Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Sunday Morning

Bush Honors Veterans Day in New York

Aired November 11, 2001 - 09:16   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.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: Veterans Day comes exactly two months after the terror attacks on New York and the Pentagon and, of course, the downing of the airliner in Pennsylvania should not be forgotten as well. President Bush is in New York marking the holiday and the horror of 9/11.

White House correspondent Kelly Wallace comes to us from Manhattan.

Good morning to you, Kelly.

KELLY WALLACE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Marty.

And President Bush taking time to remember those who lost their lives in America's war, and those who definitely are on the front lines in this battle against terrorism overseas, and also here in the United States.

Just a very short time ago, the president at the New York Armory, standing in front of a huge American flag, joined by a who's-who when it comes to New York dignitaries, including New York City Mayor-elect Michael Bloomberg and New York's current Mayor Rudy Giuliani.

The president taking time to say that now people have different views of police officers, firefighters, postal workers. He said people also have a different view of the military following the September 11 terrorist attacks.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: In a time of war, we look a little differently at our veterans, too. We pay tributes on Veterans Day today, and they're made with a little greater feeling because Americans have seen the terrible harm that an enemy can inflict.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WALLACE: And Mr. Bush just a short time from now will be doing more coalition building in this international fight against terrorism, meeting with the leaders of South Africa, Argentina and Columbia.

And then what is expected to be a very poignant ceremony, the president heading back to the scene of the World Trade Center disaster for an observance. The names of the some 80 countries who lost citizens in the September 11 attacks will be read aloud, and we understand each country which lost citizens, it's flags will be represented.

Senior administration officials say it's been a big challenge for them to make the case that this is not just America's fight against terrorism, that it is a worldwide fight. And they think the pictures we see today, all of those flags and all the names of the countries, will definitely send a very strong message to the international community that this, again, is a worldwide fight against terrorism.

Now of course, yesterday President Bush meeting with Pakistan's President General Pervez Musharraf. At that time, President Bush making it clear, sending a message to the Northern Alliance rebels that they should not go ahead and try and capture Afghanistan's capital city of Kabul. The president saying there needs to be a power-sharing government in the capitol city where all ethnic groups are represented; that will be the best way to insure a peaceful and stable Afghanistan once the Taliban is ousted.

And we understand, Condoleezza Rice, the president's national security adviser, who is appearing on CNN's "LATE EDITION" later today, was asked about this very subject.

Here's what Dr. Rice had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CONDOLEEZZA RICE, NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: Members of the Northern Alliance have said that they understand that Kabul is going to have to be a city that represents what Afghanistan is going to be in the future, and that is a place that is representative of all the different elements of Afghan society. And so, how Kabul precisely plays out, we will see; but I think everybody believes that the future here, a stable Afghanistan.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WALLACE: And Marty, as you know, the administration certainly facing some challenges on the military front, but major challenges on the political front, trying to get such a coalition power-sharing government together. It will certainly be an uphill climb for the U.S.-led campaign.

Marty, back to you.

SAVIDGE: It most certainly will, Kelly, in the weeks ahead. Thank you very much. Kelly Wallace reporting to us from New York, following the movements of the president today.

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