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CNN Live Saturday
Bush Prepares to Make Case Against Iraq to American People
Aired October 05, 2002 - 17:18 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: President Bush is getting ready to go before the American public Monday night on television to underscore the threat he says the country faces from Iraq. CNN White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux is with the president at the Bush compound in Kennebunkport, Maine. Hi, Suzanne.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Fredricka. The president is spending his weekend here at the Kennebunkport family estate. He is really emphasizing -- focusing on two top priorities, that is fighting for Republican candidates, but also fighting against Saddam Hussein. Earlier today, he was in New Hampshire doing some campaigning and fund-raising for a Republican senatorial candidate John Sununu.
The president also addressing the arguments against Iraq, of course. The president this weekend working on a speech, crafting a speech that he's going to deliver Monday morning to the American people. We are told White House aides saying there is not going to be a smoking gun in this speech or any type of new U.S. policy, but they say it is going to be the clearest argument yet against Saddam Hussein.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: This is a country which, 11 years ago, promised the world they would have no weapons of mass destruction. And yet for 11 years, they have lied and deceived the world community. This is a country run by one of the most brutal dictators in modern history. Monday night, I will make the case to the country on TV.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: Now, part of the reason why he is making that case on Monday, really putting some pressure on lawmakers. It's expected that both the House and the Senate will have votes coming up on their own resolution whether or not they will authorize the president to use military force against Saddam Hussein. There seems to be some signs from both sides that that will happen in the next couple of weeks.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. TOM DASCHLE (D-SD), MAJORITY LEADER: I know that there are senators who wish to offer alternatives and an amendment. I hope we can accommodate those, and at the end of the day, have a broad coalition, Republicans and Democrats, in support of a resolution. (END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: And the administration, of course, emboldened by what happened yesterday. That was when the chief U.N. weapons inspector Hans Blix announced that yes, he does believe there should be a new U.N. resolution before those inspectors go back inside of Iraq. Of course, the question still is whether or not the permanent members of the U.N. Security Council are going to give the president the kind of resolution that he would like to see, a resolution that really has some teeth -- Fred.
WHITFIELD: All right, thanks very much. Suzanne Malveaux, from Kennebunkport, Maine, 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
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Aired October 5, 2002 - 17:18 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: President Bush is getting ready to go before the American public Monday night on television to underscore the threat he says the country faces from Iraq. CNN White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux is with the president at the Bush compound in Kennebunkport, Maine. Hi, Suzanne.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Fredricka. The president is spending his weekend here at the Kennebunkport family estate. He is really emphasizing -- focusing on two top priorities, that is fighting for Republican candidates, but also fighting against Saddam Hussein. Earlier today, he was in New Hampshire doing some campaigning and fund-raising for a Republican senatorial candidate John Sununu.
The president also addressing the arguments against Iraq, of course. The president this weekend working on a speech, crafting a speech that he's going to deliver Monday morning to the American people. We are told White House aides saying there is not going to be a smoking gun in this speech or any type of new U.S. policy, but they say it is going to be the clearest argument yet against Saddam Hussein.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: This is a country which, 11 years ago, promised the world they would have no weapons of mass destruction. And yet for 11 years, they have lied and deceived the world community. This is a country run by one of the most brutal dictators in modern history. Monday night, I will make the case to the country on TV.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: Now, part of the reason why he is making that case on Monday, really putting some pressure on lawmakers. It's expected that both the House and the Senate will have votes coming up on their own resolution whether or not they will authorize the president to use military force against Saddam Hussein. There seems to be some signs from both sides that that will happen in the next couple of weeks.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. TOM DASCHLE (D-SD), MAJORITY LEADER: I know that there are senators who wish to offer alternatives and an amendment. I hope we can accommodate those, and at the end of the day, have a broad coalition, Republicans and Democrats, in support of a resolution. (END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: And the administration, of course, emboldened by what happened yesterday. That was when the chief U.N. weapons inspector Hans Blix announced that yes, he does believe there should be a new U.N. resolution before those inspectors go back inside of Iraq. Of course, the question still is whether or not the permanent members of the U.N. Security Council are going to give the president the kind of resolution that he would like to see, a resolution that really has some teeth -- Fred.
WHITFIELD: All right, thanks very much. Suzanne Malveaux, from Kennebunkport, Maine, 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
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