Return to Transcripts main page

American Morning

Personal Appeals

Aired September 24, 2003 - 07:04   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.


BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: This morning, President Bush will hold meetings to seek support for the U.S.-led rebuilding effort in Iraq. Mr. Bush spent the night last night here in New York, after addressing the General Assembly at the U.N. yesterday. More meetings today.
And first, our stop today, senior White House correspondent John King here in New York yet again.

John -- good morning.

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

We will get a sense today of how persuasive the president was in that speech to the U.N. General Assembly yesterday. Still a great deal of resentment in the hall, Mr. Bush making the case that he was right to go to war in Iraq. Of course, many in that room disagree.

And before we get to what comes next, let's remember, this room, Mr. Bush did not have Security Council approval when he went to war last year. Many of the leaders resent that. But Mr. Bush was quite defiant standing before the other world leaders in the hall yesterday and saying someone had to hold Saddam Hussein accountable, and if the Security Council would not, then he did.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Because there were consequences, because a coalition of nations acted to defend the peace and the credibility of the United Nations, Iraq is free.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: So, Mr. Bush giving no ground and that complicates the diplomacy now. What he wants is a new resolution from the Security Council that he hopes will bring thousands of new troops and billions of dollars in new commitments to Iraq's reconstruction. But many of the leaders say they did not support the war. Why should they have to help pay to keep the peace?

Whether the president had any success making his case will be more clear today in meetings with the leaders of Germany, India and Pakistan. Mr. Bush is hoping that perhaps India and Pakistan will come forward with troops. Germany could be key in terms of the financial effort.

And remember, before the war, the relationship was so strained between President Bush and Chancellor Schroeder of Germany, U.S. officials said it was poisoned. Mr. Schroeder, though, has been much more open to trying to help in recent days. He could be a pivotal voice now in trying to strike a compromise. So, we will watch the president's tough diplomacy continuing here in New York today -- Bill.

HEMMER: John, thanks for the update there.

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 September 24, 2003 - 07:04   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: This morning, President Bush will hold meetings to seek support for the U.S.-led rebuilding effort in Iraq. Mr. Bush spent the night last night here in New York, after addressing the General Assembly at the U.N. yesterday. More meetings today.
And first, our stop today, senior White House correspondent John King here in New York yet again.

John -- good morning.

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

We will get a sense today of how persuasive the president was in that speech to the U.N. General Assembly yesterday. Still a great deal of resentment in the hall, Mr. Bush making the case that he was right to go to war in Iraq. Of course, many in that room disagree.

And before we get to what comes next, let's remember, this room, Mr. Bush did not have Security Council approval when he went to war last year. Many of the leaders resent that. But Mr. Bush was quite defiant standing before the other world leaders in the hall yesterday and saying someone had to hold Saddam Hussein accountable, and if the Security Council would not, then he did.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Because there were consequences, because a coalition of nations acted to defend the peace and the credibility of the United Nations, Iraq is free.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: So, Mr. Bush giving no ground and that complicates the diplomacy now. What he wants is a new resolution from the Security Council that he hopes will bring thousands of new troops and billions of dollars in new commitments to Iraq's reconstruction. But many of the leaders say they did not support the war. Why should they have to help pay to keep the peace?

Whether the president had any success making his case will be more clear today in meetings with the leaders of Germany, India and Pakistan. Mr. Bush is hoping that perhaps India and Pakistan will come forward with troops. Germany could be key in terms of the financial effort.

And remember, before the war, the relationship was so strained between President Bush and Chancellor Schroeder of Germany, U.S. officials said it was poisoned. Mr. Schroeder, though, has been much more open to trying to help in recent days. He could be a pivotal voice now in trying to strike a compromise. So, we will watch the president's tough diplomacy continuing here in New York today -- Bill.

HEMMER: John, thanks for the update there.

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