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CNN Live At Daybreak
Wake-Up Call: British Benchmarks
Aired March 13, 2003 - 06:40 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: What does the White House have to say about these benchmarks?
White House correspondent Dana Bash has answered our "Wake-Up Call."
Dana, Robin Oakley said some very interesting things. It sounds like there will be no second resolution now.
DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well here at the White House they are certainly saying they do want a resolution still. White House spokesman Ari Fleischer has said all week he absolutely wants one, that is a public one. Privately, Carol, you are right, they are hinting that there may not be a vote, that they may not be able to get a vote at all because the calculation would be perhaps, if they don't have the majority, they don't want to have a negative vote at the U.N. But that is -- that is just a possibility. They are still saying here at the White House that in all likelihood they will be calling for a vote. And they are still...
COSTELLO: Well,...
BASH: Go ahead.
COSTELLO: Dana, is it fair to say that President Bush is only supporting a possible second resolution in the hopes of saving Tony Blair's political career?
BASH: Well helping Tony Blair is certainly a big part of this, there's no question, because the White House, Carol, you hear them say over and over again that they feel the president already has all the authority he needs to use military force if he chooses to do so. So helping their allies, is the way they put it here at the White House, is certainly a big part of this. They are continuing to work feverishly, Carol. The president will be on the phone again today for the fourth day in a row.
COSTELLO: OK, quickly now, if there is no second resolution, what happens?
BASH: Well what we're told is that after things wrap up at the U.N., whether it's with a resolution or without a resolution, we are likely to hear from the president. The president will likely give some kind of ultimatum to Saddam Hussein saying that he needs to disarm or else. And we are expecting some kind of speech from the president as soon as whatever happens at the U.N. finishes -- runs its course. COSTELLO: A messy situation. Dana Bash, thanks for waking up early with DAYBREAK.
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 March 13, 2003 - 06:40 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: What does the White House have to say about these benchmarks?
White House correspondent Dana Bash has answered our "Wake-Up Call."
Dana, Robin Oakley said some very interesting things. It sounds like there will be no second resolution now.
DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well here at the White House they are certainly saying they do want a resolution still. White House spokesman Ari Fleischer has said all week he absolutely wants one, that is a public one. Privately, Carol, you are right, they are hinting that there may not be a vote, that they may not be able to get a vote at all because the calculation would be perhaps, if they don't have the majority, they don't want to have a negative vote at the U.N. But that is -- that is just a possibility. They are still saying here at the White House that in all likelihood they will be calling for a vote. And they are still...
COSTELLO: Well,...
BASH: Go ahead.
COSTELLO: Dana, is it fair to say that President Bush is only supporting a possible second resolution in the hopes of saving Tony Blair's political career?
BASH: Well helping Tony Blair is certainly a big part of this, there's no question, because the White House, Carol, you hear them say over and over again that they feel the president already has all the authority he needs to use military force if he chooses to do so. So helping their allies, is the way they put it here at the White House, is certainly a big part of this. They are continuing to work feverishly, Carol. The president will be on the phone again today for the fourth day in a row.
COSTELLO: OK, quickly now, if there is no second resolution, what happens?
BASH: Well what we're told is that after things wrap up at the U.N., whether it's with a resolution or without a resolution, we are likely to hear from the president. The president will likely give some kind of ultimatum to Saddam Hussein saying that he needs to disarm or else. And we are expecting some kind of speech from the president as soon as whatever happens at the U.N. finishes -- runs its course. COSTELLO: A messy situation. Dana Bash, thanks for waking up early with DAYBREAK.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
