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National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice to Testify Before 9/11 Commission Tomorrow

Aired April 07, 2004 - 10:30   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.


DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Fastow. Lea Fastow pleaded guilty to tax charges as part of a larger deal involving her husband's case. Prosecutors recommended that she be sentenced to five months in jail and five months of home confinement.
The pig book is coming. About thirty minutes from now Citizens Against Government Waste will release its annual book detailing what their group calls its most egregious pork projects. It's your money and some is being spent on projects like an indoor rain forest in the Iowa corn country and research on heating the upper atmosphere.

National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice will testify before the 9/11 Commission tomorrow. For more on that let's bring in Elaine Quijano live at the White House today.

ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn, no word on the specifics of Dr. Rice's testimony before the September 11 Commission, but earlier this week President Bush said earlier this week he is looking forward to hearing Condoleezza Rice testifying in public. The President says she knows what happened and will lay out the facts.

The National Security adviser is expected to give an opening statement tomorrow when she goes before the September 11th Commission and then answer questions from the panel. She is expected to basically make the case that the White House did all it could to prevent the terrorist attacks in September 2001. Rice has met with the commission privately, but this is the first time that she will answer the panel's questions in public.

Something the Bush administration initially resisted. They cited executive privilege. Now, after pressure from Democratic and Republican commission members and families of September 11th victims, the administration reversed its position last week. The President saying that he received assurances Rice's appearance would not jeopardize executive privilege. Since making that decision, the White House has indicated it has been eager for her to testify. Officials very much want to rebut some of the harsh criticisms by Richard Clarke, former counter terrorism chief.

Criticisms that the Bush administration and Rice, in particular, did not give top priority to fighting terrorism and fighting al Qaeda in the months before September 11th. Now, unlike Richard Clarke, Rice is not expected to issue an apology to the victims' families but again Condoleezza Rice National Security Adviser set to testify tomorrow. Her testimony is expected to last about two and a half hours. KAGAN: Elaine I'm starting to think I think they wait for "CNN LIVE TODAY" for this program to begin where they queue all the construction at the White House.

QUIJANO: Yeah, absolutely, Daryn. I'm having a difficult time hearing you because of that, but certainly, all eyes on Dr. Rice tomorrow. In fact, officials here, I just spoke to someone a short time ago not saying a lot and not really wanting to give up many details at all about what Dr. Rice will say specifically, but, at this point, you can bet that will be the topic of discussion. Also, we should mention that this morning that a video conference on another topic on Iraq, actually, taking place. That one involving the national security team and the President from his ranch in Crawford. But, again, tomorrow, all the focus and all the attention certain to be on Dr. Condoleezza Rice. Daryn?

KAGAN: Elaine Quijano, keeping her thoughts straight among all the hammering and banging construction.

Condoleezza Rice testifying will be happening right now at this hour tomorrow. Our coverage begins at 9:00 a.m. Eastern and 6:00 pacific and we hope you'll join us here on CNN.as we have been reporting this morning, U.S. Marines have surrounded a mosque in Fallujah that is where they are engaged with intense fighting with Iraqi insurgents. Just a couple of hours a go a Los Angeles Times reporter Tony Perry gave us his eyewitness account on how that battle unfolded.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TONY PERRY, LOS ANGELES TIMES: The Marines are actively engaged in firefights in two locations with insurgents in the major location it's a fight that began about 24 hours ago and off and on and went through the night and picked up in the morning marines are pushing insurgents

Out of a neighborhood and going door to door finding insurgent locations and engaging them in firefights. One of the main locations where the insurgents are firing from is a mosque. The mosque has now been surrounded and the Marines are using tanks and have infantry and also air power overhead, as they had all night.

This all began 24 hours ago when the insurgents attacked a Marine patrol, that had only ventured two dozen yards beyond the checkpoint into the city. They were attacked and three Marines were wounded and the Marines counterattacked very ferociously with tanks and infantry Cobra helicopters and then the battle was on and there were platoon- sized groups. They brought in buses and blocked off streets and hit the Marines with counter fire and had anti-aircraft facilities that were shooting at the helicopters. And the Marines had took, I think, three additional casualties, but killed dozens of the insurgents that and are pushing them out of this neighborhood.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: That report is from Tony Perry, a correspondent for the "LOS ANGELES TIMES." He is reporting from Fallujah.

