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CNN Live Saturday
Government Puts Out Mixed Messages About Terrorist Threats
Aired November 16, 2002 - 17:27 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.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Judging from what the government has been saying this week, the U.S. is under imminent threat of a colossal terrorist attack; that is, unless it isn't. CNN's David Mattingly has been looking at how the public is reacting to some pretty mixed messages and he's in our New York Bureau. It's hard to read the threat level, David, and it must be driving people crazy.
DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, some mixed messages indeed, Carol, coming at a time when people want some very specific answers to those important questions. What kind of terror threat is there and what do I have to do to protect myself? And, when we don't have any clear answers, like we had this week, experts say there could be some unintended consequences.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MATTINGLY (voice-over): Wednesday, a reported terrorist threat to hospitals from the FBI puts four cities on alert. Thursday, the White House deems the threat unspecified and not as serious as first thought.
Friday, a routine FBI bulletin uses alarming language to describe the possibility of al Qaeda plans for "spectacular attacks" in the U.S. but the color-coded Homeland Security Advisory System stays unchanged at yellow. National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice explains the bulletin was not a new warning.
CONDOLEEZZA RICE, NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: The warnings that have gone out recently really are a summary of intelligence, not a new warning. This is a summary of intelligence as we know it.
MATTINGLY: Three confusing days of seemingly conflicting signals but psychiatrist Gail Saltz says adds up to public stress.
GAIL SALTZ, PSYCHIATRIST: I do think that people are feeling more stress every time they hear about a terror alert and I think if the message isn't pretty clear there's uncertainty and it makes them nervous that we don't really know what's going on.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You know it definitely is confusing. At the same token, I've noticed personally it keeps you a little more at edge.
MATTINGLY: In New York's Times Square, we find natives and tourists alike confused by recent information and struggling to answer one important question. How safe do you think we really are? UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Less than we think we are. Definitely I think we're much less safe than we think we are.
MATTINGLY (on camera): These mixed messages, according to some experts could damage the credibility of future terror alerts. That means that people who need to hear this information most could end up tuning it out.
JOHN TIMONEY, SECURITY ANALYST: It's the, you know, the old man crying wolf that when, in fact, the wolf comes home you're not prepared and that would be a shame.
MATTINGLY (voice-over): John Timoney is a security analyst who believes the pending creation of the Homeland Security Department could help centralize decisions about what alerts are issued and how.
TIMONEY: Once you have that up and running, you know, six months to a year from now, that some of these communications problems will be resolved.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MATTINGLY: But for now, that new bin Laden tape is giving people on the street that I talk to, at least, Carol, plenty to ask questions about, and they want some specific answers about their safety.
LIN: Right. All right, thank you very much, David Mattingly.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Threats>
Aired November 16, 2002 - 17:27 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Judging from what the government has been saying this week, the U.S. is under imminent threat of a colossal terrorist attack; that is, unless it isn't. CNN's David Mattingly has been looking at how the public is reacting to some pretty mixed messages and he's in our New York Bureau. It's hard to read the threat level, David, and it must be driving people crazy.
DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, some mixed messages indeed, Carol, coming at a time when people want some very specific answers to those important questions. What kind of terror threat is there and what do I have to do to protect myself? And, when we don't have any clear answers, like we had this week, experts say there could be some unintended consequences.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MATTINGLY (voice-over): Wednesday, a reported terrorist threat to hospitals from the FBI puts four cities on alert. Thursday, the White House deems the threat unspecified and not as serious as first thought.
Friday, a routine FBI bulletin uses alarming language to describe the possibility of al Qaeda plans for "spectacular attacks" in the U.S. but the color-coded Homeland Security Advisory System stays unchanged at yellow. National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice explains the bulletin was not a new warning.
CONDOLEEZZA RICE, NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: The warnings that have gone out recently really are a summary of intelligence, not a new warning. This is a summary of intelligence as we know it.
MATTINGLY: Three confusing days of seemingly conflicting signals but psychiatrist Gail Saltz says adds up to public stress.
GAIL SALTZ, PSYCHIATRIST: I do think that people are feeling more stress every time they hear about a terror alert and I think if the message isn't pretty clear there's uncertainty and it makes them nervous that we don't really know what's going on.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You know it definitely is confusing. At the same token, I've noticed personally it keeps you a little more at edge.
MATTINGLY: In New York's Times Square, we find natives and tourists alike confused by recent information and struggling to answer one important question. How safe do you think we really are? UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Less than we think we are. Definitely I think we're much less safe than we think we are.
MATTINGLY (on camera): These mixed messages, according to some experts could damage the credibility of future terror alerts. That means that people who need to hear this information most could end up tuning it out.
JOHN TIMONEY, SECURITY ANALYST: It's the, you know, the old man crying wolf that when, in fact, the wolf comes home you're not prepared and that would be a shame.
MATTINGLY (voice-over): John Timoney is a security analyst who believes the pending creation of the Homeland Security Department could help centralize decisions about what alerts are issued and how.
TIMONEY: Once you have that up and running, you know, six months to a year from now, that some of these communications problems will be resolved.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MATTINGLY: But for now, that new bin Laden tape is giving people on the street that I talk to, at least, Carol, plenty to ask questions about, and they want some specific answers about their safety.
LIN: Right. All right, thank you very much, David Mattingly.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Threats>
