Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live At Daybreak

'Time' 2003 Person of the Year: American Soldier

Aired December 22, 2003 - 05:34   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.


CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: Well, "Time" magazine has picked the American soldier as its 2003 Person of the Year. "Time" saying that it's using the term soldier in its broadest sense, to encompass all branches of the military. Three soldiers from a unit nicknamed The Tomb Raiders are featured on the cover. "Time's" editors say that uncommon skills and service by U.S. troops in defending freedoms at home and abroad are the reasons behind the choice.
And Specialist Billy Grimes is one of the soldiers featured on "Time's" cover. Her family is back home in Lebanon, Indiana.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WILLIAM GRIMES, BILLIE'S FATHER: She's a loyal, loyal girl, and I think that's how she fits in with the rest of the -- her unit, is she is, she'll be there for them, just as they are for her.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CALLAWAY: "Time's" 2003 Person of the Year issue now on newsstands today.

Well, CNN has tracked two of the G.I.s on that "Time" magazine cover.

Senior international editor David Clinch is here with the latest on that.

DAVID CLINCH, CNN INTERNATIONAL EDITOR: Yes, Catherine, good morning.

CALLAWAY: Good morning.

CLINCH: Yes, we weren't able to catch up with her. I believe she's on leave. We're not quite sure of that. But we were able to track down the two male G.I.s that you see on the front cover of "Time" there today.

CALLAWAY: Right.

CLINCH: Planning at some point to interview them in Iraq today and to bring you that later on today. We were thinking about doing a live interview, but military conflict may be intervening there. Security issues in the area of their base may prevent a live interview. But we're working on that.

Now, the interesting thing to me about this is not just how important a job that these U.S. troops are playing, of course, but just the whole role that the U.S. military and the actions of the U.S. military are playing in the American paradigm at the moment. You know, the whole country here at the moment, I think, very aware, as the end of the year comes, how important a role the United States military is playing out there in the world, and obviously here, too. All of these people who are not home for Christmas, their families here, that's a big factor, of course. The amount of money that this is cost, that's a factor.

CALLAWAY: Right.

CLINCH: So it's not just about the soldiers and the job that they're doing, but just the whole idea of the U.S. military and the role that the military is playing for America and for Americans right now.

A very interesting article and worth going beyond the cover to read the whole article. So that's interesting.

CALLAWAY: We should say, the "Time" photographer, reporters were embedded in with this unit, The Tomb Raiders.

CLINCH: Right. Again, more than just surface article about those particular soldiers, but about the whole military operation in Iraq and beyond, and the role that the military is playing. Worth a read, I would say.

Now, what else? Libya, of course. Not a surprise to those of us whose job it is to read these tea leaves, but a surprise, I think, to most people. Libya announcing or, more accurately, the United States and Britain announcing that Libya had agreed to give up its weapons of mass destruction program. First of all, acknowledging that it had one; secondly, agreeing in general terms to give it up. Now we're waiting, though, for a little bit more specifics. We're waiting to hear from Moammar Qaddafi. We hope to hear from him at some point. But also waiting for them to actually sign on the dotted line, as it were, watching in Vienna today at the IAEA to see if they actually sign onto the full specifics allowing snap inspections of any and all weapons of mass destruction programs in Libya.

So, saying it is one thing, singing it is another.

CALLAWAY: Right.

CLINCH: We'll be watching that today.

The terror alert notching up here, that's a domestic story, but that, of course, has rippled throughout the world. We'll be looking in Britain and elsewhere. I'll come back at six and talk a little bit more about that.

And one, just on a lighter note, Michael Jackson, believe it or not, was meant to be in Britain today.

CALLAWAY: Right.

CLINCH: He apparently has permission to go.

CALLAWAY: From the courts.

CLINCH: Had some previously scheduled events he was meant to be attending and still says he will attend. Hasn't turned up yet. So we're watching closely to see whether he does, in fact, turn up in Britain today.

CALLAWAY: You'll be back in the six o'clock hour then?

CLINCH: I will.