Not just getting older, but getting better. Times square turns 100. A look at then and now. That's straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(FINANCIAL REPORT)

KAGAN: Susan we'll move it uptown but keep it in New York City . It survived a market crash and years of rowdy partygoers can you believe it Times Square turning 100. Jason Carroll is there with a look back and also a look ahead.

Jason, happy birthday to Times Square.

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Exactly and you know Daryn I was listening to someone out here who said that if Times Square would be a person, it would be the perfect plastic surgery patient because of all the facelifts it has had during the past few years. One thing I learned as we took a look at Times Square during the past 100 years.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CARROLL: Say Times Square and this is probably the image that comes to mind, crowd, cheers and lots of confetti.

VINTAGE RECORDING: Greetings from times square.

CARROLL: For nearly a century it has been party central for New year's eve, but through the decades Times Square has evolved. From the roaring '20s sight of glamorous showgirls to Broadway's great white way. To the peep show paradise that came in the '60s and '70s to the cleaned up family-focused tourist destination we see today.

JAMES TROUGH HISTORIAN: The New Times Square. About to get run over in the new Times Square.

CARROLL: Meet historian James Trough.

TROUGH: The rule on pedestrianship in New York is if you can get away with it, you can do it.

CARROLL: He helped us navigate through the decades and he knows all that is Times Square. TRL over here what was that?

TROUGH It was called the Aster hotel.

CARROLL: Many local landmarks are long gone, and so, too, is the crime that plagued the area in the '70s. Now, Disney, Gap and ESPN. But some say there's still enough here for every taste.

ED KOCH, FMR NYC MAYOR: This is a street that's attractive to singles on the make and families want to show their kids a good time.

CARROLL: So from a few New Yorkers, this message to Times Square. Happy 100th birthday times square. I hope I'm here for your 125th.

MTV VJS: Happy 100th birthday Times Square from us here at MTV. You're still young to us. Technically you're not a square. Polygonal hexagon.

THE INFAMOUS NAKED COWBOY: Happy birthday, Times Square. Naked cowboy. Naked Cowboy, comin' to a town near you!

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CARROLL: Saw a few strange things as we put together this story and also picked up on a bit of trivia. Daryn I have a trivia question for you. Are you ready?

KAGAN: I'm ready.

CARROLL: How did Times Square get its name?

KAGAN: I'm thinking like "TIME MAGAZINE" or "NEW YORK TIMES" or something like that.

CARROLL: Very close. Aww, you saw the story earlier.

KAGAN: I did not no, that was my honest guess.

CARROLL: You're absolutely right, you're an intelligent person. Obviously that is how Times Square got its name from the "NEW YORK TIMES" when it moved in 100 years or so ago. How did you think Times Square got the name? Because there are lots of clocks and it's a square. Happy birthday to Times Square, 100 years. Can you believe it?

KAGAN: That was an honest guess and I was thinking is there some big clock I didn't see when I've been there a zillion times.

CARROLL: It was a good guess. I'll use you as a trivial pursuit partner.

KAGAN: All right its you and me Jason. Jason Carroll in Times Square.

And when we come back a train derails in Mississippi. Investigators trying to find out what went wrong and it actually could have been much worse.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Let's take a look at stories from across America D.C. Air National Guard. The next time they take a trip over the nation's capital, they'll get the word out.

Local television and radio stations reported many phone calls from people worried by the site of low-flying military warplanes above the U.S. Capitol . The flights you see were part of a military publicity and recruitment campaign.

Inglewood, California, is giving a big thumbs down to Wal-Mart. Some 60 percent of voters voted against to reject the super center the size of 17 football fields in the suburb. It would have created a slew of new jobs, opponents but Wal-Marts are low-wage, low-benefit job mills that drive independent retailers out of business.

They might be breaking brooms in stores . A victory by the Lady Huskies have given Uconn a sweep of the NCAA basketball championships. The women captured their third straight title with a 61-70 win over Tennessee that is of course the night after the men's team won the championship. Connecticut is the first division I school in history to win both titles in the same year.

FBI investigators are on the scene near Yazoo city Mississippi this morning. They're trying to determine what sent an Amtrak train careening off its track. The train was going to Chicago it derailed and tumbled off of a six foot trestle last night it was a swampy area of the Mississippi delta. Jeff Rent of our affiliate JTV has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEFF RENT, JTV: Early Tuesday evening the call came in: an Amtrak train full of passengers has derailed by the Big Black River in Madison County. Emergency crews responded quickly.

UNIDENTIFIED MAN: There was five box cars down there and there were maybe up to 100 people in there.


