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American Morning
President in Asia
Aired October 17, 2003 - 09:09 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: I want to get to Tokyo straightaway. The president on day one of a whirlwind Asian tour, and our senior White House correspondent John King traveling with the president. Live from Tokyo, where it's well into the evening there on Friday.
John, good evening.
JOHN KING, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good evening to you, Bill.
Mr. Bush is here for only 17 hours. Just a short time ago, he wrapped up dinner with the Japanese prime minister. Mr. Bush and first lady Laura Bush coming out after that dinner.
No real in-depth questions anyway. But the president was asked what he thought of the dinner and how the relationship was. Let's listen in quickly to the president.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: He's a good friend. Very strong leader.
And the relationship between Japan and the United States is very good.
Thank you.
And the meal was great.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Part of the president's mission here is to clear up what is probably, in history, will be recorded as a minor diplomatic flap, but the Japanese took some offense to a description of this trip by the president's national security adviser Condoleezza Rice.
Let's listen to how she described the Tokyo stop just a few days ago.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CONDOLEEZZA RICE, NATL. SECURITY ADVISER: After a stop in California, the president and the first lady will arrive in Tokyo on Friday afternoon. During this layover, the president will meet and dine with Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi before departing Saturday morning for the Philippines. (END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Now, there's a reason -- a senior official on Air Force One rushed back on the plane to tell reporters trying to clean that up, said quote, "When you go to Japan, it is never a layover. This is one of our best friends, one of our best allies." It only is 17 hours here, but the Japanese consider it anything but a layover. Prime Minister Koizumi has pledged $1.5 billion for Iraq's reconstruction. He's considering offering a bigger package of $5 billion over several years.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Also, some demonstrations and some political opposition because the prime minister also is thinking about sending 1,000 Japanese troops to help out in post-war Iraq. So the Japanese would prefer to call this trip a thank you visit, not a layover. Mr. Bush, of course, saying the relationship is strong. In time, perhaps, this will all be forgotten. But a bit of a rough start to the president's Asia trip.
HEMMER: And a bit of a loss in translation as well. John King, thanks. John King, live in Tokyo, where it's evening 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 October 17, 2003 - 09:09 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: I want to get to Tokyo straightaway. The president on day one of a whirlwind Asian tour, and our senior White House correspondent John King traveling with the president. Live from Tokyo, where it's well into the evening there on Friday.
John, good evening.
JOHN KING, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good evening to you, Bill.
Mr. Bush is here for only 17 hours. Just a short time ago, he wrapped up dinner with the Japanese prime minister. Mr. Bush and first lady Laura Bush coming out after that dinner.
No real in-depth questions anyway. But the president was asked what he thought of the dinner and how the relationship was. Let's listen in quickly to the president.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: He's a good friend. Very strong leader.
And the relationship between Japan and the United States is very good.
Thank you.
And the meal was great.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Part of the president's mission here is to clear up what is probably, in history, will be recorded as a minor diplomatic flap, but the Japanese took some offense to a description of this trip by the president's national security adviser Condoleezza Rice.
Let's listen to how she described the Tokyo stop just a few days ago.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CONDOLEEZZA RICE, NATL. SECURITY ADVISER: After a stop in California, the president and the first lady will arrive in Tokyo on Friday afternoon. During this layover, the president will meet and dine with Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi before departing Saturday morning for the Philippines. (END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Now, there's a reason -- a senior official on Air Force One rushed back on the plane to tell reporters trying to clean that up, said quote, "When you go to Japan, it is never a layover. This is one of our best friends, one of our best allies." It only is 17 hours here, but the Japanese consider it anything but a layover. Prime Minister Koizumi has pledged $1.5 billion for Iraq's reconstruction. He's considering offering a bigger package of $5 billion over several years.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Also, some demonstrations and some political opposition because the prime minister also is thinking about sending 1,000 Japanese troops to help out in post-war Iraq. So the Japanese would prefer to call this trip a thank you visit, not a layover. Mr. Bush, of course, saying the relationship is strong. In time, perhaps, this will all be forgotten. But a bit of a rough start to the president's Asia trip.
HEMMER: And a bit of a loss in translation as well. John King, thanks. John King, live in Tokyo, where it's evening 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
