Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Sunday Morning

White House to Step Up `War of Words'

Aired November 04, 2001 - 09:18   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.
JEANNE MESERVE, CNN ANCHOR: Pakistan's president says he won't press the United States to end its military campaign during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, but President Musharraf says he would prefer the military campaign end before then. It is just one of the tough issues facing President Bush as he spends this weekend at Camp David.

CNN White House correspondent Kelly Wallace joins us live from near the presidential retreat in Maryland -- Kelly.

KELLY WALLACE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well Jeanne, President Bush made it clear Friday that there would be no scaling back of the military campaign during Ramadan. But as you noted, definitely one of the many challenges facing the president, because there are some Arab and Muslim nations very concerned about any action, any fighting, any bombing going on during the holy Muslim month.

Now Mr. Bush consulted with his National Security Council yesterday from Camp David, after what can be described as a somewhat difficult week for the Bush White House. Continued questions about the progress of the military campaign, with the Taliban still in control of Afghanistan, Osama bin Laden still in hiding; also, some questions about the administration's handling of homeland security issues and how to best communicate to the American people the possibility of future terrorist attacks.

Well, look for the president this week to really deliver almost a stepped up public relations offensive. He will be giving a series of speeches, including one on Tuesday via satellite to a conference on combating terrorism gathered in Warsaw, Poland.

On Thursday he will be delivering a primetime speech outside Washington. This to the American people to talk about homeland security issues, the nature of the threat and the U.S. response. And then this whole week culminating on Saturday in what is being described as a major foreign policy address, President Bush's first speech as president to the United Nations.

Now, other challenges facing President Bush, concerns in Arab and Muslim nations and even in some European nations about the progress of the military campaign and some civilian casualties in Afghanistan.

And then another concern -- a concern that the administration may be falling behind in the war of words and in the battle for the hearts and minds of Arabs and Muslims. In fact, some analysts saying that the administration needs to do a much better job explaining what this campaign is all about, noting some editorial writers in the Middle East, parts of Southeast Asia, starting to describe the United States as a self-absorbed, giant bully, and not as a country acting in self defense.

Jeanne, as you know, the administration taking some steps to deal with these concerns, setting up so-called war rooms at the White House, links to one in London; and soon there will be an office up and running in Islamabad, Pakistan. Again, the hope is to try and do a better job, aides say, of getting the U.S. message out, particularly to Arabs and Muslims -- Jeanne.

MESERVE: Kelly Wallace near the presidential retreat at Camp David, thank you.

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