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House Votes on Iraq Resolution
Aired October 10, 2002 - 14:56 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.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Live pictures now as we look at the numbers coming to you from Washington, D.C.
It looks like bipartisan support for Bush's request for war authority is growing steadily. There's the numbers right there. It looks like his chances look very good that he'll have a measure on his desk by week's end to put this nation on combat-ready footing.
Our Kate Snow on the Hill following the numbers, and the vote also.
What do you think -- Kate?
KATE SNOW, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kyra, I think it's exactly what we thought was going to happen. There is going to be an overwhelming vote here in the House of support of the president, support for this resolution.
We had thought that about 100 Democrats would vote against roughly. If you can put up those numbers again, I can look at them. But I think that's about what we're seeing now as far as the Democratic tally. Yes, it looks about 120 Democrats that are voting in the nay column against this resolution, which is what we had expected.
Notice that No. 5 right above that, Republicans voting nay, five Republicans in the House voting against. That's a handful. That's exactly what we had expected as well.
But overwhelming support here for the president, Kyra.
Just to refresh your memories, this is the resolution that the president has been asking for, for weeks, now. It would authorize him to use force against Iraq, after going to the United Nations and seeking diplomatic means.
The resolution doesn't say he has to go to the U.N., but it does suggest that that's the course he should take. It supports diplomatic efforts to enforce U.N. Security Council resolutions, but then says, if the president wants to use military force against Iraq to defend U.S. national security or to enforce U.N. Security Council resolutions, he can do so.
It also requires that he keeps consulting with Congress, reporting back to Congress every 60 days.
Again, not a surprise that the House is voting in this direction, Kyra. It is what we had fully expected.
Remember last week, the House Democratic leader, Dick Gephardt, joined, along with the two leaders -- excuse me, with his Republican counterpart, Dennis Hastert, and also the Republican leader in the Senate, Trent Lott -- joined at the White House, and said they would endorse this resolution. From that point on, we were fairly sure that this is how it was going to go down.
But again, a significant number of Democrats voting against it, Kyra; 100 Democrats or so, 120 voting against it. That's a significant number.
It will be interesting to see how the White House plays this, but they'll probably say it's a vote of incredible support.
PHILLIPS: All right, Kate Snow on the Hill, thank you.
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 10, 2002 - 14:56 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Live pictures now as we look at the numbers coming to you from Washington, D.C.
It looks like bipartisan support for Bush's request for war authority is growing steadily. There's the numbers right there. It looks like his chances look very good that he'll have a measure on his desk by week's end to put this nation on combat-ready footing.
Our Kate Snow on the Hill following the numbers, and the vote also.
What do you think -- Kate?
KATE SNOW, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kyra, I think it's exactly what we thought was going to happen. There is going to be an overwhelming vote here in the House of support of the president, support for this resolution.
We had thought that about 100 Democrats would vote against roughly. If you can put up those numbers again, I can look at them. But I think that's about what we're seeing now as far as the Democratic tally. Yes, it looks about 120 Democrats that are voting in the nay column against this resolution, which is what we had expected.
Notice that No. 5 right above that, Republicans voting nay, five Republicans in the House voting against. That's a handful. That's exactly what we had expected as well.
But overwhelming support here for the president, Kyra.
Just to refresh your memories, this is the resolution that the president has been asking for, for weeks, now. It would authorize him to use force against Iraq, after going to the United Nations and seeking diplomatic means.
The resolution doesn't say he has to go to the U.N., but it does suggest that that's the course he should take. It supports diplomatic efforts to enforce U.N. Security Council resolutions, but then says, if the president wants to use military force against Iraq to defend U.S. national security or to enforce U.N. Security Council resolutions, he can do so.
It also requires that he keeps consulting with Congress, reporting back to Congress every 60 days.
Again, not a surprise that the House is voting in this direction, Kyra. It is what we had fully expected.
Remember last week, the House Democratic leader, Dick Gephardt, joined, along with the two leaders -- excuse me, with his Republican counterpart, Dennis Hastert, and also the Republican leader in the Senate, Trent Lott -- joined at the White House, and said they would endorse this resolution. From that point on, we were fairly sure that this is how it was going to go down.
But again, a significant number of Democrats voting against it, Kyra; 100 Democrats or so, 120 voting against it. That's a significant number.
It will be interesting to see how the White House plays this, but they'll probably say it's a vote of incredible support.
PHILLIPS: All right, Kate Snow on the Hill, thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
