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Partisan Tension Growing as Elections Near
Aired September 25, 2002 - 14:04 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.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Now to Capitol Hill, where all the talk of war against Iraq has triggered fighting words aimed at the White House. As you may have seen on "LIVE TODAY" on CNN, Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle took fierce exception to remarks attributed to President Bush concerning politics and homeland security.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. TOM DASCHLE (D-SD), MAJORITY LEADER: The president is quoted in the "Washington Post" this morning as saying that Democratic -- "the Democratic-controlled Senate 'is not interested in the security of the American people.'"
Not interested in the security of the American people? You tell Senator Inouye he's not interested in the security of the American people. You tell those who fought in Vietnam and in World War II they are not interested in the security of the American people. That is outrageous. Outrageous. The president ought to apologize.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Now, for his part, Mr. Bush says Iraq is a legitimate national security concern, and he won't stop talking about it just because midterm elections are weeks away.
CNN's John King is live from the White House with more -- John.
JOHN KING, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, here at the White House, they sense a growing sense of frustration from Democrats. White House officials saying the president has been saying what Senator Daschle referred to there for weeks because of the debate over homeland security bill.
I have the transcript of the president's remarks. What the senator just referred to came on Monday, and the president did not use the words "Democratic-controlled." Those came from the "Washington Post" writer.
What the president said was, "the House responded," meaning in the homeland security debate, "but the Senate is more interested in special interests in Washington and not interested in the security of the American people."
So the president certainly did criticize the Senate. He did not single out the Democrats. It is fair to say, of course, that the Democrats and Senator Daschle do run the Senate. The president was asked about this earlier in the day, not asked specifically about Senator Daschle's criticism, but he was asked in the Oval Office about those who say he is trying to politicize -- trying to take advantage politically of his high popularity when it comes to the war on terrorism, now the possibility of a war against Iraq.
The president said he was doing his job, and would keep on doing it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: You may try to politicize it. I view it as my main obligation, that is to protect the American people. It is the most important job this president will have, and it is the most important job future presidents will have, because the nature of war has changed. We're vulnerable, and therefore, I expect I -- the American people should expect me -- and any president, to do everything we can to protect the homeland, and I will. I will do that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Here at the White House, senior aides also saying if Senator Daschle wants to look to a speech in which somebody might be playing politics with the war on terrorism, at the White House, they would prefer Senator Daschle read the speech given earlier this week by former vice president, former Bush rival Al Gore in which Mr. Gore criticized the president's handling of the overall war on terrorism, and his current planning as it comes to Iraq.
It is clear, Kyra, the elections now a little more than five weeks away. On the most part, when it comes to the issues of fighting the war, there has been bipartisan agreement. There is certainly some partisan tension at the moment.
PHILLIPS: John King at the White House. Thanks, John.
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 September 25, 2002 - 14:04 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Now to Capitol Hill, where all the talk of war against Iraq has triggered fighting words aimed at the White House. As you may have seen on "LIVE TODAY" on CNN, Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle took fierce exception to remarks attributed to President Bush concerning politics and homeland security.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. TOM DASCHLE (D-SD), MAJORITY LEADER: The president is quoted in the "Washington Post" this morning as saying that Democratic -- "the Democratic-controlled Senate 'is not interested in the security of the American people.'"
Not interested in the security of the American people? You tell Senator Inouye he's not interested in the security of the American people. You tell those who fought in Vietnam and in World War II they are not interested in the security of the American people. That is outrageous. Outrageous. The president ought to apologize.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Now, for his part, Mr. Bush says Iraq is a legitimate national security concern, and he won't stop talking about it just because midterm elections are weeks away.
CNN's John King is live from the White House with more -- John.
JOHN KING, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, here at the White House, they sense a growing sense of frustration from Democrats. White House officials saying the president has been saying what Senator Daschle referred to there for weeks because of the debate over homeland security bill.
I have the transcript of the president's remarks. What the senator just referred to came on Monday, and the president did not use the words "Democratic-controlled." Those came from the "Washington Post" writer.
What the president said was, "the House responded," meaning in the homeland security debate, "but the Senate is more interested in special interests in Washington and not interested in the security of the American people."
So the president certainly did criticize the Senate. He did not single out the Democrats. It is fair to say, of course, that the Democrats and Senator Daschle do run the Senate. The president was asked about this earlier in the day, not asked specifically about Senator Daschle's criticism, but he was asked in the Oval Office about those who say he is trying to politicize -- trying to take advantage politically of his high popularity when it comes to the war on terrorism, now the possibility of a war against Iraq.
The president said he was doing his job, and would keep on doing it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: You may try to politicize it. I view it as my main obligation, that is to protect the American people. It is the most important job this president will have, and it is the most important job future presidents will have, because the nature of war has changed. We're vulnerable, and therefore, I expect I -- the American people should expect me -- and any president, to do everything we can to protect the homeland, and I will. I will do that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Here at the White House, senior aides also saying if Senator Daschle wants to look to a speech in which somebody might be playing politics with the war on terrorism, at the White House, they would prefer Senator Daschle read the speech given earlier this week by former vice president, former Bush rival Al Gore in which Mr. Gore criticized the president's handling of the overall war on terrorism, and his current planning as it comes to Iraq.
It is clear, Kyra, the elections now a little more than five weeks away. On the most part, when it comes to the issues of fighting the war, there has been bipartisan agreement. There is certainly some partisan tension at the moment.
PHILLIPS: John King at the White House. Thanks, John.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
