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American Morning
Final Hours
Aired March 19, 2003 - 09:03 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.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Let's go to the White House, where President Bush will meet later with key members of his administration to discuss strategy for a war with Iraq.
John King has the very latest from the White House this morning.
Good morning, John.
JOHN KING, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Paula.
Those meetings already under way. We are told the go order from the president could come as early as 11 hours from now. But we also are told the president considers that deadline a political deadline on Saddam Hussein, and he will make his key military decision based on the advice of the generals and his other top aides. That first -- the first of several meetings today under way now, the full National Security Council meeting. Vice President Dick Cheney arrived a short time ago, as did the Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, America's top general, Richard Myers, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff on hand, and a former general, now diplomat, Secretary of State Colin Powell in the discussions as well.
A reminder as we see those pictures this morning of the deep experience of the Bush national security team. Secretary Rumsfeld in his second tour of duty as defense secretary, Vice President Cheney, of course, was the defense secretary in the first Gulf War, and Secretary Powell had General Myers' job back in those days, the top general in the U.S. military.
Aides say the president also will meet separately with Defense Secretary Rumsfeld later today. We are told the president could give the go order as early as tonight, but that he will listen to the generals, listen to Secretary Rumsfeld, get an update about the tactical issues of deployment of troops. No question, war could be hours way, perhaps a day or so more. The president facing a momentous decision as he faces consultations today -- Paula.
ZAHN: Thanks, John. John King reporting from the White House this morning.
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 March 19, 2003 - 09:03 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Let's go to the White House, where President Bush will meet later with key members of his administration to discuss strategy for a war with Iraq.
John King has the very latest from the White House this morning.
Good morning, John.
JOHN KING, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Paula.
Those meetings already under way. We are told the go order from the president could come as early as 11 hours from now. But we also are told the president considers that deadline a political deadline on Saddam Hussein, and he will make his key military decision based on the advice of the generals and his other top aides. That first -- the first of several meetings today under way now, the full National Security Council meeting. Vice President Dick Cheney arrived a short time ago, as did the Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, America's top general, Richard Myers, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff on hand, and a former general, now diplomat, Secretary of State Colin Powell in the discussions as well.
A reminder as we see those pictures this morning of the deep experience of the Bush national security team. Secretary Rumsfeld in his second tour of duty as defense secretary, Vice President Cheney, of course, was the defense secretary in the first Gulf War, and Secretary Powell had General Myers' job back in those days, the top general in the U.S. military.
Aides say the president also will meet separately with Defense Secretary Rumsfeld later today. We are told the president could give the go order as early as tonight, but that he will listen to the generals, listen to Secretary Rumsfeld, get an update about the tactical issues of deployment of troops. No question, war could be hours way, perhaps a day or so more. The president facing a momentous decision as he faces consultations today -- Paula.
ZAHN: Thanks, John. John King reporting from the White House this morning.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
