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Bush to Lay Out Case in State of the Union

Aired January 22, 2003 - 14:10   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.


KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: President Bush, on the other hand, continues to press his case. In fact, it overshadows much of what he does lately. Today, for instance, he visited St. Louis, where he was to focus on a big tax cut.
CNN White House Correspondent Suzanne Malveaux is traveling with him -- Suzanne.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, it's really a one-two punch here for the Bush administration. The president trying to sell his $674 billion economic stimulus package, including tax cuts. At the same time trying to sell his case against Saddam Hussein.

The White House acknowledging that they have yet to make a convincing case for the American people as well as U.S. allies, that they need to win that support, if, in fact, the United States decides to use military action. The strategy, to emphasize that Saddam Hussein has not cooperated, has not complied with the U.N. Security Council resolution to disarm, that there are no signs that he will, that international pressure is not working, and that Saddam Hussein cannot be contained.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The dictator of Iraq has got weapons of mass destruction. He has used weapons of mass destruction. He can't stand America and what we stand for. He can't stand our friends and allies. He's a dangerous, dangerous man with dangerous, dangerous weapons, and that's why the world came together at the United Nations Security Council and said, Mr. Saddam Hussein must disarm.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: Now, Kyra, the Bush administration is really engaged in a very intensive public relations blitz here. Privately, there is intense diplomacy that is taking place with members of the U.N. Security Council. Publicly what you are seeing is the president speaking out, other officials as well. The formation of this Office of Global Communications just yesterday, a report being put out about Saddam Hussein's deceptions, his lies, and also expect critical dates here. January 27, when those U.N. weapons inspectors will go ahead and release their findings to the U.N. Security Council, and President Bush on a State of the Union address, that is when, we are told, he will lay out his case against Saddam Hussein. He is not, we are told, going to give an ultimatum or a declaration of war, but rather in very specific terms explain why it is and how it is that Saddam Hussein has failed to comply with this U.N. Security Council resolution -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right. Suzanne, and what is the deal with these new polling numbers that are out?

MALVEAUX: What we have -- the latest numbers showing here, this is a "Washington Post" ABC News poll, and this shows that seven out of 10 Americans would actually give those U.N. weapons inspectors more time to complete their job. Months even, before they were to come to any kind of conclusion whether or not it would be military action if necessary.

The Bush administration, Ari Fleischer today, responding to those poll numbers saying, and I'm quoting here -- "those pollsters have ask every type of follow up question they want, but the basic fundamentals are unchanged, and that is that the strong majority of American people are willing to support military action if it comes down to that."

The president will make his case, we are told, if he decides to take that course. He'll bring it before the American people in the weeks to come -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Suzanne Malveaux, 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






Aired January 22, 2003 - 14:10   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: President Bush, on the other hand, continues to press his case. In fact, it overshadows much of what he does lately. Today, for instance, he visited St. Louis, where he was to focus on a big tax cut.
CNN White House Correspondent Suzanne Malveaux is traveling with him -- Suzanne.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, it's really a one-two punch here for the Bush administration. The president trying to sell his $674 billion economic stimulus package, including tax cuts. At the same time trying to sell his case against Saddam Hussein.

The White House acknowledging that they have yet to make a convincing case for the American people as well as U.S. allies, that they need to win that support, if, in fact, the United States decides to use military action. The strategy, to emphasize that Saddam Hussein has not cooperated, has not complied with the U.N. Security Council resolution to disarm, that there are no signs that he will, that international pressure is not working, and that Saddam Hussein cannot be contained.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The dictator of Iraq has got weapons of mass destruction. He has used weapons of mass destruction. He can't stand America and what we stand for. He can't stand our friends and allies. He's a dangerous, dangerous man with dangerous, dangerous weapons, and that's why the world came together at the United Nations Security Council and said, Mr. Saddam Hussein must disarm.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: Now, Kyra, the Bush administration is really engaged in a very intensive public relations blitz here. Privately, there is intense diplomacy that is taking place with members of the U.N. Security Council. Publicly what you are seeing is the president speaking out, other officials as well. The formation of this Office of Global Communications just yesterday, a report being put out about Saddam Hussein's deceptions, his lies, and also expect critical dates here. January 27, when those U.N. weapons inspectors will go ahead and release their findings to the U.N. Security Council, and President Bush on a State of the Union address, that is when, we are told, he will lay out his case against Saddam Hussein. He is not, we are told, going to give an ultimatum or a declaration of war, but rather in very specific terms explain why it is and how it is that Saddam Hussein has failed to comply with this U.N. Security Council resolution -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right. Suzanne, and what is the deal with these new polling numbers that are out?

MALVEAUX: What we have -- the latest numbers showing here, this is a "Washington Post" ABC News poll, and this shows that seven out of 10 Americans would actually give those U.N. weapons inspectors more time to complete their job. Months even, before they were to come to any kind of conclusion whether or not it would be military action if necessary.

The Bush administration, Ari Fleischer today, responding to those poll numbers saying, and I'm quoting here -- "those pollsters have ask every type of follow up question they want, but the basic fundamentals are unchanged, and that is that the strong majority of American people are willing to support military action if it comes down to that."

The president will make his case, we are told, if he decides to take that course. He'll bring it before the American people in the weeks to come -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Suzanne Malveaux, 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