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President Bush Visits Camp Lejeune

Aired April 03, 2003 - 15:22   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.


JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: President Bush has returned to Washington after a midday visit to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Mr. Bush arrived back at the White House just a short time ago.
And for more on the trip, let's turn to CNN White House correspondent Dana Bash.

Dana -- at least part of this trip had to have been very difficult for President and Mrs. Bush.

DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: There is no question about it, and we are getting some information about part of that trip.

But, Judy, you know, there was a lot of jubilation here at the White House after they found out that Army Private Jessica Lynch had been rescued. And the president used today's trip to talk to Marines, to thank the Marines that helped in that rescue.

But there are six Marines from Camp Lejeune, where the president visited today, still missing, and about a dozen who have been killed during this war. And the commander-in-chief met privately, with Mrs. Bush, with about 20 family members of those lost Marines. They met in the chapel annex there, and it's the first time the president, since this war began two weeks ago, has met with family members of those who have been lost.

And a senior administration official says it was a very emotional meeting. The president was teary, especially when talking to the children who were there. He apparently met with some small children who had lost their fathers, and he said -- quote -- "He's in heaven, and God bless you all."

The president also talked about the fact that when he talked to about 12,000 people you see there at Marine base he talked about the fact that everybody lost in this battle will be remembered.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: No one who falls will be forgotten by this grateful nation. We honor their service to America, and we pray their families will receive God's comfort and God's grace.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASH: Now, the president also ate lunch, as he tends to do when he visits these bases, ate lunch in the mess with the troops. And while he was there, he gave an upbeat assessment of the war, which, as I said, is a little bit more than two weeks old.

And according to his aides, he is keeping very close tabs on the progress on the battlefield. He's getting constant briefings from the men in charge of this, Tommy Franks, who of course is in Doha Qatar. He is talking to him regularly by secure videophone about the imminent push towards Baghdad. And when he spoke to the crowd there he told them that the vise is closing on Saddam Hussein.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BUSH: Having traveled hundreds of miles, we will now go the last 200 yards. The course is set. We're on the advance. Our destination is Baghdad, and we will accept nothing less than complete and final victory.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASH: And, Judy, the president made clear in a direct message to the Iraqi people that unlike 12 years ago when the U.S. was at war with Iraq and left Saddam Hussein in power, this time they won't leave until Saddam Hussein is gone -- Judy.

WOODRUFF: All right, Dana Bash reporting from the White House on the president's trip.

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 April 3, 2003 - 15:22   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: President Bush has returned to Washington after a midday visit to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Mr. Bush arrived back at the White House just a short time ago.
And for more on the trip, let's turn to CNN White House correspondent Dana Bash.

Dana -- at least part of this trip had to have been very difficult for President and Mrs. Bush.

DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: There is no question about it, and we are getting some information about part of that trip.

But, Judy, you know, there was a lot of jubilation here at the White House after they found out that Army Private Jessica Lynch had been rescued. And the president used today's trip to talk to Marines, to thank the Marines that helped in that rescue.

But there are six Marines from Camp Lejeune, where the president visited today, still missing, and about a dozen who have been killed during this war. And the commander-in-chief met privately, with Mrs. Bush, with about 20 family members of those lost Marines. They met in the chapel annex there, and it's the first time the president, since this war began two weeks ago, has met with family members of those who have been lost.

And a senior administration official says it was a very emotional meeting. The president was teary, especially when talking to the children who were there. He apparently met with some small children who had lost their fathers, and he said -- quote -- "He's in heaven, and God bless you all."

The president also talked about the fact that when he talked to about 12,000 people you see there at Marine base he talked about the fact that everybody lost in this battle will be remembered.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: No one who falls will be forgotten by this grateful nation. We honor their service to America, and we pray their families will receive God's comfort and God's grace.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASH: Now, the president also ate lunch, as he tends to do when he visits these bases, ate lunch in the mess with the troops. And while he was there, he gave an upbeat assessment of the war, which, as I said, is a little bit more than two weeks old.

And according to his aides, he is keeping very close tabs on the progress on the battlefield. He's getting constant briefings from the men in charge of this, Tommy Franks, who of course is in Doha Qatar. He is talking to him regularly by secure videophone about the imminent push towards Baghdad. And when he spoke to the crowd there he told them that the vise is closing on Saddam Hussein.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BUSH: Having traveled hundreds of miles, we will now go the last 200 yards. The course is set. We're on the advance. Our destination is Baghdad, and we will accept nothing less than complete and final victory.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASH: And, Judy, the president made clear in a direct message to the Iraqi people that unlike 12 years ago when the U.S. was at war with Iraq and left Saddam Hussein in power, this time they won't leave until Saddam Hussein is gone -- Judy.

WOODRUFF: All right, Dana Bash reporting from the White House on the president's trip.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.