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CNN Live Event/Special

America Recovers: President Bush Travels to New York City

Aired October 03, 2001 - 06:19   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.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: President Bush is going to be going to New York today. He's going to be making his second visit there since the terrorist attacks, and he plans to meet with business leaders and with Mayor Rudy Giuliani while he is there.

Let's get the latest on today's trip from CNN's Major Garrett. He checks in this morning from the White House.

Hi, Major.

MAJOR GARRETT, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Leon.

The president will return to this city where the Twin Towers fell to try to address the twin traumas that are still gripping that city and much of the nation: one economic, one emotional. On the economic front, the president will meet with 30 business leaders from around the country to talk about how to deal with the economic trauma the country has suffered since September 11. The president's economic advisers readily acknowledge the country was in a sagging and depressed economic situation before the attacks that's even worse now. The president's trying to understand how best to deal with that.

He said yesterday he wants a stimulus package passed through Congress that tries to increase consumer and business demand but does not create future deficits that could raise long-term interest rates. That's going to be a tricky proposition, senior economic advisers to the president readily concede.

On the emotional front, the president will meet with children at Public School 130 in New York to try to help them understand what happened -- try to deal with some of the emotional trauma they're feeling. The first lady has said that's a very important function for parents, for legislators, for leaders around the country. The president's going to try to do his part. And in some small way, Leon, that brings full circle one particular thread of this story. You'll remember on September 11 when the president first received the news about the second tower being struck by a commercial airliner he was sitting with children in an elementary school in Sarasota, Florida, teaching them to read -- Leon.

HARRIS: I remember that, Major. We were covering that event live, as a matter of fact. Remember that he had to cut his remarks short and leave immediately. Thank you very much. Major Garrett at the White House this morning.

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