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Interview With Senator Bob Graham

Aired July 25, 2003 - 15:07   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: Turning now back in this country to the congressional report on the 9/11 terrorist attacks, it seems to be raising as many questions as it answers. One day after the report was released, several of those questions are under the spotlight.
Earlier today, I discussed some of them with Democratic Senator Bob Graham, the co-chairman of the joint panel that issued the report. I began by asking if he is surprised that some heads didn't roll, given the fact that the report assails the FBI and CIA for lapses and missed opportunities.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SEN. BOB GRAHAM (D-FL), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Yes, I am.

And we have a very strong recommendation about accountability, that there should be a thorough review at the executive and the congressional level as to the standards to which people will be held accountable and the process of both rewarding those who perform exceptionally and sanctioning those who fell below the standard of behavior.

WOODRUFF: Senator, I want to ask you about the fact that the Bush administration is refusing to make public a chunk of this report, including that relating to Saudi Arabia's support for the hijackers. Is this something that you think should be made public?

GRAHAM: First, Judy, I cannot confirm the name of the country. That itself has been classified. So I'll just refer to it as a foreign government.

The answer is, this is excessive and disserves the American people, to have so much of this report censored, so that they will not know its contents. I believe that, in a free society, the strong presumption should be that everything the government knows should be known by the citizens, who are the basis of that government. This also is going to reduce the momentum to make the reforms that we call for. If people don't have access to some of the most significant parts of the report...

WOODRUFF: Right.

GRAHAM: ... then there's going to be less motivation to overcome the normal status quo that will be required to strengthen our intelligence community.

WOODRUFF: Let me ask you about a new report by "Newsweek." And that is that the FBI missed a key opportunity to get information on this plot when it didn't keep tabs on a particular Saudi agent, a man named Omar Al-Bayoumi, who was an associate of the 9/11 hijackers. Did the FBI really fall down on the job in this regard?

GRAHAM: I would not refer to Bayoumi as being an associate.

Elsewhere in the report, not in the censored provisions, there is a description of Bayoumi. And he is referred to as a Saudi agent. He was -- I think there's a lot of evidence that -- providing specific assistance to some of the hijackers, financing, logistical, helping them rent an apartment, paid the first couple of months cost of that apartment, and introduced them to a network of people in San Diego who subsequently helped them essentially fade into the population and avoid discovery.

WOODRUFF: But the point is, the FBI did not pick up on that.

Finally, Senator, I want to ask you about the...

GRAHAM: In the FBI's defense, they weren't really focused on these two Saudi citizens who ended up being part of the hijacker group, because the CIA...

WOODRUFF: Right.

GRAHAM: ... which had encountered these people several weeks earlier in Malaysia and knew that they had attended a summit of terrorists hadn't relayed that information to the FBI or the Immigration Service or other federal agencies that might have done something with that information.

WOODRUFF: Senator, finally, a question about the '04 presidential race.

You've been consistently talking about these issues, intelligence failures. You've been talking about weapons of mass destruction. That's really been at the center of your campaign. And yet, so far, that has not translated into a lot more money coming into your coffers or much higher standing in the public opinion polls. If that hasn't worked by now, do you think it's time to reconsider your candidacy?

GRAHAM: Judy, we only announced about 100 days ago. And we've made significant progress in that 100-day period.

We intend to have a campaign that touches on many issues. In fact, just recently, we have announced a major economic plan for America, a plan to balance the budget while investing in America's future. And I'm pleased to say that the distinguished journalist Al Hunt referred positively to that plan in his -- yesterday's column.

WOODRUFF: All right, Senator Graham, thank you.

So, in other words, you're staying in the race?

GRAHAM: We are in until January 20 of 2013, when we complete our second term in the White House. (END VIDEOTAPE)

WOODRUFF: All right, a very confident Bob Graham talking to us just a short time ago.

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 July 25, 2003 - 15:07   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: Turning now back in this country to the congressional report on the 9/11 terrorist attacks, it seems to be raising as many questions as it answers. One day after the report was released, several of those questions are under the spotlight.
Earlier today, I discussed some of them with Democratic Senator Bob Graham, the co-chairman of the joint panel that issued the report. I began by asking if he is surprised that some heads didn't roll, given the fact that the report assails the FBI and CIA for lapses and missed opportunities.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SEN. BOB GRAHAM (D-FL), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Yes, I am.

And we have a very strong recommendation about accountability, that there should be a thorough review at the executive and the congressional level as to the standards to which people will be held accountable and the process of both rewarding those who perform exceptionally and sanctioning those who fell below the standard of behavior.

WOODRUFF: Senator, I want to ask you about the fact that the Bush administration is refusing to make public a chunk of this report, including that relating to Saudi Arabia's support for the hijackers. Is this something that you think should be made public?

GRAHAM: First, Judy, I cannot confirm the name of the country. That itself has been classified. So I'll just refer to it as a foreign government.

The answer is, this is excessive and disserves the American people, to have so much of this report censored, so that they will not know its contents. I believe that, in a free society, the strong presumption should be that everything the government knows should be known by the citizens, who are the basis of that government. This also is going to reduce the momentum to make the reforms that we call for. If people don't have access to some of the most significant parts of the report...

WOODRUFF: Right.

GRAHAM: ... then there's going to be less motivation to overcome the normal status quo that will be required to strengthen our intelligence community.

WOODRUFF: Let me ask you about a new report by "Newsweek." And that is that the FBI missed a key opportunity to get information on this plot when it didn't keep tabs on a particular Saudi agent, a man named Omar Al-Bayoumi, who was an associate of the 9/11 hijackers. Did the FBI really fall down on the job in this regard?

GRAHAM: I would not refer to Bayoumi as being an associate.

Elsewhere in the report, not in the censored provisions, there is a description of Bayoumi. And he is referred to as a Saudi agent. He was -- I think there's a lot of evidence that -- providing specific assistance to some of the hijackers, financing, logistical, helping them rent an apartment, paid the first couple of months cost of that apartment, and introduced them to a network of people in San Diego who subsequently helped them essentially fade into the population and avoid discovery.

WOODRUFF: But the point is, the FBI did not pick up on that.

Finally, Senator, I want to ask you about the...

GRAHAM: In the FBI's defense, they weren't really focused on these two Saudi citizens who ended up being part of the hijacker group, because the CIA...

WOODRUFF: Right.

GRAHAM: ... which had encountered these people several weeks earlier in Malaysia and knew that they had attended a summit of terrorists hadn't relayed that information to the FBI or the Immigration Service or other federal agencies that might have done something with that information.

WOODRUFF: Senator, finally, a question about the '04 presidential race.

You've been consistently talking about these issues, intelligence failures. You've been talking about weapons of mass destruction. That's really been at the center of your campaign. And yet, so far, that has not translated into a lot more money coming into your coffers or much higher standing in the public opinion polls. If that hasn't worked by now, do you think it's time to reconsider your candidacy?

GRAHAM: Judy, we only announced about 100 days ago. And we've made significant progress in that 100-day period.

We intend to have a campaign that touches on many issues. In fact, just recently, we have announced a major economic plan for America, a plan to balance the budget while investing in America's future. And I'm pleased to say that the distinguished journalist Al Hunt referred positively to that plan in his -- yesterday's column.

WOODRUFF: All right, Senator Graham, thank you.

So, in other words, you're staying in the race?

GRAHAM: We are in until January 20 of 2013, when we complete our second term in the White House. (END VIDEOTAPE)

WOODRUFF: All right, a very confident Bob Graham talking to us just a short time ago.

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