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CNN Live Saturday
President Bush Remains Optomistic For Resolution In Iraq
Aired September 13, 2003 - 14:11 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.
FREDERICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Well despite the ongoing problems in Iraq President Bush remains optimistic. He says the U.S. will help transform Iraq into an example of progress and democracy and freedom. The latest now from CNN White House Correspondent Dana Bash. And Dana, is the president saying that he is particularly encouraged from this meeting in Geneva?
DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: No word yet, as it just broke up, but what the president has been doing, Fredricka, throughout the week, is trying to strike a more conciliatory tone toward the key members that Secretary Powell met with today, saying any past differences should be just that, in the past. And they should be looking toward the future.
He also just said yesterday, that the president believes that all nations around the world have a responsibility for a unified and secure Iraq. And the president used today's radio address to talk about what his vision is for transferring power to the Iraqi people and that is something that those key security council nations want to do quickly.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We're moving forward on a specific plan to return sovereignty and authority to the Iraqi people. We have created a governing council made up of Iraqi citizens the council has selected a committee that is developing a process through which Iraqis will draft a new constitution for their country.
Day-to-day operations of many government tasks have been turned over to ministers appointed by the governing council. And when a constitution has been drafted and ratified by the Iraqi people, Iraq will enjoy free and fair elections and the coalition will yield its remaining authority to a free and sovereign Iraqi government.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
BASH: Now, as Sheila was just pointing out there are still differences between the U.S. and some key security council members, like France, over just how quickly the power will be turned over to the Iraqi people. And in the meantime, whether or not the U.S. will remain in charge or whether the U.N. will have more control.
So the president was trying to send a signal that he does have a plan, not only to members of the U.N. and the world community, but also the message there was to the American people, in the days following the president's major address on Sunday, he talked about the fact that there is a plan, Americans are polled showing they didn't understand exactly what that was.
This, today's radio address was an attempt to reinforce that he does in fact have a plan in Iraq -- Fredericka.
WHITFIELD: Dana Bash from the White House, thank you very much.
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 September 13, 2003 - 14:11 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDERICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Well despite the ongoing problems in Iraq President Bush remains optimistic. He says the U.S. will help transform Iraq into an example of progress and democracy and freedom. The latest now from CNN White House Correspondent Dana Bash. And Dana, is the president saying that he is particularly encouraged from this meeting in Geneva?
DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: No word yet, as it just broke up, but what the president has been doing, Fredricka, throughout the week, is trying to strike a more conciliatory tone toward the key members that Secretary Powell met with today, saying any past differences should be just that, in the past. And they should be looking toward the future.
He also just said yesterday, that the president believes that all nations around the world have a responsibility for a unified and secure Iraq. And the president used today's radio address to talk about what his vision is for transferring power to the Iraqi people and that is something that those key security council nations want to do quickly.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We're moving forward on a specific plan to return sovereignty and authority to the Iraqi people. We have created a governing council made up of Iraqi citizens the council has selected a committee that is developing a process through which Iraqis will draft a new constitution for their country.
Day-to-day operations of many government tasks have been turned over to ministers appointed by the governing council. And when a constitution has been drafted and ratified by the Iraqi people, Iraq will enjoy free and fair elections and the coalition will yield its remaining authority to a free and sovereign Iraqi government.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
BASH: Now, as Sheila was just pointing out there are still differences between the U.S. and some key security council members, like France, over just how quickly the power will be turned over to the Iraqi people. And in the meantime, whether or not the U.S. will remain in charge or whether the U.N. will have more control.
So the president was trying to send a signal that he does have a plan, not only to members of the U.N. and the world community, but also the message there was to the American people, in the days following the president's major address on Sunday, he talked about the fact that there is a plan, Americans are polled showing they didn't understand exactly what that was.
This, today's radio address was an attempt to reinforce that he does in fact have a plan in Iraq -- Fredericka.
WHITFIELD: Dana Bash from the White House, thank you very much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
