Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Saturday

Both Sides of Iraq Debate on Display Today

Aired March 15, 2003 - 14:06   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.


RENAY SAN MIGUEL, CNN ANCHOR: The prospect of a U.S. attack on Iraq stirs strong emotions. Emotions on both sides of that issue are on display today. We have got a couple of reports for you. Our Maria Hinojosa is at the National Mall in Washington, where thousands of anti-war demonstrators are gathered, and David Mattingly is at a demonstration here in Atlanta, a demonstration that calls itself Support America. Maria, let's start with you. What is going on there?
MARIA HINOJOSA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: What's going on, Renay, is that the weather is fabulous. I've got to tell you, after covering demonstrations when it was below zero, this is pretty wonderful. So the crowds are growing. A large crowd right now here. They've been here since early this morning listening to any number of speakers. This group that has called this demonstration is called ANSWER. And this is probably one of the more leftist or radical groups. But they really have brought out a broad base of people who still, even if they don't agree with all of the points that are being made by the group that is calling the demonstration, they want to say something very clear, which is they don't want a war with Iraq.

So just to give you a sense of some of the people who are here. Robert Nekurvis (ph) is a Republican from Ohio, and Doris Mahar (ph) is a grammy, or a grandmother, as she likes to say, who has come down here from Albany. Now, Doris, this is your first time ever demonstrating at all. And you've done so because of what this time?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Because I think it's wrong what we're thinking about doing and we have to speak out loud and clear.

HINOJOSA: And the last -- you wanted to demonstrate against the last Gulf War but?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I had a son who was in the Navy, had asked me not to, and I had gone to an organizing meeting but then declined and didn't do it.

HINOJOSA: And what are you seeing around you? I mean, are you seeing people similar to you, or?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Lots of diversities -- age, gender, and race, ethnicity. It's just beautiful and wonderful.

HINOJOSA: And including Republicans, like Robert. Why did you decide to come out here? You're a Republican, you're dressed in a suit. What are people saying to you? UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I've noticed it's a very eclectic crowd. And I have actually found a lot of people who are in the same ideological viewpoint as me, who also believe that we shouldn't be going to war with Iraq.

HINOJOSA: In fact, when we spoke earlier you said there were a lot of closet Republicans here?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, there are in fact, quite a few, they come up to me and say, hey, glad to see another one of us here.

HINOJOSA: What do you think, as a member of the Republican Party, what's the message that you want to send to George W. Bush?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, I think first and foremost, I have always deemed the Republican Party the party of responsibility, and I don't believe our current foreign policy is the least bit responsible.

HINOJOSA: Do you think he's listening?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Unfortunately, no, but I still think people should keep their voices nice and loud.

HINOJOSA: Now, Doris, you will continue to do this? Your family members, one of your sons says you shouldn't be out here? But you...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, I'm going to do it. This is what I need to do.

HINOJOSA: What do you say to your son who says, ma, you shouldn't be out here?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It will be fine. We have to do this.

HINOJOSA: Thank you both very much.

You get a sense right there of some of the discussions that are happening even amongst family members. Now you have some of the older generation taking to the street and the younger generation staying at home. It's clearly an anti-war movement that is very broad, hard to get your arms around it in the sense of trying to just what it is. But they are here out in mass in Washington, D.C. -- Renay.

SAN MIGUEL: Maria Hinojosa, live in D.C., thank you so much.

Now we move on to the other side of the demonstration, the other side of the issue here in Atlanta. It's billed as a Rally for America. Organizers say they're not necessarily pro-war, they're pro- America. David Mattingly is there. David, it started about an hour ago. What's the crowd look like right now?

DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Renay, this rally in full swing right now here in Atlanta. Thousands of people here. We're going to give you a look at the crowd right now. I was out in that sea of red, white and blue a little bit earlier today, encountered a lot of people who are former military or family members of people who have served in the armed forces. A lot of flag waving and cheering going on for support of U.S. troops, and something we've heard a lot here in this crowd, among the thousands in attendance, that they were motivated in part by all the attention that the anti- war rallies have received in recent months. Thousands again turning out today to make their own opinions known.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How sweet is this? How sweet is this? You can hear us reverberating off the buildings! We are sounding ourselves everywhere!

(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let them try to ignore us now!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MATTINGLY: These events being promoted in cities across the country by AM talk radio stations. The organizers of this event here in Atlanta clearly very happy with the turnout, a very enthusiastic crowd, lots of red, white and blue here today -- Renay.

