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CNN Live At Daybreak
First Lady's Trip to Paris
Aired September 29, 2003 - 06:35 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: The first lady is politicking herself, but in a quiet way. She's in France this morning pushing books and education. She's already met with French President Jacques Chirac, a social call if you will.
Soledad O'Brien is with the first lady.
Good morning -- Soledad.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, Carol. Good morning to you.
And, yes, in fact, it was a little bit of a sprint for the first lady, and it will continue to be through the day. She's only spending one full day here in Paris.
This morning, as you mentioned, she had a meeting with French President Jacques Chirac, who kissed her on the hand on the steps of the presidential palace, before he ushered her in for a short meeting.
And, as you mentioned, it's a social call, a courtesy call as they term it. But the U.S. ambassador to France, Howard Leach, says that the president -- the first lady, rather, is the president's -- President Bush's most important emissary. And, therefore, she has an important role here as well.
Then later today, the first lady will deliver the keynote address to the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural organization. The U.S. is rejoining UNESCO after a 19-year absence. And then, Mrs. Bush will participate in a flag raising ceremony that will be held in the Piasa (ph).
Then, she goes off to Moscow first thing the following day. She's participating in a library festival with the Russian president's wife, Lyudmila Putina, and Mrs. Putina had modeled her festival after one that she attended in the U.S.
So, a lot to get done in the very short time she is spending on the road, but many people have high hopes for exactly what the impact of the first lady's trip will be. Obviously, there have been big domestic disputes -- diplomatic disputes, rather, between the two nations that the first lady is visiting. But, of course, the value overall remains to be seen, as they say.
And we, of course, will be traveling with the first lady through Paris and Moscow this week.
Carol -- back to you. COSTELLO: You should never underestimate the power of a first lady. Because, remember when Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis went to France and charmed Charles De Gaulle? It could happen again.
O'BRIEN: Exactly. And, of course, it's a very different situation here. Back on that trip, Jackie Kennedy spoke French perfectly, and absolutely, you know, was able to charm Charles De Gaulle, who -- and her husband, of course, the president, said, you know, I am the man escorting Jackie Kennedy to Paris, being a little diplomatic in his own way.
And I don't think people have those kinds of expectations for Laura Bush on this trip, but many people say it is a goodwill gesture, and anything that can happen in that direction can only be of a positive value. So, why not?
COSTELLO: All right, Soledad O'Brien, we'll hear much more from you on "AMERICAN MORNING." Many thanks for joining DAYBREAK 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 September 29, 2003 - 06:35 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: The first lady is politicking herself, but in a quiet way. She's in France this morning pushing books and education. She's already met with French President Jacques Chirac, a social call if you will.
Soledad O'Brien is with the first lady.
Good morning -- Soledad.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, Carol. Good morning to you.
And, yes, in fact, it was a little bit of a sprint for the first lady, and it will continue to be through the day. She's only spending one full day here in Paris.
This morning, as you mentioned, she had a meeting with French President Jacques Chirac, who kissed her on the hand on the steps of the presidential palace, before he ushered her in for a short meeting.
And, as you mentioned, it's a social call, a courtesy call as they term it. But the U.S. ambassador to France, Howard Leach, says that the president -- the first lady, rather, is the president's -- President Bush's most important emissary. And, therefore, she has an important role here as well.
Then later today, the first lady will deliver the keynote address to the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural organization. The U.S. is rejoining UNESCO after a 19-year absence. And then, Mrs. Bush will participate in a flag raising ceremony that will be held in the Piasa (ph).
Then, she goes off to Moscow first thing the following day. She's participating in a library festival with the Russian president's wife, Lyudmila Putina, and Mrs. Putina had modeled her festival after one that she attended in the U.S.
So, a lot to get done in the very short time she is spending on the road, but many people have high hopes for exactly what the impact of the first lady's trip will be. Obviously, there have been big domestic disputes -- diplomatic disputes, rather, between the two nations that the first lady is visiting. But, of course, the value overall remains to be seen, as they say.
And we, of course, will be traveling with the first lady through Paris and Moscow this week.
Carol -- back to you. COSTELLO: You should never underestimate the power of a first lady. Because, remember when Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis went to France and charmed Charles De Gaulle? It could happen again.
O'BRIEN: Exactly. And, of course, it's a very different situation here. Back on that trip, Jackie Kennedy spoke French perfectly, and absolutely, you know, was able to charm Charles De Gaulle, who -- and her husband, of course, the president, said, you know, I am the man escorting Jackie Kennedy to Paris, being a little diplomatic in his own way.
And I don't think people have those kinds of expectations for Laura Bush on this trip, but many people say it is a goodwill gesture, and anything that can happen in that direction can only be of a positive value. So, why not?
COSTELLO: All right, Soledad O'Brien, we'll hear much more from you on "AMERICAN MORNING." Many thanks for joining DAYBREAK 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.
