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CNN Live At Daybreak

Homeland Security: Governors of Florida, Oklahoma Discuss Security Against Anthrax

Aired October 29, 2001 - 08:24   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.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: The anthrax attacks will be one of several subjects on the agenda when a House subcommittee meets in New York this morning. The Subcommittee on Terrorism and Homeland Security opens hearings at New York City Hall, among those testifying: Florida's Gov. Jeb Bush and Oklahoma Gov. Frank Keating. Both of them are with us this morning.

Thank you, gentlemen, for being with us -- good morning.

GOV. JEB BUSH, FLORIDA: Hey, Paula. Governor Keating's earplug hadn't been put on, so I'll translate for him.

ZAHN: I'm going to need a lot of help this morning, Gov. Bush. Let's start with you, then, first -- Florida, a bigger state, we'll start with you.

In light of the AMI anthrax investigations, what kind of changes have you made in the postal system in Florida?

BUSH: The postal system is the responsibility of the federal government, so we're coordinating our activities, our Department of Health, with the CDC. I would hope that there is now a single protocol for all post offices in the country, just as there is in our state. When people see mail come into their offices, we've made it clear that there is a certain way to deal with all of this mail.

We're doing a lot of testing. We're focusing on protection of our citizens, and I think we're getting through this. It's a difficult time, and it's a new threat.

ZAHN: You've also made some changes in the way people can access the Internet from libraries because two of the alleged hijackers apparently were able to get information quite freely off of the Internet. Describe to us what kind of changes have been made at that level.

BUSH: Just common sense to make sure that when people are accessing the Internet, we know who they are in our libraries. If people are going to access public services, we're going to try our best now to make sure that we know who they are, so that if, in fact, there is a need for an investigation later on, we know who those folks are.

ZAHN: Gov. Keating, are you with us now?

BUSH: He's not...

ZAHN: Do we need Gov. Bush as a translator still or not?

BUSH: I'll translate. I'll translate.

ZAHN: All right. Why don't you ask him what his message will be today when he testifies at this House subcommittee meeting?

BUSH: Governor, what's your message going to be at the committee meeting?

GOV. FRANK KEATING, OKLAHOMA: I want to say thank you, Governor, for translating for me. My wife says I never listen, and now that proves it, I know how to listen.

The message, really, is what Gov. Bush has been saying. First responders, the people who make this all happen, our state and local people, they need to have the intelligence from the federal government, and they need to have the training in order to respond intelligently. The second responders are the federal government, as well; FEMA, in effect, consists of local police departments, fire departments, and the like.

So we need training, we need information, and obviously, we need the patience of the American people to get this organized quickly.

ZAHN: Gov. Bush, I'm going to read something to you that was in "The New York Times," and then I want Gov. Keating to pick up on this. And it's sort of a challenge you all have in providing the American public enough information, but not creating panic. And the paper wrote, "Again and again in recent weeks, administration officials try to reassure the public. Again and again, the situation proved more serious than officials had suggested. As a result, public trust has evaporated."

Now, what is that fine line that you have to walk in informing the public and keeping their trust, and at the same time, not causing undue panic?

BUSH: Personally, I can tell you that this is perhaps the greatest challenge as a leader in my state for me, and I'll make sure the Governor understands the question in a second. But it's a real challenge to be able to say that there is the need. We're asking people to restore some sense of normalcy in their lives, but do so with a heightened sense of security. And part of the answer, I think, is that when we give out information, it should be accurate, and we shouldn't rush to give out information until we know for a fact that the information is accurate.

Our experience in the anthrax issue in Boca Raton, I think made, that clear, that we need to speak with one voice, and we don't need to be out talking about stuff until we know for a fact that it's been confirmed. And so, to me, it's the biggest challenge, that we have to make sure that we don't overreact to issues, and we don't give people a sense of complacency about this, either.

Go ahead.

KEATING: Well, now that's why it's very important that the federal government, those people who can vacuum up intelligence, provide accurate intelligence to state and local officials, provide the training and accurate intelligence as to what to prepare against -- is it anthrax, is it smallpox, is it bubonic plague -- so that we can be trained and reassure the public below. The information people receive will largely be from state and local authorities -- doctors, nurses, ambulance drivers -- all those who are locally trained people. We need to have high levels of professionalism below, so that we can give assurance to the people, if anything awful happens, they will be taken care of.

BUSH: Paula, one thing that I think has been very helpful is the emergence of Tom Ridge, one of our fellow governors, in this whole effort. It will help Washington to speak with one voice, to have someone of his caliber leading the charge as the director of Homeland Security.

ZAHN: Governors, thanks for your time. Thanks for your patience.

Gov. Bush, tell Gov. Keating not to take this personally, because he knows that more than half of my family lives in Oklahoma, and they're going to be very upset...

KEATING: I can't hear.

(CROSSTALK)

ZAHN: ... that he couldn't hear today.

BUSH: Well, I'll tell him.

ZAHN: Hey, and Gov. Bush, just remember, you've got life after politics someday. You make a great interpreter for us here.

BUSH: I will. I could have done it in Spanish, too, Paula.

ZAHN: OK.

BUSH: Take care.

ZAHN: Thank you, gentlemen. Good luck at the meetings later today.

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