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CNN Live Saturday
President Bush Returns To The White House Today
Aired August 30, 2003 - 16:04 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.
FREDERICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Along with Iraq and terrorism, the economy promises to be a hot issue for President Bush and Congress after Labor Day. CNN's Kathleen Koch joins us now from Washington with the president now back in the nation's capital just about an hour now -- Kathleen.
KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And he just barely missed a serious rainstorm we had here in Washington. Well, Fredericka, as the president arrives back here at the White House, he arrives to find an economy -- one struggling economy that is beginning to show signs of recovery.
Consumer spending taking its largest jump in four months. The president took a certain degree of credit for that this morning in the Saturday morning radio address. He pointed to the $400 child tax credit checks that many Americans got last month and other policies he says have benefited families and workers.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The Jobs and Growth Act I signed in May insures that workers enjoy more of the benefits of their work through more take home pay. Tax relief was based on the conviction that workers entitled to keep more of their hard earned wages. That belief, after all, is why America celebrates Labor Day and not tax day.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
KOCH: Of course, Democrats in their radio response blamed President Bush for presiding over the largest job loss since President Herbert Hoover. Congressman Sherrod Brown of Ohio said the Bush policies led to the loss of some 3.2 million private sector jobs since 2001.
Jobs a the economy will be the subject next week when President Bush makes a swing through three midwest states that have been hit hard by the economic downturn -- Fredericka.
WHITFIELD: Kathleen, I know the president wants to focus on jobs and the economy this week, but no doubt, he's going to be asked an awful lot of questions about the war on terrorism, specifically what's going on in Iraq. As he made the way to the White House, any comment from him yet on that in Najaf?
KOCH: The president released a statement on the deadly bombing in Najaf, basically calling it quote a vicious act of terrorism. The president said the targeting of innocent men and women who were gathered in a place of prayer quote demonstrates the cruelty and desperation of the enemies of the Iraqi people.
President Bush also offered his condolences to the families of the all the victims and promised U.S. help in finding those who are responsible. To that end, it is expected that FBI investigators will be helping Iraqi police sift through the rubble of the mosque to try to piece together what clues they can -- Fredericka.
WHITFIELD: All right. Kathleen Koch, thank you for that report from the White House.
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 August 30, 2003 - 16:04 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDERICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Along with Iraq and terrorism, the economy promises to be a hot issue for President Bush and Congress after Labor Day. CNN's Kathleen Koch joins us now from Washington with the president now back in the nation's capital just about an hour now -- Kathleen.
KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And he just barely missed a serious rainstorm we had here in Washington. Well, Fredericka, as the president arrives back here at the White House, he arrives to find an economy -- one struggling economy that is beginning to show signs of recovery.
Consumer spending taking its largest jump in four months. The president took a certain degree of credit for that this morning in the Saturday morning radio address. He pointed to the $400 child tax credit checks that many Americans got last month and other policies he says have benefited families and workers.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The Jobs and Growth Act I signed in May insures that workers enjoy more of the benefits of their work through more take home pay. Tax relief was based on the conviction that workers entitled to keep more of their hard earned wages. That belief, after all, is why America celebrates Labor Day and not tax day.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
KOCH: Of course, Democrats in their radio response blamed President Bush for presiding over the largest job loss since President Herbert Hoover. Congressman Sherrod Brown of Ohio said the Bush policies led to the loss of some 3.2 million private sector jobs since 2001.
Jobs a the economy will be the subject next week when President Bush makes a swing through three midwest states that have been hit hard by the economic downturn -- Fredericka.
WHITFIELD: Kathleen, I know the president wants to focus on jobs and the economy this week, but no doubt, he's going to be asked an awful lot of questions about the war on terrorism, specifically what's going on in Iraq. As he made the way to the White House, any comment from him yet on that in Najaf?
KOCH: The president released a statement on the deadly bombing in Najaf, basically calling it quote a vicious act of terrorism. The president said the targeting of innocent men and women who were gathered in a place of prayer quote demonstrates the cruelty and desperation of the enemies of the Iraqi people.
President Bush also offered his condolences to the families of the all the victims and promised U.S. help in finding those who are responsible. To that end, it is expected that FBI investigators will be helping Iraqi police sift through the rubble of the mosque to try to piece together what clues they can -- Fredericka.
WHITFIELD: All right. Kathleen Koch, thank you for that report from the White House.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
