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American Morning

Interview with Hillary Clinton, Charles Schumer

Aired September 06, 2002 - 08:05   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: In New York, symbolism is the order of the day as Congress hits the road. A ceremonial session will be held in New York a little bit later today in the shadow of ground zero to commemorate 9/11.
Congress met here in 1789 then moved to Philadelphia in 1790 and Federal Hall is in lower Manhattan. It is on the same site where George Washington took the oath of office.

And New York Senators Hillary Clinton and Charles Schumer join us this morning from that historic location.

Good to see both of you. Welcome.

SEN. HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON (D), NEW YORK: Thank you, Paula.

SEN. CHARLES SCHUMER (D), NEW YORK: Good morning. Good morning, Paula.

ZAHN: We want to talk a little New York right off the top. Since September 11, some $21 billion in aid has been promised to the city. Has it come through, Senator Clinton?

CLINTON: Yes, it has.

SCHUMER: Yes, it really has. You know, Paula, the president, the Congress really rallied behind New York. And we have needs that are enormous, as anyone who comes down here can see. Some are visible, the destroyed buildings and infrastructure. Some are not visible, the people who really need to be healed and mended in different ways.

But America has stuck behind New York and we are extremely appreciative and grateful. The Congress, both Democrats and Republicans, the president, he's of a different party than we are, but we give him credit for stepping up to the plate and helping us. So, we're probably going to need more help in some ways we don't even know. But the fact that the Congress has come here, over 300 members, shows they haven't forgotten us in any way.

ZAHN: Senator Clinton, do you have any concerns as the city moves towards that one year marker and you have the president coming to town? You've got members of Congress here, a lot at stake over the next five, six days, the meeting of the general assembly of the U.N.

CLINTON: Well, Paula, obviously I have concerns. But I'm also very confident in the preparations and planning and the expertise and competence of our city and our police, our fire, our emergency responders. We're living with a heightened state of vigilance today in New York and throughout America, which we have to. But there isn't any place in the world like New York.

We had a great celebration last night in Times Square to kick off the football season. We've got the Congress coming today. We're going to have many, many ceremonies, culminating in a day long series of incredible events to remember and not only look backwards, but look forwards on the 11th.

I think that the country and the world will once again be very proud and impressed by New York and New Yorkers.

SCHUMER: You know, Paula, just one little note. They ask New Yorkers in a survey every year, do you intend to be in New York five years from now, knowing we're a city for people who have come from all over the country, all over the world. Before 9/11, about 55 percent would say yes. Since 9/11, 75 percent say yes. I think that's the spirit of New York.

ZAHN: As a diehard New Yorker, I'm thrilled to hear that. On to the issue of Iraq and the debate over what course of action the U.S. should or should not take. I wanted to share with both of you something that the former president, President Clinton, had to say in giving a little advice to President Bush, saying that we really need to move slowly here.

Let's listen to what he's had to say the other night on CNN.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Tomorrow I'm calling leaders in Russia, China and France to talk about the threats that face us all. I will see Tony Blair on Saturday. I will see Jean Chretien on Monday. My point to you is not only will I consult with Congress and talk to Congress, my administration and I will do so, I will also see many of the leaders of the world and remind them of the facts.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ZAHN: Well, guess what, Senators? We got the wrong president. I was, in fact, referring to Senator Clinton's husband, Bill Clinton, and basically he said looking at it from the outside it seems to me that we have maximum incentive now for him not to use these weapons and not to give them to anybody because he knows all of America is ready to go after him and would if he had done that.

Do you agree with the president's sentiments there, Mr. Schumer?

SCHUMER: Well, you know, I think that the, President Bush in the last while has slowed things down a little bit. Instead of just saying well, we have some secret information and we think we have to go to war and then these leaks to the newspapers of tactics, we'll invade Iraq from the northwest corner. That frightened the American people and the world. I think Americans are willing to, we're willing to defend ourselves and we're willing to go to war if there's a compelling danger to the people here in America from Saddam Hussein. But the president has to lay that out. He has to lay it out to the Congress, but just as importantly, to the American people and he also has to lay it out to the people of the world. Leaders like Tony Blair, Berlusconi of Italy, many of the others want to be with us, but their publics are asking them the same question, that is, why do we have to do this?

You don't go to war casually. And if the president lays out a compelling case, my guess is he'll have the support, certainly of the Congress, both Democrats and Republicans, but also of the world. But he has yet to do that.

It's good that he's going to the U.N. It's good that he said on your clip there that he was going to talk to the leaders of the world. He may have to do what President Reagan did and visit the countries of the world and lay out America's case. And if it's a compelling case, I think the world will join us in trying to deal with Saddam Hussein.

ZAHN: What are the chances, Senator Clinton, that Congress will give the president support to go into Iraq before the midterm elections?

CLINTON: Well, Paula, I think what Chuck just said is absolutely on target. The president is starting the consultative process now with Congress, with our allies and with the American and international public. We're going to be involved in that process. All of us take very seriously the threat that Saddam Hussein poses to the region and the world. Clearly, a regime change would be in the best interests of the Iraqi people as well as the international community.

We want to look at the evidence. We want to understand the planning. We want to really analyze the consequences and implications. But I really am pleased that the president announced this week that that's exactly what he's going to be doing. And we're going to be listening and watching very carefully.

ZAHN: Senator Schumer, a final question. A number of Democrats thought they got singed by the public when they didn't go with the first President Bush on efforts to get involved with Desert Storm. How much does that enter into the equation this time around?

SCHUMER: Well, I don't think very much. I think that you have to vote your conscience and you have to vote what the right thing is. It's an awesome decision to tell, particularly if you don't have young men and young women yourself in the armed forces, children -- I don't, my daughters are too young -- to say OK, we're going to put those people in harm's way. We're willing to do it. One of the beauties of America is we've been willing to do it every time our safety is at stake. But you don't do it casually.

So I think that everyone is going to be careful. And I'll tell you, in the meetings that I've been to, public and particularly private, Republican senators have expressed more objection than Democratic senators thus far. I don't think there's a partisan divide on this issue, quite interestingly.

ZAHN: Senator Clinton, we've just got about 10 seconds left. A final thought this morning on, once again, what you want Americans to think about when we see more than half of the Congress convene in downtown New York.

CLINTON: Well, Paula, I want Americans to know how grateful New York is for all of the help and support that we've received in the last year. The Congress has come through. The president has come through. But they've done so on behalf of our nation and we're very grateful. We're probably going to need more help. This was a tremendous blow to the economy, to lives. We have to rebuild. But I think anyone who comes here knows that we're on the right path and we're going to get it done and we appreciate all the support and the continuing prayers that we get from around our country.

ZAHN: Well, we thank both of you for joining us this morning. Senator Clinton, Senator Schumer, again, thanks for your time and good luck down there later on this morning.

CLINTON: Thank you, Paula.

SCHUMER: Thanks, Paula.

ZAHN: Appreciate it.

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