogged down in another lengthy Security Council debate, that if he reaches the final conclusion that the inspections have failed, and most believe here that he will make that determination several weeks down the road, Mr. Bush will work outside of the United Nations if he cannot bring France, Russia, others around to his point of view -- Leon.

HARRIS: Now, John, we understand the frustration that the administration in expressing with these members of the Security Council, but the leaders in France and Germany and their U.N. ambassadors as well are really just reflecting what their domestic audiences are saying about where they stand on the war.

Aren't we also now seeing that there is something of an erosion of support here in the United States as well with the recent polling?

KING: A significant erosion of support here in the United States, Leon, especially on the question of whether the president should act if he does not have the support of those key members of the United Nations Security Council. Rising public opinion in the United States raising doubts about the war. Rising public opinion saying there should only be a war if the United Nations is on board with the United States, so a major diplomatic challenge is also a major domestic political challenge for the president. That is one reason, we are told, senior officials are out making big speeches this week and next. And, of course, the president's speech Tuesday night, the State of the Union address, we are told to look for a significant section dealing with his thoughts on the confrontation with Iraq. The president trying to get back on the initiative, of you will, in leading public opinion.

HARRIS: All right. Good deal. Thanks, John. John King at the White House, we'll get back to you.

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