Aired April 7, 2004 - 10:30   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Fastow. Lea Fastow pleaded guilty to tax charges as part of a larger deal involving her husband's case. Prosecutors recommended that she be sentenced to five months in jail and five months of home confinement.
The pig book is coming. About thirty minutes from now Citizens Against Government Waste will release its annual book detailing what their group calls its most egregious pork projects. It's your money and some is being spent on projects like an indoor rain forest in the Iowa corn country and research on heating the upper atmosphere.

National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice will testify before the 9/11 Commission tomorrow. For more on that let's bring in Elaine Quijano live at the White House today.

ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn, no word on the specifics of Dr. Rice's testimony before the September 11 Commission, but earlier this week President Bush said earlier this week he is looking forward to hearing Condoleezza Rice testifying in public. The President says she knows what happened and will lay out the facts.

The National Security adviser is expected to give an opening statement tomorrow when she goes before the September 11th Commission and then answer questions from the panel. She is expected to basically make the case that the White House did all it could to prevent the terrorist attacks in September 2001. Rice has met with the commission privately, but this is the first time that she will answer the panel's questions in public.

Something the Bush administration initially resisted. They cited executive privilege. Now, after pressure from Democratic and Republican commission members and families of September 11th victims, the administration reversed its position last week. The President saying that he received assurances Rice's appearance would not jeopardize executive privilege. Since making that decision, the White House has indicated it has been eager for her to testify. Officials very much want to rebut some of the harsh criticisms by Richard Clarke, former counter terrorism chief.

Criticisms that the Bush administration and Rice, in particular, did not give top priority to fighting terrorism and fighting al Qaeda in the months before September 11th. Now, unlike Richard Clarke, Rice is not expected to issue an apology to the victims' families but again Condoleezza Rice National Security Adviser set to testify tomorrow. Her testimony is expected to last about two and a half hours. KAGAN: Elaine I'm starting to think I think they wait for "CNN LIVE TODAY" for this program to begin where they queue all the construction at the White House.

QUIJANO: Yeah, absolutely, Daryn. I'm having a difficult time hearing you because of that, but certainly, all eyes on Dr. Rice tomorrow. In fact, officials here, I just spoke to someone a short time ago not saying a lot and not really wanting to give up many details at all about what Dr. Rice will say specifically, but, at this point, you can bet that will be the topic of discussion. Also, we should mention that this morning that a video conference on another topic on Iraq, actually, taking place. That one involving the national security team and the President from his ranch in Crawford. But, again, tomorrow, all the focus and all the attention certain to be on Dr. Condoleezza Rice. Daryn?

KAGAN: Elaine Quijano, keeping her thoughts straight among all the hammering and banging construction.

Condoleezza Rice testifying will be happening right now at this hour tomorrow. Our coverage begins at 9:00 a.m. Eastern and 6:00 pacific and we hope you'll join us here on CNN.as we have been reporting this morning, U.S. Marines have surrounded a mosque in Fallujah that is where they are engaged with intense fighting with Iraqi insurgents. Just a couple of hours a go a Los Angeles Times reporter Tony Perry gave us his eyewitness account on how that battle unfolded.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TONY PERRY, LOS ANGELES TIMES: The Marines are actively engaged in firefights in two locations with insurgents in the major location it's a fight that began about 24 hours ago and off and on and went through the night and picked up in the morning marines are pushing insurgents

Out of a neighborhood and going door to door finding insurgent locations and engaging them in firefights. One of the main locations where the insurgents are firing from is a mosque. The mosque has now been surrounded and the Marines are using tanks and have infantry and also air power overhead, as they had all night.

This all began 24 hours ago when the insurgents attacked a Marine patrol, that had only ventured two dozen yards beyond the checkpoint into the city. They were attacked and three Marines were wounded and the Marines counterattacked very ferociously with tanks and infantry Cobra helicopters and then the battle was on and there were platoon- sized groups. They brought in buses and blocked off streets and hit the Marines with counter fire and had anti-aircraft facilities that were shooting at the helicopters. And the Marines had took, I think, three additional casualties, but killed dozens of the insurgents that and are pushing them out of this neighborhood.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: That report is from Tony Perry, a correspondent for the "LOS ANGELES TIMES." He is reporting from Fallujah.

