Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live Today
President Bush, Secretary Powell Meet on Tsunami Disaster
Aired January 10, 2005 - 10:30 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.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We're standing by. We expect some videotape that was just shot at White House a couple of minutes ago to be coming in to us. We'll be showing it to you. It is of President Bush meeting with Secretary of State Powell, also with Andrew Natsios. He is the a U.S. aid administrator. Secretary Powell is going to talk about his recent trip to Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Thailand in the wake of the tsunamis.
Let's go ahead and listen in to that tape.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Mr. Secretary, welcome back.
I want to thank Secretary Powell and Andrew Natsios and Mike Brown and Marc Grossman for taking the lead on behalf of our government and the American people in providing relief for the victims of the tsunamis. The secretary has given me an extensive briefing on what he has seen, on the unbelievable damage, particularly in Banda Aceh. He's also brought me up to date on the extraordinary efforts by the United States government and the United States people, along with governments around the world, to provide much-needed relief to those who've suffered.
We're now entering a second phase of providing for rehabilitation to these affected societies, as well as a reconstruction effort.
And as the secretary said yesterday, the government of the United States is committed to helping the people who suffer. We're committed today and we will be committed tomorrow.
The outpouring of support from the citizens of our country has been more than heartening. It has been very strong. And I want to thank those who have felt the need to contribute directly to the relief efforts. I urge them to go to the usafreedomcorps.gov Web site to make sure that their cash contributions are funneled to programs which are having the necessary effect of providing relief, eventually rehabilitation and reconstruction, to those who have suffered.
BUSH: And so, Mr. Secretary, I want to thank you.
Andrew, I'm looking forward to going over to your headquarters to thank those NGOs who have been working hard, as well as those in your agency who have worked so incredibly hard to show the compassion and decency of the American people during this time of extraordinary crisis. I'll answer a couple of questions.
QUESTION: This long-term commitment by the United States to the international community, what specifically does that mean? (Inaudible)
BUSH: It could.
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)
BUSH: Well, we'll see.
I think the important thing is to make sure that, as one person noted the other day, that the dollars are demand-driven.
In other words, the key is to provide immediate relief -- which we are doing -- and then to work with governments and the United Nations to assess the needs, the intermediate-term needs and the long- term needs, to make sure the money that is available actually achieves a coordinated objective.
And that's what we're in the process of doing.
In other words, these men went in to make sure that the money that we had put up is being applied to provide necessary relief. And now we're in the process of helping to rehabilitate and reconstruct the societies.
And the demand is beginning to focus particularly on the Banda Aceh region.
BUSH: That is the part of the world that is going to require the most intense effort by the governments around the world.
QUESTION: Sir, is there a lesson in the Palestinian elections that the Iraqi people should see?
And what is this administration going to do to build on this election in the Middle East region?
BUSH: Well, first I want to offer my congratulations to Mr. Abu Mazen. I look forward to talking with him at the appropriate time. I look forward to welcoming him here to Washington if he chooses to come here.
I look forward to helping to make sure that the conference in London, a conference all aimed at helping the Palestinians develop the institutions necessary to support Abu Mazen's vision of a peaceful, active, vibrant state to become reality.
And this is a man who's been elected by what appears to be a good-sized vote. I'm heartened by the elections.
And I'm also looking forward to the Iraqi elections on January the 30th. This is an extraordinary year, when you think about it. In the first month of a new year, there will be an election in the Palestinian territory and there will be an election in Iraq. Who could have possibly envisioned an election in Iraq at this point in history? And yet we're going to have an election.
And I'm sure there are a lot of people who are incredibly excited about the thought of having an election in Iraq inside the Iraqi territory -- except for a handful who want to stop democracy -- because they understand what election means.
And so as a democrat, as a person who believes in democracy -- a Republican democrat, I might add -- as someone who believes that everybody has a right to live in a free society and everybody wants to live in a free society, the month of January 2005 is an extraordinary month.
