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American Morning
Investigation into Leak of CIA Operative's Name
Aired October 02, 2003 - 08:06 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.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Now to Washington and the investigation into the leak of a CIA operative's name. While Democrats are stepping up calls for an independent prosecutor, the White House remains steadfast in its opposition to the move.
CNN's Dana Bash joining us now live from the White House with the very latest on this -- good morning to you, Dana.
DANA BASH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Heidi.
And White House spokesman Scott McClellan got about 90 questions during his daily briefing yesterday -- we counted about 80 of them, of those questions, about the leaked information, the classified information. And most of the answers went something like this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SCOTT MCCLELLAN, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: The president has directed the White House to cooperate fully. That message was sent as soon as he learned of the investigation. He made it clear to White House counsel and White House counsel made it clear to senior staff the other day. That was the president, at the president's direction.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BASH: Now, that is the strategy here at the White House. It is to portray a sense of outrage about the fact that a CIA agent's identity was leaked and also a promise to cooperate fully. But it is also to reject Democratic calls for a special counsel and even for more of an internal, an active internal investigation here. And, as a matter of fact, you're hearing more and more criticism of Democrats from this White House, saying that they are simply just trying to politicize this issue.
And there is another motive here, there's another strategy, and that is to get Republicans outside this building to attack the motives and credibility, perhaps, of former Ambassador Joe Wilson. They say that the whole reason why he has said that the White House tried to smear him by releasing the identity of his wife, a CIA operative, is because he had, was critical of the president's Iraq policy. Republicans outside this administration say that he is a Democrat and that he has contributed to candidates like Senator Kerry. That is something we're going to hear more and more from the administration's friends on Capitol Hill and elsewhere -- Heidi.
COLLINS: All right, Dana Bash from the White House this morning.
Thanks so much.
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 October 2, 2003 - 08:06 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Now to Washington and the investigation into the leak of a CIA operative's name. While Democrats are stepping up calls for an independent prosecutor, the White House remains steadfast in its opposition to the move.
CNN's Dana Bash joining us now live from the White House with the very latest on this -- good morning to you, Dana.
DANA BASH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Heidi.
And White House spokesman Scott McClellan got about 90 questions during his daily briefing yesterday -- we counted about 80 of them, of those questions, about the leaked information, the classified information. And most of the answers went something like this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SCOTT MCCLELLAN, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: The president has directed the White House to cooperate fully. That message was sent as soon as he learned of the investigation. He made it clear to White House counsel and White House counsel made it clear to senior staff the other day. That was the president, at the president's direction.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BASH: Now, that is the strategy here at the White House. It is to portray a sense of outrage about the fact that a CIA agent's identity was leaked and also a promise to cooperate fully. But it is also to reject Democratic calls for a special counsel and even for more of an internal, an active internal investigation here. And, as a matter of fact, you're hearing more and more criticism of Democrats from this White House, saying that they are simply just trying to politicize this issue.
And there is another motive here, there's another strategy, and that is to get Republicans outside this building to attack the motives and credibility, perhaps, of former Ambassador Joe Wilson. They say that the whole reason why he has said that the White House tried to smear him by releasing the identity of his wife, a CIA operative, is because he had, was critical of the president's Iraq policy. Republicans outside this administration say that he is a Democrat and that he has contributed to candidates like Senator Kerry. That is something we're going to hear more and more from the administration's friends on Capitol Hill and elsewhere -- Heidi.
COLLINS: All right, Dana Bash from the White House this morning.
Thanks so much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
