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CNN Live Saturday
Australian Prime Minister Gets Red-Carpet Treatment From Bush
Aired May 03, 2003 - 12:14 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: A Washington ally is getting red carpet treatment this weekend at the president's ranch in Texas. Australian Prime Minister John Howard joins the Bushes for one of the working retreats there.
CNN's Chris Burns is also there covering the visit. And what is the focus there of their meeting, Chris?
CHRIS BURNS, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fredricka, definitely Iraq. The president doesn't host many heads of state over here at his Crawford, Texas, ranch. But he did take the time to throw a couple more beef tenderloin on the barbie for the prime minister of Australia and his wife.
They also flew on Air Force One to get here from northern California together.
The president's having more conversations today with Prime Minister Howard. They're supposed to have some kind of a press availability, a few questions with reporters in this hour. We should have that tape for you later. It's being taped right now, or in the next half hour or so.
They will be discussing, not only the contribution of the Australians, thanking the Australians for that, but also talking about what happens after now in the reconstruction, in deploying some kind of a stabilization force.
The president, in his radio message today, released just a couple hours ago, talking about the Australian contribution to this effort.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: All told, about 2,000 Australian service members contributed to the destruction of Saddam Hussein's regime and the liberation of the Iraqi people. All Australians can be proud of the performance of Australia's air, naval, and special forces in Operation Iraqi Freedom. America is deeply grateful for their important contributions.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
BURNS: Now, the Democrats' response in their radio address, they trotted out Jim Jeffords, who is a former Republican, now an independent, criticizing the president's tax plan as being excessive and not really creating jobs. (BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
SEN. JIM JEFFORDS (I), VERMONT: President Bush has said his plan is a, quote, "jobs growth package," end of quote. But the only thing guaranteed to grow is the federal budget deficit, something Republicans used to care about and I still do.
We will be paying for these tax cuts with borrowed funds, money borrowed from our children and grandchildren, who will be forced to foot the bill. And these deficits will explode, just as the Baby Boom generation begins to retire. Further endangering the health of social security and Medicare, both of which are so critically important to our seniors.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
BURNS: President Bush goes on to Arkansas on Monday to talk with small business owners, to push that tax plan. That is the same day he was supposed to go to Canada to meet with Jean Chretien, the prime minister over there, but Chretien not having supported the war in Iraq, the president snubbed him -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right, Chris Burns from Texas, 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 May 3, 2003 - 12:14 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: A Washington ally is getting red carpet treatment this weekend at the president's ranch in Texas. Australian Prime Minister John Howard joins the Bushes for one of the working retreats there.
CNN's Chris Burns is also there covering the visit. And what is the focus there of their meeting, Chris?
CHRIS BURNS, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fredricka, definitely Iraq. The president doesn't host many heads of state over here at his Crawford, Texas, ranch. But he did take the time to throw a couple more beef tenderloin on the barbie for the prime minister of Australia and his wife.
They also flew on Air Force One to get here from northern California together.
The president's having more conversations today with Prime Minister Howard. They're supposed to have some kind of a press availability, a few questions with reporters in this hour. We should have that tape for you later. It's being taped right now, or in the next half hour or so.
They will be discussing, not only the contribution of the Australians, thanking the Australians for that, but also talking about what happens after now in the reconstruction, in deploying some kind of a stabilization force.
The president, in his radio message today, released just a couple hours ago, talking about the Australian contribution to this effort.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: All told, about 2,000 Australian service members contributed to the destruction of Saddam Hussein's regime and the liberation of the Iraqi people. All Australians can be proud of the performance of Australia's air, naval, and special forces in Operation Iraqi Freedom. America is deeply grateful for their important contributions.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
BURNS: Now, the Democrats' response in their radio address, they trotted out Jim Jeffords, who is a former Republican, now an independent, criticizing the president's tax plan as being excessive and not really creating jobs. (BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
SEN. JIM JEFFORDS (I), VERMONT: President Bush has said his plan is a, quote, "jobs growth package," end of quote. But the only thing guaranteed to grow is the federal budget deficit, something Republicans used to care about and I still do.
We will be paying for these tax cuts with borrowed funds, money borrowed from our children and grandchildren, who will be forced to foot the bill. And these deficits will explode, just as the Baby Boom generation begins to retire. Further endangering the health of social security and Medicare, both of which are so critically important to our seniors.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
BURNS: President Bush goes on to Arkansas on Monday to talk with small business owners, to push that tax plan. That is the same day he was supposed to go to Canada to meet with Jean Chretien, the prime minister over there, but Chretien not having supported the war in Iraq, the president snubbed him -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right, Chris Burns from Texas, 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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