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)
BUSH: I think Israel did help with the elections. I know the secretary worked hard on making it clear to Israel that it was very important that voters in Jerusalem be allowed to have access to the polls.
And the initial reports we got back and the briefing that the secretary gave me today about the initial reports on the election was that there was better than good movement -- I mean, it was better than we thought a month ago -- that the Israelis did understand the need to have an election.
I think it's going to be very important for Israel to fulfill its obligation on the withdrawal from the territories that they have pledged to withdraw from.
It is essential that Israel keep a vision of two states living side by side in peace; and that, as the Palestinians begin to develop the institutions of a state, that the Israel government support the development of those institutions and recognize that it is essential that there be a viable economy, that there be a viable health care system, that people be allowed to start building a society that meets their hopes and needs.
And Israel can play and must play an important part of the development of a Palestinian state.
At the same time, it's essential that the Palestinian leadership consolidate security forces so that they can fight off those few who still have the desire to destroy Israel as a part of their philosophy and those few who fear there to be a free vote amongst the Palestinian people.
Thank you all.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAGAN: We're listening in there to President Bush, after meeting with Secretary of State Colin Powell. President Bush now saying the United States going into second phase of trying to help millions hurt by the tsunami crisis two weeks ago. Also in commenting about the election of Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian leader, he congratulated him. Also said he hopes to see him soon at the White House. That's big difference, of course, since the previous leader, Yasser Arafat, did not have that kind of invitation from President Bush.
From the current president to the former President Bill Clinton, appearing in New York City today on UNICEF relief to help with tsunami victims. Let's listen in.
(JOINED IN PROGRESS)
WILLIAM J. CLINTON, FMR. PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: ... and is having a special relief effort in his hometown of Houston.
The partnership that we announced today between UNICEF and the Clinton Foundation is really a continuation of the work we are already doing together with our foundations, HIV and AIDS initiative, which has been run by our magaziner (ph), who is also here today.
When I was asked to undertake this effort with former President Bush, I knew that a lot of money had been given, an enormous amount of supplies had been given, but I tried to determine whether there was any area of critical need where as far as we could determine the funds were insufficient to meet not only the immediate, but the medium and longer-term needs.
And our inquiries determined that in the weeks and months ahead, more resources will be needed to provide clean water and adequate sanitation, both for survival and for the prevention of disease. Diseases such as dysentery and diarrhea accompany the absence of clean water, the presence of polluted water.
KAGAN: We've been listening a bit here to former President Bill Clinton, announcing more efforts to help those who have been hit by the tsunami and the need to help in trying to keep up with public health, as he was mentioning, sanitation and clean water, the most basic needs, especially trying to help the children of the world.
Former President Clinton, also former President Bush, part of an effort called on by President Bush to help fund raise for tsunami victims around the world.
A lot going on today, as you can see. We have a lot more ahead. Stay with us. Right now, we take a quick break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(STOCK MARKET REPORT)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAGAN: Well, for some fans, there's no such thing as too much Bond. We are talking James Bond, the ultimate guy spy, who's supplied with an array of secret spy gadgets, tames women while fighting evil, and then sipping those shaken martinis. Right now, Starz is running 17 Bond movies on its On Demand and Ticket on real movie channels. And later this month, Encore is running a 72-hour marathon.
Ultimate Bond is hosted by Sir Roger Moore, who embodied the British spy in seven films, over 13 years. Joining us from Geneva, Switzerland this morning -- this afternoon for you. Hello.
SIR ROGER MOORE, HOST, "ULTIMATE BOND": Hello. Hi, Daryn, how are you?
KAGAN: I am doing great. And the idea of all-Bond, all the time sounds like a kick.
MOORE: If you like Bond, though, which I hope you do. Let's face it, we were neighbors. Not many people know that, Daryn.
KAGAN: Ah.
MOORE: That we were neighbors on Hill Crest in Beverly Hills. That was before I started doing Bond.
KAGAN: A couple years before.
MOORE: No, I'd just done one Bond at that time.
