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CNN Live Today

Gauging Reaction to President's Address

Aired March 18, 2003 - 11:34   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: Now we want to take you last night to the president's speech to ask you, was it inspirational to you, to the world, or was it not inspirational?
Our senior political analyst Bill Schneider in Washington, he joins us with his take on the president's speech.

WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SR. POLITICAL ANALYST: Good morning, Carol.

COSTELLO: A lot of pundits are weighing in on this. Tom Shales from "The Washington Post" calls the president's speech. He says, "Bush spoke with a funereal solemnity and an aura of mournful regret. There certainly was not a trace of bravado in his voice, manner or frozen features." Agree? Disagree?

SCHNEIDER: I agree, and I think that was a deliberate effort by the president not to make this a rallying speech, you know, we're number one, USA. This is a very risky step he's taken. I think it is the riskiest decision any president has made since the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 and a radical departure for the United States, because it is a preemptive strikes against the country we're threatening war with, because they may -- they may commit terrorist acts against the United States. But there is no evidence they've done it yet.

COSTELLO: Let's break away for a second and listen to some of what the president had to say on that topic.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRES. OF THE UNITED STATES: If Saddam Hussein attempts to cling to power, he will remain a deadly foe until the end.

In desperation, he and terrorist groups might try to conduct terrorist operations against the American people and our friends. These attacks are not inevitable. They are, however, possible, and this very fact underscores the reason we cannot live under the threat of blackmail. The terrorist threat to America and the world will be diminished the moment that Saddam Hussein is disarmed.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Well chosen words, Bill?

SCHNEIDER: The word was blackmail, and that's the word that comes through to the American people. That Saddam Hussein, as long as he's in power and has these weapons of mass destruction, the United States is under a serious threat.

And when we asked Americans in our polling, do you think it's a greater risk of terrorist reprisals if we go to war against Iraq or if we do not go to war with Iraq, Americans by a small margin say the greater risk is if we do not go to war against Iraq, because they see Saddam Hussein as a constant threat to the United States.

COSTELLO: Another good place to break away and hear more of what the president had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BUSH: The regime has a history of reckless aggression in the Middle East. It has a deep hatred of America and our friends, and it has aided, trained and harbored terrorists, including operatives of Al Qaeda. The danger is clear. Using chemical, biological or one day nuclear weapons, obtained with the help of Iraq, the terrorists could fulfill their stated ambitions, and kill thousands, or hundreds of thousands of innocent people in our country or any other.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Now, not only were people in the United States listening to that speech, but people the world over. Did President Bush convince any of them that the United States was doing the right thing?

SCHNEIDER: Well, for Americans, the reasoning is very simple. Why war? Because we want to prevent another 9/11. The rest of the world has problems with that. They're not sure that's the best way to prevent it. They didn't have the same traumatic experience that the United States did after 9/11. So a lot of the rest of the world believes this is about oil. That's not what Americans understand. The reason for this war is what the president just said -- it's a preventative step to make sure we never have to go through the trauma of 9/11 again. Very convincing to Americans, but to the rest of the world, not quite so convincing.

COSTELLO: The next time we'll see the President Bush come out and speak to the nation will be when we go to war, if we go to war.

SCHNEIDER: That's right.

COSTELLO: Bill Schneider, thanks so much for your insight. We appreciate it.

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 18, 2003 - 11:34   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Now we want to take you last night to the president's speech to ask you, was it inspirational to you, to the world, or was it not inspirational?
Our senior political analyst Bill Schneider in Washington, he joins us with his take on the president's speech.

WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SR. POLITICAL ANALYST: Good morning, Carol.

COSTELLO: A lot of pundits are weighing in on this. Tom Shales from "The Washington Post" calls the president's speech. He says, "Bush spoke with a funereal solemnity and an aura of mournful regret. There certainly was not a trace of bravado in his voice, manner or frozen features." Agree? Disagree?

SCHNEIDER: I agree, and I think that was a deliberate effort by the president not to make this a rallying speech, you know, we're number one, USA. This is a very risky step he's taken. I think it is the riskiest decision any president has made since the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 and a radical departure for the United States, because it is a preemptive strikes against the country we're threatening war with, because they may -- they may commit terrorist acts against the United States. But there is no evidence they've done it yet.

COSTELLO: Let's break away for a second and listen to some of what the president had to say on that topic.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRES. OF THE UNITED STATES: If Saddam Hussein attempts to cling to power, he will remain a deadly foe until the end.

In desperation, he and terrorist groups might try to conduct terrorist operations against the American people and our friends. These attacks are not inevitable. They are, however, possible, and this very fact underscores the reason we cannot live under the threat of blackmail. The terrorist threat to America and the world will be diminished the moment that Saddam Hussein is disarmed.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Well chosen words, Bill?

SCHNEIDER: The word was blackmail, and that's the word that comes through to the American people. That Saddam Hussein, as long as he's in power and has these weapons of mass destruction, the United States is under a serious threat.

And when we asked Americans in our polling, do you think it's a greater risk of terrorist reprisals if we go to war against Iraq or if we do not go to war with Iraq, Americans by a small margin say the greater risk is if we do not go to war against Iraq, because they see Saddam Hussein as a constant threat to the United States.

COSTELLO: Another good place to break away and hear more of what the president had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BUSH: The regime has a history of reckless aggression in the Middle East. It has a deep hatred of America and our friends, and it has aided, trained and harbored terrorists, including operatives of Al Qaeda. The danger is clear. Using chemical, biological or one day nuclear weapons, obtained with the help of Iraq, the terrorists could fulfill their stated ambitions, and kill thousands, or hundreds of thousands of innocent people in our country or any other.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Now, not only were people in the United States listening to that speech, but people the world over. Did President Bush convince any of them that the United States was doing the right thing?

SCHNEIDER: Well, for Americans, the reasoning is very simple. Why war? Because we want to prevent another 9/11. The rest of the world has problems with that. They're not sure that's the best way to prevent it. They didn't have the same traumatic experience that the United States did after 9/11. So a lot of the rest of the world believes this is about oil. That's not what Americans understand. The reason for this war is what the president just said -- it's a preventative step to make sure we never have to go through the trauma of 9/11 again. Very convincing to Americans, but to the rest of the world, not quite so convincing.

COSTELLO: The next time we'll see the President Bush come out and speak to the nation will be when we go to war, if we go to war.

SCHNEIDER: That's right.

COSTELLO: Bill Schneider, thanks so much for your insight. We appreciate it.

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