CALLAWAY: See you then.

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 December 22, 2003 - 05:34   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: Well, "Time" magazine has picked the American soldier as its 2003 Person of the Year. "Time" saying that it's using the term soldier in its broadest sense, to encompass all branches of the military. Three soldiers from a unit nicknamed The Tomb Raiders are featured on the cover. "Time's" editors say that uncommon skills and service by U.S. troops in defending freedoms at home and abroad are the reasons behind the choice.
And Specialist Billy Grimes is one of the soldiers featured on "Time's" cover. Her family is back home in Lebanon, Indiana.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WILLIAM GRIMES, BILLIE'S FATHER: She's a loyal, loyal girl, and I think that's how she fits in with the rest of the -- her unit, is she is, she'll be there for them, just as they are for her.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CALLAWAY: "Time's" 2003 Person of the Year issue now on newsstands today.

Well, CNN has tracked two of the G.I.s on that "Time" magazine cover.

Senior international editor David Clinch is here with the latest on that.

DAVID CLINCH, CNN INTERNATIONAL EDITOR: Yes, Catherine, good morning.

CALLAWAY: Good morning.

CLINCH: Yes, we weren't able to catch up with her. I believe she's on leave. We're not quite sure of that. But we were able to track down the two male G.I.s that you see on the front cover of "Time" there today.

CALLAWAY: Right.

CLINCH: Planning at some point to interview them in Iraq today and to bring you that later on today. We were thinking about doing a live interview, but military conflict may be intervening there. Security issues in the area of their base may prevent a live interview. But we're working on that.

Now, the interesting thing to me about this is not just how important a job that these U.S. troops are playing, of course, but just the whole role that the U.S. military and the actions of the U.S. military are playing in the American paradigm at the moment. You know, the whole country here at the moment, I think, very aware, as the end of the year comes, how important a role the United States military is playing out there in the world, and obviously here, too. All of these people who are not home for Christmas, their families here, that's a big factor, of course. The amount of money that this is cost, that's a factor.

CALLAWAY: Right.

CLINCH: So it's not just about the soldiers and the job that they're doing, but just the whole idea of the U.S. military and the role that the military is playing for America and for Americans right now.

A very interesting article and worth going beyond the cover to read the whole article. So that's interesting.

CALLAWAY: We should say, the "Time" photographer, reporters were embedded in with this unit, The Tomb Raiders.

CLINCH: Right. Again, more than just surface article about those particular soldiers, but about the whole military operation in Iraq and beyond, and the role that the military is playing. Worth a read, I would say.

Now, what else? Libya, of course. Not a surprise to those of us whose job it is to read these tea leaves, but a surprise, I think, to most people. Libya announcing or, more accurately, the United States and Britain announcing that Libya had agreed to give up its weapons of mass destruction program. First of all, acknowledging that it had one; secondly, agreeing in general terms to give it up. Now we're waiting, though, for a little bit more specifics. We're waiting to hear from Moammar Qaddafi. We hope to hear from him at some point. But also waiting for them to actually sign on the dotted line, as it were, watching in Vienna today at the IAEA to see if they actually sign onto the full specifics allowing snap inspections of any and all weapons of mass destruction programs in Libya.

So, saying it is one thing, singing it is another.

CALLAWAY: Right.

CLINCH: We'll be watching that today.

The terror alert notching up here, that's a domestic story, but that, of course, has rippled throughout the world. We'll be looking in Britain and elsewhere. I'll come back at six and talk a little bit more about that.

And one, just on a lighter note, Michael Jackson, believe it or not, was meant to be in Britain today.

CALLAWAY: Right.

CLINCH: He apparently has permission to go.

CALLAWAY: From the courts.

CLINCH: Had some previously scheduled events he was meant to be attending and still says he will attend. Hasn't turned up yet. So we're watching closely to see whether he does, in fact, turn up in Britain today.

CALLAWAY: You'll be back in the six o'clock hour then?

CLINCH: I will.

CALLAWAY: See you then.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com