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CNN Live At Daybreak
White House Update
Aired May 07, 2003 - 06:37 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 to a man who will be helping to form a government in Saddam Hussein's old country: Paul Bremer.
Suzanne Malveaux is live at the White House to fill in the blanks.
Good morning -- Suzanne.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, good morning.
Paul Bremer will be on his way to Baghdad fairly soon. He's better known as Jerry. He has more than 23 years of diplomatic experience. He's served under six secretaries of state, and he received his appointment yesterday as the top civil administrator in Baghdad in Iraq.
And it really represents a shift in focus here of the administration and its post-war planning. First of all, speeding up the process for military occupation to establishing a civil administration, and secondly, to resolve this dispute between the State Department, which felt that a diplomat would be the best person to be in charge of reconstruction efforts, and the Pentagon that really insisted that it be under military control. This was really seen as somewhat of a compromise here.
At the same time, retired Army General Jay Garner is still in charge of the nuts and bolts on the ground, the military aspects of this, but also Bremer, who will oversee Garner at some point, is going to be reporting to Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld. So, this is seen as an acknowledgement of both the State Department's role, as well as the Pentagon.
But either way, Carol, the administration insists that there will be an Iraqi government in place in earnest by the end of the month -- Carol.
COSTELLO: All right, I have to ask you about Dick Cheney, because there is new word on him this morning. Tell us about it.
MALVEAUX: Well, according to "The Dallas Morning News," he says that, yes, he has accepted the offer as running mate 2004 with President Bush. As you know, there was wide speculation about this and concerns about his health. You know, he had four heart attacks, none of them while he was vice president. But he says he is in good health, in excellent health, that he has a doctor that keeps track of him 24 hours a day. And as you also know, there have been some questions about the role of Halliburton, and that is the company that he was the CEO of and recently received a very lucrative contract when it comes to reconstruction projects inside of Iraq. Well, Cheney, as well as Halliburton and the administration, all saying that they are not guilty of any wrongdoing. Cheney is looking forward to that run in 2004 -- Carol.
COSTELLO: All right, Suzanne Malveaux live from the White House this morning.
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 May 7, 2003 - 06:37 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Now to a man who will be helping to form a government in Saddam Hussein's old country: Paul Bremer.
Suzanne Malveaux is live at the White House to fill in the blanks.
Good morning -- Suzanne.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, good morning.
Paul Bremer will be on his way to Baghdad fairly soon. He's better known as Jerry. He has more than 23 years of diplomatic experience. He's served under six secretaries of state, and he received his appointment yesterday as the top civil administrator in Baghdad in Iraq.
And it really represents a shift in focus here of the administration and its post-war planning. First of all, speeding up the process for military occupation to establishing a civil administration, and secondly, to resolve this dispute between the State Department, which felt that a diplomat would be the best person to be in charge of reconstruction efforts, and the Pentagon that really insisted that it be under military control. This was really seen as somewhat of a compromise here.
At the same time, retired Army General Jay Garner is still in charge of the nuts and bolts on the ground, the military aspects of this, but also Bremer, who will oversee Garner at some point, is going to be reporting to Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld. So, this is seen as an acknowledgement of both the State Department's role, as well as the Pentagon.
But either way, Carol, the administration insists that there will be an Iraqi government in place in earnest by the end of the month -- Carol.
COSTELLO: All right, I have to ask you about Dick Cheney, because there is new word on him this morning. Tell us about it.
MALVEAUX: Well, according to "The Dallas Morning News," he says that, yes, he has accepted the offer as running mate 2004 with President Bush. As you know, there was wide speculation about this and concerns about his health. You know, he had four heart attacks, none of them while he was vice president. But he says he is in good health, in excellent health, that he has a doctor that keeps track of him 24 hours a day. And as you also know, there have been some questions about the role of Halliburton, and that is the company that he was the CEO of and recently received a very lucrative contract when it comes to reconstruction projects inside of Iraq. Well, Cheney, as well as Halliburton and the administration, all saying that they are not guilty of any wrongdoing. Cheney is looking forward to that run in 2004 -- Carol.
COSTELLO: All right, Suzanne Malveaux live from the White House this morning.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