SAN MIGUEL: David Mattingly here in Atlanta. Thanks so much for that report.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired March 15, 2003 - 14:06   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
RENAY SAN MIGUEL, CNN ANCHOR: The prospect of a U.S. attack on Iraq stirs strong emotions. Emotions on both sides of that issue are on display today. We have got a couple of reports for you. Our Maria Hinojosa is at the National Mall in Washington, where thousands of anti-war demonstrators are gathered, and David Mattingly is at a demonstration here in Atlanta, a demonstration that calls itself Support America. Maria, let's start with you. What is going on there?
MARIA HINOJOSA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: What's going on, Renay, is that the weather is fabulous. I've got to tell you, after covering demonstrations when it was below zero, this is pretty wonderful. So the crowds are growing. A large crowd right now here. They've been here since early this morning listening to any number of speakers. This group that has called this demonstration is called ANSWER. And this is probably one of the more leftist or radical groups. But they really have brought out a broad base of people who still, even if they don't agree with all of the points that are being made by the group that is calling the demonstration, they want to say something very clear, which is they don't want a war with Iraq.

So just to give you a sense of some of the people who are here. Robert Nekurvis (ph) is a Republican from Ohio, and Doris Mahar (ph) is a grammy, or a grandmother, as she likes to say, who has come down here from Albany. Now, Doris, this is your first time ever demonstrating at all. And you've done so because of what this time?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Because I think it's wrong what we're thinking about doing and we have to speak out loud and clear.

HINOJOSA: And the last -- you wanted to demonstrate against the last Gulf War but?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I had a son who was in the Navy, had asked me not to, and I had gone to an organizing meeting but then declined and didn't do it.

HINOJOSA: And what are you seeing around you? I mean, are you seeing people similar to you, or?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Lots of diversities -- age, gender, and race, ethnicity. It's just beautiful and wonderful.

HINOJOSA: And including Republicans, like Robert. Why did you decide to come out here? You're a Republican, you're dressed in a suit. What are people saying to you? UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I've noticed it's a very eclectic crowd. And I have actually found a lot of people who are in the same ideological viewpoint as me, who also believe that we shouldn't be going to war with Iraq.

HINOJOSA: In fact, when we spoke earlier you said there were a lot of closet Republicans here?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, there are in fact, quite a few, they come up to me and say, hey, glad to see another one of us here.

HINOJOSA: What do you think, as a member of the Republican Party, what's the message that you want to send to George W. Bush?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, I think first and foremost, I have always deemed the Republican Party the party of responsibility, and I don't believe our current foreign policy is the least bit responsible.

HINOJOSA: Do you think he's listening?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Unfortunately, no, but I still think people should keep their voices nice and loud.

HINOJOSA: Now, Doris, you will continue to do this? Your family members, one of your sons says you shouldn't be out here? But you...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, I'm going to do it. This is what I need to do.

HINOJOSA: What do you say to your son who says, ma, you shouldn't be out here?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It will be fine. We have to do this.

HINOJOSA: Thank you both very much.

You get a sense right there of some of the discussions that are happening even amongst family members. Now you have some of the older generation taking to the street and the younger generation staying at home. It's clearly an anti-war movement that is very broad, hard to get your arms around it in the sense of trying to just what it is. But they are here out in mass in Washington, D.C. -- Renay.

SAN MIGUEL: Maria Hinojosa, live in D.C., thank you so much.

Now we move on to the other side of the demonstration, the other side of the issue here in Atlanta. It's billed as a Rally for America. Organizers say they're not necessarily pro-war, they're pro- America. David Mattingly is there. David, it started about an hour ago. What's the crowd look like right now?

DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Renay, this rally in full swing right now here in Atlanta. Thousands of people here. We're going to give you a look at the crowd right now. I was out in that sea of red, white and blue a little bit earlier today, encountered a lot of people who are former military or family members of people who have served in the armed forces. A lot of flag waving and cheering going on for support of U.S. troops, and something we've heard a lot here in this crowd, among the thousands in attendance, that they were motivated in part by all the attention that the anti- war rallies have received in recent months. Thousands again turning out today to make their own opinions known.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How sweet is this? How sweet is this? You can hear us reverberating off the buildings! We are sounding ourselves everywhere!

(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let them try to ignore us now!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MATTINGLY: These events being promoted in cities across the country by AM talk radio stations. The organizers of this event here in Atlanta clearly very happy with the turnout, a very enthusiastic crowd, lots of red, white and blue here today -- Renay.

SAN MIGUEL: David Mattingly here in Atlanta. Thanks so much for that report.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com