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CNN Live Saturday

Bush Accuses Democrats of Using 9-11 to Political Advantage

Aired May 18, 2002 - 12:02   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.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Now, back to our top story. President Bush is dealing with another day of questions about what his administration knew about possible terrorist attacks. He's accusing Democrats of second-guessing this situation to gain political advantage.

More now from the White House and Kelly Wallace. Hi, Kelly.

KELLY WALLACE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Fredricka. Well, that is a message likely to be delivered again by Vice President Cheney and Condoleezza Rice, the president's national security adviser, when they appear on the morning interview programs tomorrow.

The administration you could say definitely went on the offensive yesterday. Senior officials I talked to said they felt very strongly they needed to respond to what they called "some very unfair charges." And so that is why we saw the president in the Rose Garden speaking out for the very first time about this controversy, saying that if he had any information at all that individuals would take planes and ram them into buildings on September 11, he would have done everything in his power to prevent that from happening. His aides went even further, accusing some Democrats of playing politics with all of this, and one Senate Republican appearing on CNN's "SATURDAY EDITION" also indicated he believed some Democrats crossed the line.

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SEN. PAT ROBERTS (R), KANSAS: We have got a lot of magpies and crows set on a split fence rail in Kansas, they're part of the second- guessing game. I thought it was unconscionable in regards to insinuating -- and I use the word insinuate; they didn't right, you know, come out and say that this was the case, that the president somehow knew about this and then sat back and did nothing.

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WALLACE: But some Democratic sources I've talked to say they are somewhat surprised by what they call "a very well orchestrated political attack" by the White House to try to deter what they are calling legitimate questions. One Democratic aide I talked to said, "Democrats will not be deterred." And one Senate Democrat appearing also on "SATURDAY EDITION," saying Democrats have a right to be asking these questions.

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SEN. RON WYDEN (D), OREGON: The Congress and the public appropriately placed their trust in the administration after September 11. And I do think it's a misuse of that trust to call anybody irresponsible who asks tough questions about what sure looks like an intelligence failure.

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WALLACE: And another battle that is likely to be waged, Fredricka, is just over the scope of the congressional hearings and investigations. Democrats are calling for public hearings. We do know hearings are likely to take place in the weeks and months ahead. The administration and the vice president and Dr. Rice will communicate this as well tomorrow, very much calling for what they say is a responsible investigation. The White House saying it will cooperate with the Congress, but it would prefer to have limited and closed hearings, making the case that if this information gets out there, it could jeopardize the ongoing war against terror -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right, thank you, Kelly.

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