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CNN Live Saturday

Bush Speaks to Russian President Putin

Aired September 22, 2001 - 13:20   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.
JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: As you have been hearing, news reporters are being told almost nothing about possible military action, although there is every indication that the nation is on a war footing.

The man who would be in charge of making ultimate decisions, President Bush is working out of Camp David this weekend.

CNN's Kelly Wallace joins us from Hagerstown, Maryland, which is very close to the presidential retreat -- Kelly.

KELLY WALLACE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Judy, a couple of developments to tell you about.

We understand President Bush spoke earlier today with Russian president Vladimir Putin. This is their third telephone conversation since terrorist attacks on September 11. Officials saying that this is part of their ongoing dialogue -- discussing cooperation in the fight against terrorism. Part of the president's efforts to build this coalition against terrorism.

Officials, though, not revealing specifics and not talking about if the U.S. is asking for specific help in this military, economic and political campaign against terrorists.

Also, Judy, we do understand that as early as this weekend, President Bush will be signing an Executive Order naming specific terrorists and specific terrorist organizations and freezing their assets in the United States. This, part of the financial component of this campaign, trying to prevent money from going to these terrorists and their organizations.

Now, the president started his day meeting with his national security council staff. The president chairing a meeting via video conference. Mr. Bush at the presidential retreat at Camp David; many of his advisers back in Washington -- joining the president at Camp David, his CIA director, his national security adviser, and his chief of staff.

The president also putting the focus on the economy in his radio address. He did talk about how these deadly terrorist attacks have definitely given a blow to the U.S. economy, but in an effort to boost consumer confidence, the president sounding optimistic about the months and years ahead. (BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: You can look forward to an improved business climate in America in the years ahead. The Federal Reserve has done its job of keeping our financial system strong and stable, cutting interest rates in half in the last eight months. Energy prices have remained steady. In fact, they are lower now than they were in the spring.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

WALLACE: Now, normally the Democrats would have their weekly radio address sounding somewhat critical of the president; not the case today. House Minority Leader Richard Gephardt delivering the Democrat response saying that Democrats stand united with the president and Republicans to do everything possible, Judy, in this war against terrorism and everything possible to strengthen the U.S. economy -- Judy.

WOODRUFF: Kelly, we know the military is on a heightened alert right now. What about the White House staff? How would you say its operations are different from the way they were before?

WALLACE: Well, you definitely would say that they are also still operating with a heightened state of alert. The president schedule sort of closely guarded and not revealed until really the last minute.

As for the staff, Judy, you know, two weeks ago the administration focusing on a domestic agenda -- education -- focusing on Medicare prescription drugs. Now, really the focus is on this campaign -- the military, diplomatic economic part of this campaign; also daily meetings called the Domestic Consequences Team making sure that all federal agencies are doing everything possible to assist with rescue, recovery and rebuilding efforts in New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia.

So the focus of the administration, Judy, definitely changing. You do get a sense, though, that the administration trying to get a little bit more on that domestic agenda. The president is expected to focus on free trade and education at events next week, but really the entire focus of the administration changed dramatically on that day back on September 11 -- Judy.

WOODRUFF: All right. Kelly Wallace reporting from very near Camp David.

Well, federal officials are confirming that there was an intense struggle aboard United Airlines Flight 93 before it crashed in western Pennsylvania on September 11. Officials tell CNN that the cockpit voice recorder picked up sounds of a wild scuffle, with people shouting in English and Arabic.

It is widely believed that a group of passengers stormed the cockpit to try to stop the hijacking. At the time, the plane was headed toward Washington. President Bush had given orders to shoot it down if it threatened the city. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com