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CNN Sunday Morning

Bush to Attend Church Service at Ft. Hood

Aired April 20, 2003 - 10:05   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.


FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Before President Bush has that meeting with those former POWs, he will be attending a church service at Ft. Hood, as Jamie was explaining.
Our Suzanne Malveaux is tracking the developments in the agenda of the president this Easter Sunday -- Suzanne.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, good morning, Fredricka. President Bush, as was just noted, is going to be celebrating the Easter holiday with American soldiers.

He is going to be traveling to Ft. Hood, Texas, a little bit later this morning. He is going to be attending a church service with the soldiers, and also the White House confirming this morning that he is going to be meeting privately with the two POWs, Williams and Young.

It is going to be a private meeting, quietly, away from the other troops.

You may recall that it was January 3 is the last time that the president went to Ft. Hood. It was of course a very different time back then.

That's when he was trying to prepare the soldiers and the country for the possibility that we would be going to war with Iraq.

As you know, Ft. Hood very significant. There's some 42,000 troops there. Half of those troops are now inside of Iraq and the president this weekend, also yesterday in his weekly radio address wanted to thank the soldiers, their families, and let them know that he recognizes their sacrifices and wants to thank them.

(BEGIN AUDIO TAPE)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: America mourns those who have been called home and we pray that their families will find God's comfort and God's grace. His purposes are not always clear to us, yet the season brings a promise that good can come out of evil, that hope can arise from despair, and that all our grief will some day turn to joy, a joy that can never be taken away.

(END AUDIO TAPE)

MALVEAUX: And, Fred, later this morning he's going to be returning back to the ranch. He's going to spend the holiday with his parents, as well as the close staff and other family members.

Also we are learning this morning that Australia's foreign minister Alexander Downer said that yes, U.S. and coalition forces are now preparing to proclaim some sort of victory, that they're preparing a statement that will be delivered in the days to come -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: And on that topic of Iraq and the developments there, Suzanne, any response coming from the White House as there is some renewed or refreshed kind of criticism coming from reports that there will be four U.S. military bases throughout Iraq and that perhaps this defies any plan of any kind of quick withdrawal that the U.S. had originally announced?

MALVEAUX: Well as Barbara Starr, Pentagon reporter, stated earlier today, that this is something that the administration, of course, is looking at all of this options.

The White House not responding to that criticism that you talked about but that of course all along that they would have some sort of changed relationship inside of Iraq with the Middle East that there would be some sort of military presence at the same time while there's a possibility of setting up some sort of access, not necessarily permanent basing but access in that area, they would also be downgrading some of the troops taking them out of the region in other areas but certainly big changes that are going to occur in the region and still all of that to be worked out -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right, Suzanne Malveaux traveling with the president in Crawford, Texas, 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






Aired April 20, 2003 - 10:05   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Before President Bush has that meeting with those former POWs, he will be attending a church service at Ft. Hood, as Jamie was explaining.
Our Suzanne Malveaux is tracking the developments in the agenda of the president this Easter Sunday -- Suzanne.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, good morning, Fredricka. President Bush, as was just noted, is going to be celebrating the Easter holiday with American soldiers.

He is going to be traveling to Ft. Hood, Texas, a little bit later this morning. He is going to be attending a church service with the soldiers, and also the White House confirming this morning that he is going to be meeting privately with the two POWs, Williams and Young.

It is going to be a private meeting, quietly, away from the other troops.

You may recall that it was January 3 is the last time that the president went to Ft. Hood. It was of course a very different time back then.

That's when he was trying to prepare the soldiers and the country for the possibility that we would be going to war with Iraq.

As you know, Ft. Hood very significant. There's some 42,000 troops there. Half of those troops are now inside of Iraq and the president this weekend, also yesterday in his weekly radio address wanted to thank the soldiers, their families, and let them know that he recognizes their sacrifices and wants to thank them.

(BEGIN AUDIO TAPE)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: America mourns those who have been called home and we pray that their families will find God's comfort and God's grace. His purposes are not always clear to us, yet the season brings a promise that good can come out of evil, that hope can arise from despair, and that all our grief will some day turn to joy, a joy that can never be taken away.

(END AUDIO TAPE)

MALVEAUX: And, Fred, later this morning he's going to be returning back to the ranch. He's going to spend the holiday with his parents, as well as the close staff and other family members.

Also we are learning this morning that Australia's foreign minister Alexander Downer said that yes, U.S. and coalition forces are now preparing to proclaim some sort of victory, that they're preparing a statement that will be delivered in the days to come -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: And on that topic of Iraq and the developments there, Suzanne, any response coming from the White House as there is some renewed or refreshed kind of criticism coming from reports that there will be four U.S. military bases throughout Iraq and that perhaps this defies any plan of any kind of quick withdrawal that the U.S. had originally announced?

MALVEAUX: Well as Barbara Starr, Pentagon reporter, stated earlier today, that this is something that the administration, of course, is looking at all of this options.

The White House not responding to that criticism that you talked about but that of course all along that they would have some sort of changed relationship inside of Iraq with the Middle East that there would be some sort of military presence at the same time while there's a possibility of setting up some sort of access, not necessarily permanent basing but access in that area, they would also be downgrading some of the troops taking them out of the region in other areas but certainly big changes that are going to occur in the region and still all of that to be worked out -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right, Suzanne Malveaux traveling with the president in Crawford, Texas, 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