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CNN Live Sunday

White House Calls Suicide Bombing In Iraq Desperate

Aired October 12, 2003 - 16:04   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.


RENAY SAN MIGUEL, CNN ANCHOR: U.S. reaction to this attack was swift. Officials called the attack a vicious act of terrorism and promised those responsible would be brought to justice. We have two correspondents covering this angle for you. CNN's Dana Bash is at the White House and our Chris Plante at the Pentagon. Chris, we'll start with you.
CHRIS PLANTE, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: All right, Renay. Pentagon officials are pointing to the silver lining here today which is that the suicide bombers did not reach their intended target, which was the hotel building itself. They also pointed to the fact that Iraqi security forces on the outer perimeter were working with the coalition forces in securing this site. As Jane was saying, at least a couple of those gave their lives. All of those killed were Iraqis. But the situation could have been much worse had they been able to reach their target.

Also as Jane reported, 32 people were injured and three were American security forces. We're not entirely clear what branch of the service they were from right now. Details are still sketchy coming out of Iraq but we're told those injuries were relatively slight.

A senior Pentagon official I spoke with earlier today said that this is an act of desperation on the part of forces that are fighting a failing battle. The problem this presents of course goes well beyond today's incident. The Pentagon in the United States, in the process of trying to get foreign countries, other countries to contribute troops and contribute economically to progress in Iraq. This is the kind of thing that certainly doesn't help in that effort -- Renay.

SAN MIGUEL: Chris Plante at the Pentagon, thanks Chris.

President Bush was briefed about the attack at Camp David this morning. He's now back in Washington. Let's bring in White House correspondent Dana Bash with the Bush administration's reaction -- Dana.

DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Reneay, Condoleezza Rice, the president's national security advisor, was at Camp David this morning with the president. That is how he got his information. And an aide says he is continuing to monitor the situation as events unfold and throughout the day.

The president is back here at the White House. He was asked questions. He did not respond to questions upon returning from his weekend at Camp David, but the state department did put out a statement which reads, "we condemn this vicious attack of terrorism in the strongest terms possible. Our deepest condolences go out to the families and loved ones of the Iraqi citizens killed in this attack. U.S. officials in Baghdad will be working closely with Iraqi security officials to ensure that those behind this attack are brought to justice."

Now this bombing following one earlier this week against Iraqi police officers, and of course an attack, assassination of a Spanish diplomat. More deaths of U.S. soldiers all come as the Bush administration is engaged in a PR offensive as they face shrinking public opinion about the progress or what is going on in Iraq. This offensive went on last week and will continue early into next week to try to make the case that there is progress being made.

Republicans, allies of the White House on the talk shows this morning, said that heavy news coverage of the bombing in Baghdad today and others show only one side of what is going on in Iraq. Now Democrats say that it's not necessarily about that, it's also about the violence and that they're not going to be able -- the Bush administration isn't going to be able to get out their message as long as the violence continues.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JON KYL, (R) ARIZONA: It is very true that we're not getting the message out. As I said before, when you lead the news with the bombing that occurred and there's no evidence whatsoever of all the good things that are happening, it's no wonder the president says to Dr. Rice, help me get the good news out.

SEN. JOSEPH BIDEN, (D-DE) FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE: There are very good things happening in Iraq, but they're all overshadowed when two things fail to be in position. One, security. The other, services. You cannot ultimately get it done in Iraq without security.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASH: And you heard Chris Plante talk about an official he spoke with, saying that this was an act of desperation. There's a similar tone coming from the White House. A senior official I spoke with earlier said this attack and others like it is actually in part proof of the progress that the administration has been touting. Because they say that there are perhaps Ba'athist holdouts or other militants coming in, seeing what the administration says is a movement towards democracy, and moving out of desperation.

But Democrats talking again earlier today are not buying it. They say that these attacks are evidence of the Bush administration's lack of post-war planning and lack of getting an international coalition to help secure and pay for reconstruction.

SAN MIGUEL: And Dana, are we expecting any more speeches on the part of the president or other administration officials to continue this PR offensive this week?

BASH: Well, the president is expected to give some television interviews to local stations tomorrow and also we're going to see the Commerce Secretary Don Evans actually go to the region, to Iraq. He's going to participate in the unveiling of the new Iraqi currency. That is all part of the push to show there is progress despite the pictures of violence and chaos that we're seeing on television.

