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CNN Live At Daybreak
Wake-Up Call: Reaction from Capitol Hill to President's Speech
Aired January 29, 2003 - 06:07 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 COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: We want to step behind the scenes right now. Our Capitol Hill producer, Ted Barrett, is on the phone from Washington with another morning "Wake-Up Call."
Ted -- good morning.
TED BARRETT, CNN CAPITOL HILL PRODUCER: Good morning, Carol.
COSTELLO: What have you been hearing on the Hill?
BARRETT: Well, it was a wide-ranging speech last night, but afterwards, people really wanted to talk about Iraq. Republicans praised the president for being specific, for laying out the case against Saddam Hussein, but Democrats said they weren't convinced. And I think as you were reporting this morning, Senator Kennedy says he will introduce a bill to require the president to get new congressional authorization before sending troops into battle.
COSTELLO: Yes, but is there much support for something like that, Ted?
BARRETT: Well, it's a tough sell for Mr. Kennedy. Republicans immediately said last night that they disagree, they don't think that a new authorization is required. And, hey, they control the chambers of both the House and the Senate. That bill may not go anywhere.
COSTELLO: You know, in looking at the gallery, the audience watching the president's speech last night, Democrats, some of them in the audience, were way less than enthusiastic. Did you see John Kerry? He was clapping like this. And Nancy Pelosi, I think we have a picture of her laughing as the president outlined his economic policy. You can see that. Pretty extreme reactions, are they?
BARRETT: Yes, Carol, it is extreme, and it's sort of a rare candid moment caught there by the national television audience. There's no way Nancy Pelosi could have known that the network full camera would take her at that point. But I believe the president was speaking about what the average savings to American families would be from his proposal to cut corporate tax dividends. There's been a big debate in town about what that savings will be, and I think her rolling of the eyes and laughing reflects her position on that.
COSTELLO: And probably the contentiousness that will exist in Congress...
(CROSSTALK)
BARRETT: I think you're right.
COSTELLO: All right, Ted Barrett, thanks very much for waking up early with DAYBREAK. We'll let you get back to work.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Speech>
Aired January 29, 2003 - 06:07 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: We want to step behind the scenes right now. Our Capitol Hill producer, Ted Barrett, is on the phone from Washington with another morning "Wake-Up Call."
Ted -- good morning.
TED BARRETT, CNN CAPITOL HILL PRODUCER: Good morning, Carol.
COSTELLO: What have you been hearing on the Hill?
BARRETT: Well, it was a wide-ranging speech last night, but afterwards, people really wanted to talk about Iraq. Republicans praised the president for being specific, for laying out the case against Saddam Hussein, but Democrats said they weren't convinced. And I think as you were reporting this morning, Senator Kennedy says he will introduce a bill to require the president to get new congressional authorization before sending troops into battle.
COSTELLO: Yes, but is there much support for something like that, Ted?
BARRETT: Well, it's a tough sell for Mr. Kennedy. Republicans immediately said last night that they disagree, they don't think that a new authorization is required. And, hey, they control the chambers of both the House and the Senate. That bill may not go anywhere.
COSTELLO: You know, in looking at the gallery, the audience watching the president's speech last night, Democrats, some of them in the audience, were way less than enthusiastic. Did you see John Kerry? He was clapping like this. And Nancy Pelosi, I think we have a picture of her laughing as the president outlined his economic policy. You can see that. Pretty extreme reactions, are they?
BARRETT: Yes, Carol, it is extreme, and it's sort of a rare candid moment caught there by the national television audience. There's no way Nancy Pelosi could have known that the network full camera would take her at that point. But I believe the president was speaking about what the average savings to American families would be from his proposal to cut corporate tax dividends. There's been a big debate in town about what that savings will be, and I think her rolling of the eyes and laughing reflects her position on that.
COSTELLO: And probably the contentiousness that will exist in Congress...
(CROSSTALK)
BARRETT: I think you're right.
COSTELLO: All right, Ted Barrett, thanks very much for waking up early with DAYBREAK. We'll let you get back to work.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Speech>
