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CNN Live Saturday

Various Pressures Shape Bush's Middle East Message

Aired April 20, 2002 - 18:08   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: Now, when it comes to the continuing crisis in the Middle East, the White House is being pulled in a variety of directions. How are the various pressures working to shape the administration's Mideast message? Here's CNN's Major Garrett with a look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MAJOR GARRETT, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The passions of the Middle East are boiling over on the streets of Washington, and with them, renewed domestic political pressures are bearing down on the Bush White House.

CROWD (chanting): One, two, three, four -- end Sharon's bloody war! Five, six, seven, eight -- bring a Palestinian state!"

GARRETT: Pro-Palestinian protests Saturday...

CROWD (chanting): Arafat must go! Arafat must go!

GARRETT: A pro-Israeli rally on Monday...

But there's one big difference: At the Israeli rally, prominent lawmakers, and the number two man at the Pentagon. But these key players skipped the Palestinian rally. Even so, global protests for the Palestinians have also captured the eye of the White House.

But Israel has the ear of Congress, and lawmakers are leaning on the White House to stand with Israel, and punish Yasser Arafat for failing to stop terror attacks.

SEN. DIANNE FEINSTEIN (D), CALIFORNIA: I very strongly believe that the time has come to stand up. I think the time has come up, to come to stand up and take a position against this kind of, really, suicide bombing. It has been used as a major tool; I think that Yasser Arafat has spoken out of both sides of his mouth. I think the time has come for us to condemn that kind of leadership.

GARRETT: The White House has prevailed upon Feinstein and other senators to withhold anti-Arafat legislation. But the House of Representatives will proceed next week, with a largely symbolic resolution condemning Arafat as a sponsor of terror, despite intense White House objections. The resolution is expected to pass overwhelmingly. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: While the president is being pulled in one direction, internationally, he is being pulled by many members of Congress to not restrain Mr. Sharon, and to put more pressure on Arafat. And he finds himself in a very, very difficult situation.

GARRETT: Lawmakers insist they are not trying to undermine delicate diplomacy, but are merely reinforcing the Bush Doctrine against terror.

SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (R), KENTUCKY: We're not meddling. I have a lot of confidence in the president, and the secretary of state, and the national security adviser, but members of the Senate want to go on record.

GARRETT (on camera): The congressional outcry has made a difference. It's one of the reasons the president backed off demands for immediate Israeli withdrawal from Palestinian territories. And it let to stepped-up calls for Arafat and neighboring Arab nations to do more to fight terror.

Major Garrett, CNN, the White House.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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