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American Morning

White House Orders Major Overhaul

Aired October 06, 2003 - 08:32   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.


SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Let's talk about the White House now ordering a major reorganization of U.S. efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan from stopping the violence to speeding up the reconstruction process. The overhaul comes at a low point in America's confidence in President Bush's foreign policy.
CNN White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux joins us from the White House this morning.

Suzanne -- first, let's talk about the reorganization and exactly what it means here. Good morning.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Soledad.

This really is an acknowledgment by the White House that something has to change. I spoke with a senior administration official, who said, look, Congress is looking at providing some $20 billion for reconstruction, the White House getting more directly involved, taking more responsibility. At the same time saying that this is not going to necessarily undermine the authority of the Pentagon, that it will still be the lead agency.

But essentially what this is, it's the Iraq stabilization group. Essentially, it will be held by -- actually, in charge by National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice. She will have deputies in various areas when it comes to counterterrorism, a media message, the economy, as well as politics; all of this, as staffers reporting directly to her.

This is really meant to support the effort inside of Iraq, but, as you know and as you brought up, that it really comes at a time when this administration needs some support, not only from members of Congress, but also abroad as well -- Soledad?

O'BRIEN: All right, Suzanne Malveaux updating us from the White House this morning. Suzanne, thanks for that.

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 6, 2003 - 08:32   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Let's talk about the White House now ordering a major reorganization of U.S. efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan from stopping the violence to speeding up the reconstruction process. The overhaul comes at a low point in America's confidence in President Bush's foreign policy.
CNN White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux joins us from the White House this morning.

Suzanne -- first, let's talk about the reorganization and exactly what it means here. Good morning.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Soledad.

This really is an acknowledgment by the White House that something has to change. I spoke with a senior administration official, who said, look, Congress is looking at providing some $20 billion for reconstruction, the White House getting more directly involved, taking more responsibility. At the same time saying that this is not going to necessarily undermine the authority of the Pentagon, that it will still be the lead agency.

But essentially what this is, it's the Iraq stabilization group. Essentially, it will be held by -- actually, in charge by National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice. She will have deputies in various areas when it comes to counterterrorism, a media message, the economy, as well as politics; all of this, as staffers reporting directly to her.

This is really meant to support the effort inside of Iraq, but, as you know and as you brought up, that it really comes at a time when this administration needs some support, not only from members of Congress, but also abroad as well -- Soledad?

O'BRIEN: All right, Suzanne Malveaux updating us from the White House this morning. Suzanne, thanks for that.

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