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American Morning

America Under Attack: Congress Sends Symbolic Message

Aired September 12, 2001 - 09:23   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.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Yesterday on Capitol Hill a lot of tough talk and at least one touching moment. The tough talk coming from members of Congress vowing for retaliation, singling out Osama bin Laden and his organization as the group responsible for these attacks. The touching moment coming on the steps of the Capital, as members of Congress broke into song, singing "God Bless America," a moment I will never forget.

Let's turn it now to Kate Snow, where she will tell us about the U.S. House of Representatives going to gavel the session. And a symbolic session, right, Kate?

KATE SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right. And the Senate as well, Miles.

At 10:00 this morning they will be gaveling back in here. In fact, they never went out of session last night. Yesterday they were evacuated, but they technically never stopped meeting, and that's an important point to make.

Let me tell you first about the security situation here, Miles. There is a perimeter set up around the Unites States Capitol, one block east and west of the Capitol behind me, two blocks to the north, two blocks to the south. They're checking IDs, they're letting in people who work in the buildings here, staff, and obviously members of Congress starting now to come back.

We've seen some joggers, some people walking their dogs around this area, so we know they're also letting people in on foot. Whether they're going to let tourist into the United States Capitol for tours today is still being decided. Normally there's a huge line of tourists out here by this hour. Miles, this morning there's hardly anyone here in the way of tourist.

Let me tell you, also, that clearly there is an effort to show that it business as usual here in the Capitol this morning. At 10:00 this morning, as we've mentioned, the House and the Senate will reconvene. They will both in there chambers, at least for a short period of time.

The Senate plans to debate a resolution and give 10 minutes to every U.S. Senator to speak on the floor; that translates into about 16 hours worth of talk that we're going to hear out of the senators today. On the House side, they're going to come in, they're going to come back a little bit later this afternoon and debate the same resolution; this is a resolution condemning yesterday's actions.

We also understand that the House members and the Senate members are going to receive a closed-door briefing at some point this afternoon from intelligence officials, perhaps from the FBI, perhaps from the CIA.

All night long, Miles, the dome light on the very top of the Capitol has been burning here; that's because, as I mentioned, the Congress never officially went out of session. That light that you see at top of your frame is always on when the Congress is in session. It's a technical thing, but it's also a very symbolic thing.

Last night that shone all night long. The leadership, as you mentioned, appeared on the steps of the Capitol to send a message, Republicans and Democrats last night speaking with one voice.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

REP. DENNIS HASTERT, (R-IL) HOUSE SPEAKER: We will stand together to make sure that those who have brought forth this evil deed will pay the price.

SEN. TOM DASCHLE, (D-SD) MAJORITY LEADER: As the representatives of the people, we are here to declare that our resolve has not been weakened by these horrific and cowardly acts.

SEN. RICHARD SHELBY, (R) ALABAMA: The message has to be that we're going to hunt you down and we're going to find you and we're going to make you pay that price.

SEN. JOSEPH LIEBERMAN, (D) CONNECTICUT: America was hit today, but this government of the American people and for the American people is back up on its feet. And we are functioning. And we are going to go forward together.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SNOW: The leaders of Congress will meet this morning with President Bush at 11:30 at the White House. We also understand that those leaders were in hiding yesterday for some period of time. There's about nine leaders between the House and the Senate, five from the House, four from the Senate who are the highest ranking people in this body of government. They all went to a secure location. We've learned more details about that, Miles. Two-by-two they were taken by helicopter to an underground location.

Speaker of the House Hastert was taken earlier in the day right after the plane crashed into the Pentagon, he was immediately taken away from the Capitol. About three hours later the rest of the leadership was taken to that secure location. They sat together for several hours watching television together, we're told. I'm told by one aide that it was a grim situation. And I'm also told by that same aide that they were a very bipartisan group. This aide saying, they're bipartisan now. I expect that will carry over in the business in the coming days -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: CNN's Kate Snow on Capitol Hill, thanks you very much.

We have just learned that President Bush will be hold a meeting of his national security team in about two minutes' time in the Cabinet Room at 10:45 a.m. Eastern Time. He will be making a statement to the media. We will, of course, bring that to you as soon as we get that videotape, as soon as we capture that.

Kelly Wallace is manning our post at the White House this morning from the North Lawn.

Kelly, this meeting, they'll be discussing the parameters of response undoubtably. Can you give us any insights as to what's being discussed right now?

KELLY WALLACE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, that's going to be the opportunity for the president to get the most up-to-date briefing on the investigation into who could be responsible for these attacks, as well as for the search and recovery efforts, because a big focus for the administration today is that the -- administration, the U.S. government is doing everything it can to assist with recovery efforts in New York, in Pennsylvania, and, of course, outside Washington D.C. at the pentagon. So you will obviously hear the president talk about that. In fact, we understand he will be calling on the American people to do their part and to step forward and donate blood. There will, in fact, be a blood drive here at the White House, a blood mobile pulling into the White House driveway earlier today.

But, again, as you noted, a big focus, just who might be responsible for these attacks

Now, Miles, U. S. officials publicly and even really even privately not speculating at this time who they think might be responsible.

U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell on the air earlier today saying that he doesn't think it will be too long before the U.S. government is confident it does know who is responsible. But, as we have been reporting, senior officials did brief key members of Congress last night. Some of those members talking to some of my colleagues at CNN, those members saying U.S. officials confident that the evidence right now pointing to affiliates or associates of Osama bin Laden.

One other thing I want to show you, Miles, really a picture that sort of captures the mood here at the White House. As you would expect, the flag at half-staff on top of the White House and on top of the Eisenhower Executive Office building; really a measure and a reflection of the tragedy felt all across the United States on this day.

Another note, as Kate mentioning, members of Congress coming over here to the White House to meet with the president; this is an opportunity to show that Democrats, Republicans all united behind the president. And one other note, security quite tight here at the White House, they're still very much on high state of alert.

Miles, back to you.

O'BRIEN: CNN's Kelly Wallace at the White House, thank you very much.

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