KAGAN: Done one. Let's talk about putting all these Bond movies all together. How was that possible to put them all together?
MOORE: Well, Starz, you know, they acquired the Bond movies and they're going to put them all together, which I think is a wonderful idea. It is a sort of a marathon. But it's the first time on TV where they're all being shown completely uncut and commercial-free.
Also, with you know, when you're on this Comcast digital cable, you can actually, you know -- the touch of a button go forwards, backwards, you can jump from one film to the other. You can go forward so fast that I look as though I'm really Speedy Gonzalez or you can slow me down. You can stop at the middle of a love scene to see what really goes on. You can also check on whether it was me in those stunts.
KAGAN: You can almost feel like you're as powerful as James Bond. You know, one of the more popular entertainment debate, to pick who was your favorite James Bond. Now we're going to take you out, even though I would say you're my favorite. But if we take you out, who was your favorite Bond? Which actor who played the role after you?
MOORE: After or before?
KAGAN: Well, no, if we take -- if we're making a list, we're going to put you at number one, who else would be your favorite Bond?
MOORE: Sean.
KAGAN: Sean Connery.
MOORE: Timothy. Yes, Sean Connery. Timothy. Pierce Brosnan, George. They're all friends.
KAGAN: You're going to name all of them.
MOORE: Yes, they all -- you know, I like a five-horse race where they all cross the line at the same time.
KAGAN: Also on a serious note, I want to ask you, because outside of your acting and all that you do with that, you are a Unicef ambassador and, of course, Unicef so involved in trying to help the tsunami victims. Do you plan to travel to any of the areas that have been hit by the tsunami?
MOORE: At the moment, there are no plans. I probably will go a little later when the sort of the immediacy of the publicity dies down and we need to keep the awareness going, I probably will make a few trips out there. The thing with Unicef -- by the way, I'd like to thank CNN. You have given absolutely marvelous coverage and help to over the years promote Unicef, you know, which is the most important organization working for children of the world. And I'm very privileged to be working for it.
KAGAN: And your activities with that. Well, thank you for your involvement in Unicef and also for bringing us the joy in the Bond movies. We'll look forward to seeing the Bond marathon on Starz.
MOORE: Thank you, Daryn. I'll give love to Deborah (ph).
KAGAN: Please do, to your daughter Deborah, who I played with in seventh grade. We were the two new girls at one school and she was lovely. So thank her for being my friend. Roger Moore joining us from Geneva. Thank you.
MOORE: Thank you.
KAGAN: They had moved to town and I had started a new school and his daughter and I were the two new girls and the other girls didn't want to play with us. She's lovely.
HARRIS: Oh boy. I tell you what, do you ever lose that? That smoothness, that Bond...
KAGAN: I think he came out of the womb with that.
HARRIS: Hello, Daryn.
KAGAN: You're lovely.
HARRIS: My goodness.
KAGAN: You know, they're looking for a new James Bond. You might just have...
HARRIS: OK. All right.
KAGAN: On that note... HARRIS: It is 10:00 on East Coast, 7:00 on the West Coast, where there is a downpour in Southern California. We've got some pretty dramatic pictures that we'll show you in just a moment of the rain and the downpours and what it's doing to some homes in that area. The snow is continuing to come down up north in California. Stay with us, we'll be right back with a look at the morning forecast.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: We're going to take you to Southern California. This is the town of Santa Clarita and it is east of Pasadena, near downtown Los Angeles. We've been telling folks over the last couple of days, Daryn, about the terrible weather out in Southern California.
And here's an example of what all of the rain is doing out there. This is a home in Santa Clarita that is essentially being knocked off its foundation by all of the rain. The ground is so saturated out there that there is not much to hold the homes and the buildings out there in place. It's just a difficult situation. Folks out there really need a break.
KAGAN: My family's buying flippers. Scuba gear.
HARRIS: And you understand why.
KAGAN: I think they've received their total rainfall for the year in the first two weeks of the year.
HARRIS: For the whole year.
KAGAN: Yes, they should be done.