Not just getting older, but getting better. Times square turns 100. A look at then and now. That's straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(FINANCIAL REPORT)

KAGAN: Susan we'll move it uptown but keep it in New York City . It survived a market crash and years of rowdy partygoers can you believe it Times Square turning 100. Jason Carroll is there with a look back and also a look ahead.

Jason, happy birthday to Times Square.

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Exactly and you know Daryn I was listening to someone out here who said that if Times Square would be a person, it would be the perfect plastic surgery patient because of all the facelifts it has had during the past few years. One thing I learned as we took a look at Times Square during the past 100 years.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CARROLL: Say Times Square and this is probably the image that comes to mind, crowd, cheers and lots of confetti.

VINTAGE RECORDING: Greetings from times square.

CARROLL: For nearly a century it has been party central for New year's eve, but through the decades Times Square has evolved. From the roaring '20s sight of glamorous showgirls to Broadway's great white way. To the peep show paradise that came in the '60s and '70s to the cleaned up family-focused tourist destination we see today.

JAMES TROUGH HISTORIAN: The New Times Square. About to get run over in the new Times Square.

CARROLL: Meet historian James Trough.

TROUGH: The rule on pedestrianship in New York is if you can get away with it, you can do it.

CARROLL: He helped us navigate through the decades and he knows all that is Times Square. TRL over here what was that?

TROUGH It was called the Aster hotel.

CARROLL: Many local landmarks are long gone, and so, too, is the crime that plagued the area in the '70s. Now, Disney, Gap and ESPN. But some say there's still enough here for every taste.

ED KOCH, FMR NYC MAYOR: This is a street that's attractive to singles on the make and families want to show their kids a good time.

CARROLL: So from a few New Yorkers, this message to Times Square. Happy 100th birthday times square. I hope I'm here for your 125th.

MTV VJS: Happy 100th birthday Times Square from us here at MTV. You're still young to us. Technically you're not a square. Polygonal hexagon.

THE INFAMOUS NAKED COWBOY: Happy birthday, Times Square. Naked cowboy. Naked Cowboy, comin' to a town near you!

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CARROLL: Saw a few strange things as we put together this story and also picked up on a bit of trivia. Daryn I have a trivia question for you. Are you ready?

KAGAN: I'm ready.

CARROLL: How did Times Square get its name?

KAGAN: I'm thinking like "TIME MAGAZINE" or "NEW YORK TIMES" or something like that.

CARROLL: Very close. Aww, you saw the story earlier.

KAGAN: I did not no, that was my honest guess.

CARROLL: You're absolutely right, you're an intelligent person. Obviously that is how Times Square got its name from the "NEW YORK TIMES" when it moved in 100 years or so ago. How did you think Times Square got the name? Because there are lots of clocks and it's a square. Happy birthday to Times Square, 100 years. Can you believe it?

KAGAN: That was an honest guess and I was thinking is there some big clock I didn't see when I've been there a zillion times.

CARROLL: It was a good guess. I'll use you as a trivial pursuit partner.

KAGAN: All right its you and me Jason. Jason Carroll in Times Square.

And when we come back a train derails in Mississippi. Investigators trying to find out what went wrong and it actually could have been much worse.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Let's take a look at stories from across America D.C. Air National Guard. The next time they take a trip over the nation's capital, they'll get the word out.

Local television and radio stations reported many phone calls from people worried by the site of low-flying military warplanes above the U.S. Capitol . The flights you see were part of a military publicity and recruitment campaign.

Inglewood, California, is giving a big thumbs down to Wal-Mart. Some 60 percent of voters voted against to reject the super center the size of 17 football fields in the suburb. It would have created a slew of new jobs, opponents but Wal-Marts are low-wage, low-benefit job mills that drive independent retailers out of business.

They might be breaking brooms in stores . A victory by the Lady Huskies have given Uconn a sweep of the NCAA basketball championships. The women captured their third straight title with a 61-70 win over Tennessee that is of course the night after the men's team won the championship. Connecticut is the first division I school in history to win both titles in the same year.

FBI investigators are on the scene near Yazoo city Mississippi this morning. They're trying to determine what sent an Amtrak train careening off its track. The train was going to Chicago it derailed and tumbled off of a six foot trestle last night it was a swampy area of the Mississippi delta. Jeff Rent of our affiliate JTV has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEFF RENT, JTV: Early Tuesday evening the call came in: an Amtrak train full of passengers has derailed by the Big Black River in Madison County. Emergency crews responded quickly.

UNIDENTIFIED MAN: There was five box cars down there and there were maybe up to 100 people in there.