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American Morning

Bush Expected to Formally Introduce Man He Wants as Nation's Highest Ranking Military Officer

Aired August 24, 2001 - 11:32   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: In just a few minutes, the commander- in-chief, President Bush, is expected to formally introduce the man he wants as the nation's highest ranking military officer. Air Force General Richard Myers is in Texas, where President Bush is vacationing.

Our senior White House correspondent John King is there in Crawford, as well.

John, good morning.

JOHN KING, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, to you, Daryn.

The president is due here in just a few minutes with some high- profile company. The Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, and as you mentioned, Air Force General Richard Myers. He is, as you mentioned, told by the senior administration officials to be the next president's joint chief of staff. That is the highest military officer, the top military adviser to the president and to the defense secretary.

General Myers will take the job at quite an interesting moment. The president pressing ahead with his controversial missile defense plan. General Myers has considerable experience not only with the technology involved in that, he was once the commander of the U.S. space-based forces, the space command, but also with the diplomacy involved as well, having considerable experience in Asia, the Chinese among those objecting to the system.

And when the president gets back to Washington, a big battle over defense spending, not only over missile defense, but the president wants more money to spend on defense. General Myers will become a key player in that debate. Of course, the Democrats saying the Bush tax cut is too big, the economy has slowed too much, and there's not enough money to fund all of the president's priorities.

So the president make his choice for the man who he wants to be the top military officer, and among his top military advisers, here in Crawford, Texas. General Myers immediately thrust into the big debate over missile defense, defense spending, and so many other debates involving the Pentagon.

We'll hear from the president in just a few minutes here in Crawford -- Daryn.

KAGAN: John, General Myers being a man ready for a pilot, a fighter pilot by training, as I understand it.

KING: That is right. A fighter pilot by training, but he is now the number two at the joint chiefs, intimately familiar, we are told, with the technology the Pentagon has as it goes ahead with the testing of the missile defense, and remember, the testing is about to put the United States in violation of the 1972 antiballistic missile treaty. The president has been trying to reach an agreement with the Russians so that testing can go forward. But Mr. Bush noted as recently as yesterday, he is prepared to unilaterally withdraw from that treaty and go ahead with the testing and the missile defense program if the Russians do not reach an agreement with the United States. It could be more on that front today here as the president address reporters in Crawford -- Daryn.

KAGAN: John King standing by with us in Crawford, Texas. We will go live as soon as the president begins to speak.

John, thank you.

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