(WEATHER REPORT)
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 10, 2005 - 10:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We're standing by. We expect some videotape that was just shot at White House a couple of minutes ago to be coming in to us. We'll be showing it to you. It is of President Bush meeting with Secretary of State Powell, also with Andrew Natsios. He is the a U.S. aid administrator. Secretary Powell is going to talk about his recent trip to Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Thailand in the wake of the tsunamis.
Let's go ahead and listen in to that tape.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Mr. Secretary, welcome back.
I want to thank Secretary Powell and Andrew Natsios and Mike Brown and Marc Grossman for taking the lead on behalf of our government and the American people in providing relief for the victims of the tsunamis. The secretary has given me an extensive briefing on what he has seen, on the unbelievable damage, particularly in Banda Aceh. He's also brought me up to date on the extraordinary efforts by the United States government and the United States people, along with governments around the world, to provide much-needed relief to those who've suffered.
We're now entering a second phase of providing for rehabilitation to these affected societies, as well as a reconstruction effort.
And as the secretary said yesterday, the government of the United States is committed to helping the people who suffer. We're committed today and we will be committed tomorrow.
The outpouring of support from the citizens of our country has been more than heartening. It has been very strong. And I want to thank those who have felt the need to contribute directly to the relief efforts. I urge them to go to the usafreedomcorps.gov Web site to make sure that their cash contributions are funneled to programs which are having the necessary effect of providing relief, eventually rehabilitation and reconstruction, to those who have suffered.
BUSH: And so, Mr. Secretary, I want to thank you.
Andrew, I'm looking forward to going over to your headquarters to thank those NGOs who have been working hard, as well as those in your agency who have worked so incredibly hard to show the compassion and decency of the American people during this time of extraordinary crisis. I'll answer a couple of questions.
QUESTION: This long-term commitment by the United States to the international community, what specifically does that mean? (Inaudible)
BUSH: It could.
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)
BUSH: Well, we'll see.
I think the important thing is to make sure that, as one person noted the other day, that the dollars are demand-driven.
In other words, the key is to provide immediate relief -- which we are doing -- and then to work with governments and the United Nations to assess the needs, the intermediate-term needs and the long- term needs, to make sure the money that is available actually achieves a coordinated objective.
And that's what we're in the process of doing.
In other words, these men went in to make sure that the money that we had put up is being applied to provide necessary relief. And now we're in the process of helping to rehabilitate and reconstruct the societies.
And the demand is beginning to focus particularly on the Banda Aceh region.
BUSH: That is the part of the world that is going to require the most intense effort by the governments around the world.
QUESTION: Sir, is there a lesson in the Palestinian elections that the Iraqi people should see?
And what is this administration going to do to build on this election in the Middle East region?
BUSH: Well, first I want to offer my congratulations to Mr. Abu Mazen. I look forward to talking with him at the appropriate time. I look forward to welcoming him here to Washington if he chooses to come here.
I look forward to helping to make sure that the conference in London, a conference all aimed at helping the Palestinians develop the institutions necessary to support Abu Mazen's vision of a peaceful, active, vibrant state to become reality.
And this is a man who's been elected by what appears to be a good-sized vote. I'm heartened by the elections.
And I'm also looking forward to the Iraqi elections on January the 30th. This is an extraordinary year, when you think about it. In the first month of a new year, there will be an election in the Palestinian territory and there will be an election in Iraq. Who could have possibly envisioned an election in Iraq at this point in history? And yet we're going to have an election.
And I'm sure there are a lot of people who are incredibly excited about the thought of having an election in Iraq inside the Iraqi territory -- except for a handful who want to stop democracy -- because they understand what election means.
And so as a democrat, as a person who believes in democracy -- a Republican democrat, I might add -- as someone who believes that everybody has a right to live in a free society and everybody wants to live in a free society, the month of January 2005 is an extraordinary month.
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)
BUSH: I think Israel did help with the elections. I know the secretary worked hard on making it clear to Israel that it was very important that voters in Jerusalem be allowed to have access to the polls.
