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CNN Live Saturday
Bush at Ranch After Major Fund-Raising Trip
Aired June 28, 2003 - 16:10 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: The president is spending tonight at his ranch in Crawford, Texas. White House correspondent Dana Bash is traveling with the president, and she joins us live. Dana, they've had a pretty busy past few days, campaigning and getting some extra campaign funds money. How has he been spending this weekend so far?
DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: So far he has been at his ranch not too far from here in Crawford, but you're right, he certainly had a very busy day yesterday. In fact, he didn't even get to Crawford until really early this morning. Yesterday he was in California. He headlined two fund-raisers there, first in San Francisco, then Los Angeles. The campaign raked in about $5 million. That is a record so far for the president, who is on a marathon fund- raising tour across the country.
And both stops -- he gave what has become his standard stump speech at these events. He listed a number of self-described accomplishments, but he also mentioned one issue, Medicare prescription drug benefits for Medicare, as something that he wants to add to that list of accomplishments.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We have a duty to keep our commitment to America's seniors by strengthening and modernizing Medicare. Last night, the Congress took historic action to improve the lives of older Americans.
For the first time since the creation of Medicare, the House and Senate passed reforms to increase choices for our seniors and to provide coverage of prescription drugs. The next step is for both houses to come together, iron out the final details, and get a bill to my desk.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BASH: Now, you heard President Bush talking about the fact that both houses of Congress did pass the bills last week. President Bush is not saying which one he endorses. In fact, he is simply saying that he wants both the House and Senate to find compromise, as you heard, because he wants to sign something, and aides say that the White House will be deeply involved in making sure that compromise happens, both with the senior advisers getting involved in the nitty- gritty, and President Bush making some calls and also twisting some arms, if he is needed, they say. Now, some Democrats have been reluctant to vote for any kind of Medicare prescription drug benefit that President Bush supported, simply because they realized that President Bush would list this on his accomplishment sheet, but in the end, a couple of heavyweight Democrats did get involved and pushed this through, including Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right. Dana Bash from Crawford, thanks very much.
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 June 28, 2003 - 16:10 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: The president is spending tonight at his ranch in Crawford, Texas. White House correspondent Dana Bash is traveling with the president, and she joins us live. Dana, they've had a pretty busy past few days, campaigning and getting some extra campaign funds money. How has he been spending this weekend so far?
DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: So far he has been at his ranch not too far from here in Crawford, but you're right, he certainly had a very busy day yesterday. In fact, he didn't even get to Crawford until really early this morning. Yesterday he was in California. He headlined two fund-raisers there, first in San Francisco, then Los Angeles. The campaign raked in about $5 million. That is a record so far for the president, who is on a marathon fund- raising tour across the country.
And both stops -- he gave what has become his standard stump speech at these events. He listed a number of self-described accomplishments, but he also mentioned one issue, Medicare prescription drug benefits for Medicare, as something that he wants to add to that list of accomplishments.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We have a duty to keep our commitment to America's seniors by strengthening and modernizing Medicare. Last night, the Congress took historic action to improve the lives of older Americans.
For the first time since the creation of Medicare, the House and Senate passed reforms to increase choices for our seniors and to provide coverage of prescription drugs. The next step is for both houses to come together, iron out the final details, and get a bill to my desk.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BASH: Now, you heard President Bush talking about the fact that both houses of Congress did pass the bills last week. President Bush is not saying which one he endorses. In fact, he is simply saying that he wants both the House and Senate to find compromise, as you heard, because he wants to sign something, and aides say that the White House will be deeply involved in making sure that compromise happens, both with the senior advisers getting involved in the nitty- gritty, and President Bush making some calls and also twisting some arms, if he is needed, they say. Now, some Democrats have been reluctant to vote for any kind of Medicare prescription drug benefit that President Bush supported, simply because they realized that President Bush would list this on his accomplishment sheet, but in the end, a couple of heavyweight Democrats did get involved and pushed this through, including Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right. Dana Bash from Crawford, thanks very much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
