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CNN Sunday Morning

Pentagon Creating Single Command for Homeland Defense.

Aired January 27, 2002 - 08:46   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.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: As we told you earlier, the Pentagon reportedly is trying to create a single new command to coordinate the nation's homeland defense. That's according to "The Washington Post." Meantime, President Bush is working to double spending on homeland security. CNN's John King with more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN KING, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It is a sign of the times: security, a new benchmark on discussing the state of the union. More alert without question, and in the president's view, more secure, but more to be done.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: You know, the intentions of the enemy are to hit us again. And I make a vow every morning that I will do everything in my power and encourage those of us in positions of responsibility not to let that happen.

KING: Homeland security will be a central theme of the president's state of the union address. Mr. Bush will propose doubling the $20 billion being spent this year on the domestic front of the war on terrorism. New training, equipment and communication systems for police, fire and emergency medical squads. More spending on border and port security. And new money to fight bioterrorism, including more research and more drug stock piles.

The changes are just beginning, but already dramatic. National Guard troops at airports, fighter jets patrolling domestic airspace. Outside the White House, decoy helicopters to protect the president. And inside, a new agency and a new urgency.

(on camera): The president created the Homeland Security office in the wake of the September 11th attacks to lead the war on terrorism here at home.

(voice-over): The new emphasis on improving security doesn't come cheap. The four-month tab for combat air controls by the Air National Guard is $500 million, not to mention the strain on planes and personnel. New perimeters at ports and power plants are draining budgets already strained by a recession. The National Governor's Association says the state's tab for homeland security is at least $5 billion, and rising fast. And the U.S. Conference of Mayors estimates the cost to cities will be at least $2.6 billion by the end of this year. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Our educational process, from our after school programming, and also our healthcare. I mean, we're taking it from other places to pay this -- these costs, and that's unfortunate.

KING: The administration promises more federal money is coming. Harder to measure is the cost of a changing lifestyle. What the vice president calls, "the new normalcy." A national crisis that touches even the national past-time.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's discouraging. We're used to being in such an open society where you can go anywhere without having to go through police checkpoints. Because of what the terrorists did to us on September 11th, I'm afraid that's changed perhaps forever.

KING: John King, CNN, the White House.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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