And the initial reports we got back and the briefing that the secretary gave me today about the initial reports on the election was that there was better than good movement -- I mean, it was better than we thought a month ago -- that the Israelis did understand the need to have an election.
I think it's going to be very important for Israel to fulfill its obligation on the withdrawal from the territories that they have pledged to withdraw from.
It is essential that Israel keep a vision of two states living side by side in peace; and that, as the Palestinians begin to develop the institutions of a state, that the Israel government support the development of those institutions and recognize that it is essential that there be a viable economy, that there be a viable health care system, that people be allowed to start building a society that meets their hopes and needs.
And Israel can play and must play an important part of the development of a Palestinian state.
At the same time, it's essential that the Palestinian leadership consolidate security forces so that they can fight off those few who still have the desire to destroy Israel as a part of their philosophy and those few who fear there to be a free vote amongst the Palestinian people.
Thank you all.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAGAN: We're listening in there to President Bush, after meeting with Secretary of State Colin Powell. President Bush now saying the United States going into second phase of trying to help millions hurt by the tsunami crisis two weeks ago. Also in commenting about the election of Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian leader, he congratulated him. Also said he hopes to see him soon at the White House. That's big difference, of course, since the previous leader, Yasser Arafat, did not have that kind of invitation from President Bush.
From the current president to the former President Bill Clinton, appearing in New York City today on UNICEF relief to help with tsunami victims. Let's listen in.
(JOINED IN PROGRESS)
WILLIAM J. CLINTON, FMR. PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: ... and is having a special relief effort in his hometown of Houston.
The partnership that we announced today between UNICEF and the Clinton Foundation is really a continuation of the work we are already doing together with our foundations, HIV and AIDS initiative, which has been run by our magaziner (ph), who is also here today.
When I was asked to undertake this effort with former President Bush, I knew that a lot of money had been given, an enormous amount of supplies had been given, but I tried to determine whether there was any area of critical need where as far as we could determine the funds were insufficient to meet not only the immediate, but the medium and longer-term needs.
And our inquiries determined that in the weeks and months ahead, more resources will be needed to provide clean water and adequate sanitation, both for survival and for the prevention of disease. Diseases such as dysentery and diarrhea accompany the absence of clean water, the presence of polluted water.
KAGAN: We've been listening a bit here to former President Bill Clinton, announcing more efforts to help those who have been hit by the tsunami and the need to help in trying to keep up with public health, as he was mentioning, sanitation and clean water, the most basic needs, especially trying to help the children of the world.
Former President Clinton, also former President Bush, part of an effort called on by President Bush to help fund raise for tsunami victims around the world.
A lot going on today, as you can see. We have a lot more ahead. Stay with us. Right now, we take a quick break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(STOCK MARKET REPORT)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAGAN: Well, for some fans, there's no such thing as too much Bond. We are talking James Bond, the ultimate guy spy, who's supplied with an array of secret spy gadgets, tames women while fighting evil, and then sipping those shaken martinis. Right now, Starz is running 17 Bond movies on its On Demand and Ticket on real movie channels. And later this month, Encore is running a 72-hour marathon.
Ultimate Bond is hosted by Sir Roger Moore, who embodied the British spy in seven films, over 13 years. Joining us from Geneva, Switzerland this morning -- this afternoon for you. Hello.
SIR ROGER MOORE, HOST, "ULTIMATE BOND": Hello. Hi, Daryn, how are you?
KAGAN: I am doing great. And the idea of all-Bond, all the time sounds like a kick.
MOORE: If you like Bond, though, which I hope you do. Let's face it, we were neighbors. Not many people know that, Daryn.
KAGAN: Ah.
MOORE: That we were neighbors on Hill Crest in Beverly Hills. That was before I started doing Bond.
KAGAN: A couple years before.
MOORE: No, I'd just done one Bond at that time.
KAGAN: Done one. Let's talk about putting all these Bond movies all together. How was that possible to put them all together?
