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CNN Live At Daybreak
President Bush on the Offensive
Aired October 14, 2003 - 05:35 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: President Bush, as we've been telling you, is on the offensive to explain his policy in Iraq, as he prepares for a pivotal week both in Washington and overseas.
Suzanne Malveaux reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): President Bush began week two of his public relations campaign invoking the memories of 9/11 in his Columbus Day speech.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: People are willing to sacrifice for the country they love. They remember the lessons of September the 11th, 2001, and so do I. It's something we should never forget.
MALVEAUX: And the White House is making sure of that. Mr. Bush's campaign to defend Iraq policy enters a critical week, with Secretary Powell making one more push for a U.N. Security Council resolution aimed at attracting international support and Congress about to take up Mr. Bush's $87 billion request for post-war funding.
Mr. Bush sat down with regional TV reporters to deliver his good news message about Iraq.
BUSH: Progress is being made and the Iraqi people are beginning to prosper. And electricity is up and running. And millions of, or thousands of children have been immunized. You know, the hospitals are open. Schools are functioning. That society is beginning to develop.
MALVEAUX: But policy analysts say the president needs to be more candid.
JIM STEINBERG, FORMER CLINTON DEPUTY NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: And I think we're getting the same problem from the administration, which is it wants to hear more about the good news, but it's really not prepared to face up to being more candid about the bad news and the difficulties that we're facing.
MALVEAUX: But a new CNN/"USA Today"/Gallup poll shows that the president's approval rating is climbing. In late September, Mr. Bush's approval rating was at 50 percent, the lowest level since the beginning of his presidency. Now, it has shot back up to 56 percent.
(on camera): In one of his interviews today, Mr. Bush shot back at his critics, who said he had no post-war strategy and should take charge. Mr. Bush said, and I'm quoting here, "They're just plain wrong about our strategy. We've had a strategy from the beginning. Jerry Bremer is running the strategy and we're making very good progress about the establishment of a free Iraq." He then goes on to say, "And the person who's in charge is me."
Suzanne Malveaux, CNN, the White House.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
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 14, 2003 - 05:35 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: President Bush, as we've been telling you, is on the offensive to explain his policy in Iraq, as he prepares for a pivotal week both in Washington and overseas.
Suzanne Malveaux reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): President Bush began week two of his public relations campaign invoking the memories of 9/11 in his Columbus Day speech.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: People are willing to sacrifice for the country they love. They remember the lessons of September the 11th, 2001, and so do I. It's something we should never forget.
MALVEAUX: And the White House is making sure of that. Mr. Bush's campaign to defend Iraq policy enters a critical week, with Secretary Powell making one more push for a U.N. Security Council resolution aimed at attracting international support and Congress about to take up Mr. Bush's $87 billion request for post-war funding.
Mr. Bush sat down with regional TV reporters to deliver his good news message about Iraq.
BUSH: Progress is being made and the Iraqi people are beginning to prosper. And electricity is up and running. And millions of, or thousands of children have been immunized. You know, the hospitals are open. Schools are functioning. That society is beginning to develop.
MALVEAUX: But policy analysts say the president needs to be more candid.
JIM STEINBERG, FORMER CLINTON DEPUTY NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: And I think we're getting the same problem from the administration, which is it wants to hear more about the good news, but it's really not prepared to face up to being more candid about the bad news and the difficulties that we're facing.
MALVEAUX: But a new CNN/"USA Today"/Gallup poll shows that the president's approval rating is climbing. In late September, Mr. Bush's approval rating was at 50 percent, the lowest level since the beginning of his presidency. Now, it has shot back up to 56 percent.
(on camera): In one of his interviews today, Mr. Bush shot back at his critics, who said he had no post-war strategy and should take charge. Mr. Bush said, and I'm quoting here, "They're just plain wrong about our strategy. We've had a strategy from the beginning. Jerry Bremer is running the strategy and we're making very good progress about the establishment of a free Iraq." He then goes on to say, "And the person who's in charge is me."
Suzanne Malveaux, CNN, the White House.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