SAN MIGUEL: All right, Dana Bash in Washington, thanks so 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 October 12, 2003 - 16:04   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
RENAY SAN MIGUEL, CNN ANCHOR: U.S. reaction to this attack was swift. Officials called the attack a vicious act of terrorism and promised those responsible would be brought to justice. We have two correspondents covering this angle for you. CNN's Dana Bash is at the White House and our Chris Plante at the Pentagon. Chris, we'll start with you.
CHRIS PLANTE, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: All right, Renay. Pentagon officials are pointing to the silver lining here today which is that the suicide bombers did not reach their intended target, which was the hotel building itself. They also pointed to the fact that Iraqi security forces on the outer perimeter were working with the coalition forces in securing this site. As Jane was saying, at least a couple of those gave their lives. All of those killed were Iraqis. But the situation could have been much worse had they been able to reach their target.

Also as Jane reported, 32 people were injured and three were American security forces. We're not entirely clear what branch of the service they were from right now. Details are still sketchy coming out of Iraq but we're told those injuries were relatively slight.

A senior Pentagon official I spoke with earlier today said that this is an act of desperation on the part of forces that are fighting a failing battle. The problem this presents of course goes well beyond today's incident. The Pentagon in the United States, in the process of trying to get foreign countries, other countries to contribute troops and contribute economically to progress in Iraq. This is the kind of thing that certainly doesn't help in that effort -- Renay.

SAN MIGUEL: Chris Plante at the Pentagon, thanks Chris.

President Bush was briefed about the attack at Camp David this morning. He's now back in Washington. Let's bring in White House correspondent Dana Bash with the Bush administration's reaction -- Dana.

DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Reneay, Condoleezza Rice, the president's national security advisor, was at Camp David this morning with the president. That is how he got his information. And an aide says he is continuing to monitor the situation as events unfold and throughout the day.

The president is back here at the White House. He was asked questions. He did not respond to questions upon returning from his weekend at Camp David, but the state department did put out a statement which reads, "we condemn this vicious attack of terrorism in the strongest terms possible. Our deepest condolences go out to the families and loved ones of the Iraqi citizens killed in this attack. U.S. officials in Baghdad will be working closely with Iraqi security officials to ensure that those behind this attack are brought to justice."

Now this bombing following one earlier this week against Iraqi police officers, and of course an attack, assassination of a Spanish diplomat. More deaths of U.S. soldiers all come as the Bush administration is engaged in a PR offensive as they face shrinking public opinion about the progress or what is going on in Iraq. This offensive went on last week and will continue early into next week to try to make the case that there is progress being made.

Republicans, allies of the White House on the talk shows this morning, said that heavy news coverage of the bombing in Baghdad today and others show only one side of what is going on in Iraq. Now Democrats say that it's not necessarily about that, it's also about the violence and that they're not going to be able -- the Bush administration isn't going to be able to get out their message as long as the violence continues.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JON KYL, (R) ARIZONA: It is very true that we're not getting the message out. As I said before, when you lead the news with the bombing that occurred and there's no evidence whatsoever of all the good things that are happening, it's no wonder the president says to Dr. Rice, help me get the good news out.

SEN. JOSEPH BIDEN, (D-DE) FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE: There are very good things happening in Iraq, but they're all overshadowed when two things fail to be in position. One, security. The other, services. You cannot ultimately get it done in Iraq without security.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASH: And you heard Chris Plante talk about an official he spoke with, saying that this was an act of desperation. There's a similar tone coming from the White House. A senior official I spoke with earlier said this attack and others like it is actually in part proof of the progress that the administration has been touting. Because they say that there are perhaps Ba'athist holdouts or other militants coming in, seeing what the administration says is a movement towards democracy, and moving out of desperation.

But Democrats talking again earlier today are not buying it. They say that these attacks are evidence of the Bush administration's lack of post-war planning and lack of getting an international coalition to help secure and pay for reconstruction.

SAN MIGUEL: And Dana, are we expecting any more speeches on the part of the president or other administration officials to continue this PR offensive this week?

BASH: Well, the president is expected to give some television interviews to local stations tomorrow and also we're going to see the Commerce Secretary Don Evans actually go to the region, to Iraq. He's going to participate in the unveiling of the new Iraqi currency. That is all part of the push to show there is progress despite the pictures of violence and chaos that we're seeing on television.

SAN MIGUEL: All right, Dana Bash in Washington, thanks so 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