MOORE: Well, Starz, you know, they acquired the Bond movies and they're going to put them all together, which I think is a wonderful idea. It is a sort of a marathon. But it's the first time on TV where they're all being shown completely uncut and commercial-free.
Also, with you know, when you're on this Comcast digital cable, you can actually, you know -- the touch of a button go forwards, backwards, you can jump from one film to the other. You can go forward so fast that I look as though I'm really Speedy Gonzalez or you can slow me down. You can stop at the middle of a love scene to see what really goes on. You can also check on whether it was me in those stunts.
KAGAN: You can almost feel like you're as powerful as James Bond. You know, one of the more popular entertainment debate, to pick who was your favorite James Bond. Now we're going to take you out, even though I would say you're my favorite. But if we take you out, who was your favorite Bond? Which actor who played the role after you?
MOORE: After or before?
KAGAN: Well, no, if we take -- if we're making a list, we're going to put you at number one, who else would be your favorite Bond?
MOORE: Sean.
KAGAN: Sean Connery.
MOORE: Timothy. Yes, Sean Connery. Timothy. Pierce Brosnan, George. They're all friends.
KAGAN: You're going to name all of them.
MOORE: Yes, they all -- you know, I like a five-horse race where they all cross the line at the same time.
KAGAN: Also on a serious note, I want to ask you, because outside of your acting and all that you do with that, you are a Unicef ambassador and, of course, Unicef so involved in trying to help the tsunami victims. Do you plan to travel to any of the areas that have been hit by the tsunami?
MOORE: At the moment, there are no plans. I probably will go a little later when the sort of the immediacy of the publicity dies down and we need to keep the awareness going, I probably will make a few trips out there. The thing with Unicef -- by the way, I'd like to thank CNN. You have given absolutely marvelous coverage and help to over the years promote Unicef, you know, which is the most important organization working for children of the world. And I'm very privileged to be working for it.
KAGAN: And your activities with that. Well, thank you for your involvement in Unicef and also for bringing us the joy in the Bond movies. We'll look forward to seeing the Bond marathon on Starz.
MOORE: Thank you, Daryn. I'll give love to Deborah (ph).
KAGAN: Please do, to your daughter Deborah, who I played with in seventh grade. We were the two new girls at one school and she was lovely. So thank her for being my friend. Roger Moore joining us from Geneva. Thank you.
MOORE: Thank you.
KAGAN: They had moved to town and I had started a new school and his daughter and I were the two new girls and the other girls didn't want to play with us. She's lovely.
HARRIS: Oh boy. I tell you what, do you ever lose that? That smoothness, that Bond...
KAGAN: I think he came out of the womb with that.
HARRIS: Hello, Daryn.
KAGAN: You're lovely.
HARRIS: My goodness.
KAGAN: You know, they're looking for a new James Bond. You might just have...
HARRIS: OK. All right.
KAGAN: On that note... HARRIS: It is 10:00 on East Coast, 7:00 on the West Coast, where there is a downpour in Southern California. We've got some pretty dramatic pictures that we'll show you in just a moment of the rain and the downpours and what it's doing to some homes in that area. The snow is continuing to come down up north in California. Stay with us, we'll be right back with a look at the morning forecast.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: We're going to take you to Southern California. This is the town of Santa Clarita and it is east of Pasadena, near downtown Los Angeles. We've been telling folks over the last couple of days, Daryn, about the terrible weather out in Southern California.
And here's an example of what all of the rain is doing out there. This is a home in Santa Clarita that is essentially being knocked off its foundation by all of the rain. The ground is so saturated out there that there is not much to hold the homes and the buildings out there in place. It's just a difficult situation. Folks out there really need a break.
KAGAN: My family's buying flippers. Scuba gear.
HARRIS: And you understand why.
KAGAN: I think they've received their total rainfall for the year in the first two weeks of the year.
HARRIS: For the whole year.
KAGAN: Yes, they should be done.
(WEATHER REPORT)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
