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American Morning

New Al Qaeda Terror Threat

Aired August 04, 2003 - 07:03   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.


LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Let's talk about the speculation about Secretary of State Colin Powell. Even before he comes out on the record about what his state may be, there is already speculation about who may succeed him.
Now, if "The Washington Post" is right about this story and Powell is not even going to come out and say that he'll serve in his post even if President Bush wins a second term.

John King is standing by at his post now, live at the White House. He has got the very latest on this story.

Good morning -- John.

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

I spoke to a senior official this morning on the way into work, and he says he's not surprised this story is in "The Washington Post," but also urged us to calm down just a bit. Secretary Powell has said from the beginning of the administration that he is in for one term and one term only. This official saying the president and everybody here at the White House has every expectation that Secretary Powell meant it when he said that, and that, yes, if President Bush is re- elected that Mr. Bush would be looking for a new secretary of state for a second Bush term.

Powell's chief deputy, Richard Armitage, also is said to plan to leave with Secretary Powell. Again, if Bush is re-elected, they say they will not stay on into a second term.

What does that mean? Most here in Washington believe the president's early favorite would be his national security advisor, Condoleezza Rice, a woman who is very close to this president, who is deeply involved in almost every foreign policy decision. She would certainly be at the top of any list. The No. 2 at the Defense Department, Paul Wolfowitz, gets mentioned.

From time to time, you hear perhaps the president would look up to Capitol Hill, something he has not done very much in this administration. Senator Richard Lugar among the veteran foreign policy leaders on Capitol Hill perhaps, but everyone here expects Secretary Powell will indeed leave, Leon. He will complete the four full years, though. Everyone says that was his promise coming in. No one should be surprised that he is a man of his word -- Leon.

HARRIS: All right, John, also no one should be surprised that more threats are coming toward the U.S. from al Qaeda. There was a tape released over the weekend purportedly to be from one of the top leaders in that organization. Just how serious is the White House taking this tape that was supposed to be delivered by Ayman al- Zawahiri?

KING: Well, they take it quite seriously, Leon, as to what it says and as just to the more broader meaning that al Qaeda is still out there. The attorney general, John Ashcroft, out on the Sunday news shows yesterday. Other administration officials telling us this morning they cannot say as yet that this is authentic, that it is, in fact, bin Laden's No. 2. It is being analyzed by the CIA and other agencies.

But to the attorney general and to others, they say it is proof that al Qaeda is still out there, still planning attacks on the United States. And even though the administration claims to have wiped out most of al Qaeda senior management, that bin Laden and his No. 2 are still unaccounted for, still capable, the White House fears, of putting together attacks on the United States and its interests overseas -- Leon.

HARRIS: John King at the White House -- thanks, John. We'll get back to you in just a bit.

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 August 4, 2003 - 07:03   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Let's talk about the speculation about Secretary of State Colin Powell. Even before he comes out on the record about what his state may be, there is already speculation about who may succeed him.
Now, if "The Washington Post" is right about this story and Powell is not even going to come out and say that he'll serve in his post even if President Bush wins a second term.

John King is standing by at his post now, live at the White House. He has got the very latest on this story.

Good morning -- John.

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

I spoke to a senior official this morning on the way into work, and he says he's not surprised this story is in "The Washington Post," but also urged us to calm down just a bit. Secretary Powell has said from the beginning of the administration that he is in for one term and one term only. This official saying the president and everybody here at the White House has every expectation that Secretary Powell meant it when he said that, and that, yes, if President Bush is re- elected that Mr. Bush would be looking for a new secretary of state for a second Bush term.

Powell's chief deputy, Richard Armitage, also is said to plan to leave with Secretary Powell. Again, if Bush is re-elected, they say they will not stay on into a second term.

What does that mean? Most here in Washington believe the president's early favorite would be his national security advisor, Condoleezza Rice, a woman who is very close to this president, who is deeply involved in almost every foreign policy decision. She would certainly be at the top of any list. The No. 2 at the Defense Department, Paul Wolfowitz, gets mentioned.

From time to time, you hear perhaps the president would look up to Capitol Hill, something he has not done very much in this administration. Senator Richard Lugar among the veteran foreign policy leaders on Capitol Hill perhaps, but everyone here expects Secretary Powell will indeed leave, Leon. He will complete the four full years, though. Everyone says that was his promise coming in. No one should be surprised that he is a man of his word -- Leon.

HARRIS: All right, John, also no one should be surprised that more threats are coming toward the U.S. from al Qaeda. There was a tape released over the weekend purportedly to be from one of the top leaders in that organization. Just how serious is the White House taking this tape that was supposed to be delivered by Ayman al- Zawahiri?

KING: Well, they take it quite seriously, Leon, as to what it says and as just to the more broader meaning that al Qaeda is still out there. The attorney general, John Ashcroft, out on the Sunday news shows yesterday. Other administration officials telling us this morning they cannot say as yet that this is authentic, that it is, in fact, bin Laden's No. 2. It is being analyzed by the CIA and other agencies.

But to the attorney general and to others, they say it is proof that al Qaeda is still out there, still planning attacks on the United States. And even though the administration claims to have wiped out most of al Qaeda senior management, that bin Laden and his No. 2 are still unaccounted for, still capable, the White House fears, of putting together attacks on the United States and its interests overseas -- Leon.

HARRIS: John King at the White House -- thanks, John. We'll get back to you in just a bit.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.