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American Morning
Interview with White House Communications Director
Aired January 20, 2004 - 07:37 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: As the Democrats turn their attention to New Hampshire, President Bush now putting the finishing touches on his address later tonight, the State of the Union in D.C.
A bit earlier today I talked with Dan Bartlett, White House communications director. Two years ago, the focus was the axis of evil. Last year it was Saddam Hussein. I asked Mr. Bartlett who's enemy number one this year.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAN BARTLETT, WHITE HOUSE COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR: What the president is going to talk about is the actions that we have taken to make the world safer. We've removed a threat in Iraq in Saddam Hussein. We're confronting the other big issues of national security concerns to make America safer. We're hunting down al Qaeda to make sure we protect America.
So there are many priorities to focus on our national security issues and the president's going to speak to all of them.
HEMMER: What about on the domestic front? Polling shows you're just about dead even with any Democratic candidate when it comes to any policy on this side of the world within the U.S. borders? How will that be addressed tonight?
BARTLETT: Well, President Bush is going to talk about how he and the Congress have worked together to achieve great goals. We've given the tax relief to the American people to get this economy growing. We've helped America's seniors by providing them with a prescription drug benefit. We've come to better -- together to work on important issues. And what he's going to say is let's not stop now, we have much more to do, let's focus on the rising cost of health care, let's focus on making sure that we make this economic recovery a lasting prosperity.
So there's plenty on the agenda for the American people to focus in on tonight. And the president's going to call on Congress to keep acting.
HEMMER: Mr. Bartlett, what about this, though, is there a percentage break down between what would be the focus, domestic policy or overseas?
BARTLETT: Well, we are a nation at war and it's important that the president, as commander-in-chief, talk to the country about the progress we're making in that war. We are also a nation that are meeting great change and challenges here at home, as our economy comes out of a recession, as our economy comes -- overcomes corporate scandals and terrorist attack.
So he's going to talk about how the fundamental strengths of this economy is headed in an optimistic, prosperous direction.
So it'll be equal attention to both.
HEMMER: What is being said today about what happened in Iowa last night?
BARTLETT: Well, we give our congratulations to Senator Kerry and also the surprising finish by Senator Edwards. It looks like we're just getting on this roller coaster. Remember, there are 17 contests over the course of the next five weeks. So there's plenty of opportunity for the Democrats to continue their debate within their own party. You see, they have a lot of disagreements amongst themselves and it'll be important for them to try to sort all that out over the course of the next month or two.
HEMMER: The State of the Union always comes in late January, but it doesn't always come the Tuesday after a hard fought Democratic battle in the caucuses in Iowa.
How much consideration was given to picking this particular Tuesday?
BARTLETT: Well, the president always addresses, or at least recently has addressed the American people towards the end of January. If it hadn't been this week, it would be next week and you'd be talking about why are you doing it on the night of New Hampshire or the night after.
They have so many primaries over the course of the next month, any day that we had picked would have been right around a primary. So what we did was work with the Congress to see when they were going to be returning and what made sense in that respect.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HEMMER: Dan Bartlett earlier today, live from the White House.
Later tonight, join our State of the Union coverage here. Complete coverage beginning at 8:00 Eastern time from D.C. And we'll have it all for you in prime time.
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 January 20, 2004 - 07:37 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: As the Democrats turn their attention to New Hampshire, President Bush now putting the finishing touches on his address later tonight, the State of the Union in D.C.
A bit earlier today I talked with Dan Bartlett, White House communications director. Two years ago, the focus was the axis of evil. Last year it was Saddam Hussein. I asked Mr. Bartlett who's enemy number one this year.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAN BARTLETT, WHITE HOUSE COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR: What the president is going to talk about is the actions that we have taken to make the world safer. We've removed a threat in Iraq in Saddam Hussein. We're confronting the other big issues of national security concerns to make America safer. We're hunting down al Qaeda to make sure we protect America.
So there are many priorities to focus on our national security issues and the president's going to speak to all of them.
HEMMER: What about on the domestic front? Polling shows you're just about dead even with any Democratic candidate when it comes to any policy on this side of the world within the U.S. borders? How will that be addressed tonight?
BARTLETT: Well, President Bush is going to talk about how he and the Congress have worked together to achieve great goals. We've given the tax relief to the American people to get this economy growing. We've helped America's seniors by providing them with a prescription drug benefit. We've come to better -- together to work on important issues. And what he's going to say is let's not stop now, we have much more to do, let's focus on the rising cost of health care, let's focus on making sure that we make this economic recovery a lasting prosperity.
So there's plenty on the agenda for the American people to focus in on tonight. And the president's going to call on Congress to keep acting.
HEMMER: Mr. Bartlett, what about this, though, is there a percentage break down between what would be the focus, domestic policy or overseas?
BARTLETT: Well, we are a nation at war and it's important that the president, as commander-in-chief, talk to the country about the progress we're making in that war. We are also a nation that are meeting great change and challenges here at home, as our economy comes out of a recession, as our economy comes -- overcomes corporate scandals and terrorist attack.
So he's going to talk about how the fundamental strengths of this economy is headed in an optimistic, prosperous direction.
So it'll be equal attention to both.
HEMMER: What is being said today about what happened in Iowa last night?
BARTLETT: Well, we give our congratulations to Senator Kerry and also the surprising finish by Senator Edwards. It looks like we're just getting on this roller coaster. Remember, there are 17 contests over the course of the next five weeks. So there's plenty of opportunity for the Democrats to continue their debate within their own party. You see, they have a lot of disagreements amongst themselves and it'll be important for them to try to sort all that out over the course of the next month or two.
HEMMER: The State of the Union always comes in late January, but it doesn't always come the Tuesday after a hard fought Democratic battle in the caucuses in Iowa.
How much consideration was given to picking this particular Tuesday?
BARTLETT: Well, the president always addresses, or at least recently has addressed the American people towards the end of January. If it hadn't been this week, it would be next week and you'd be talking about why are you doing it on the night of New Hampshire or the night after.
They have so many primaries over the course of the next month, any day that we had picked would have been right around a primary. So what we did was work with the Congress to see when they were going to be returning and what made sense in that respect.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HEMMER: Dan Bartlett earlier today, live from the White House.
Later tonight, join our State of the Union coverage here. Complete coverage beginning at 8:00 Eastern time from D.C. And we'll have it all for you in prime time.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
