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CNN Saturday Morning News
D.C. Mayor Discusses Security Implications for the Nation's Capital
Aired September 29, 2001 - 11:16 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.
JOHN KING, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: It is hard to go barely a block now in the nation's capitol without seeing some impact, some immediate legacy of the events of September 11 -- increased security, streets closed, Reagan National Airport still closed.
Joining us now to discuss the impact on the city and the plans looking ahead, Washington, D.C. Mayor Anthony Williams. Sir, thank you very much for joining us this morning.
MAYOR ANTHONY WILLIAMS, WASHINGTON, D.C.: Thanks for having me.
KING: Start, if you can, with the economic impact on Washington. Reagan National Airport closed. If you take a walk by the Mall or the museums nowadays, not that many people.
WILLIAMS: Well, the impact at Reagan National has been tremendous, because we are trying to send the message that we can balance public security, public safety, public order with an open city that's free for commerce and recreation and visitation. And it's hard to have an open city when your front door, which is Reagan National, is closed.
Big drop in tourism on the Mall. Drop in hotel bookings. We fear potentially a drop in convention bookings. Haven't seen that yet, I am very happy the congressional black caucus continued its weekend here. Big drop in restaurants. All the support services -- the list goes on and on.
We have got to send a message that wear that t-shirt with the patriotic message, but come to Washington and see history live right here. You can see the White House, see the Capitol, see the Jefferson Memorial, see our neighborhood where American history was made.
KING: The president is still debating whether to reopen National Airport. What is your sense of what is the key point? Why are they hung up?
WILLIAMS: Well, it's really the host of security issues that have to be worked out. I believe that they feel -- they have heard very powerfully from all of us and feel strongly that there are obvious economic reasons to open it, there are obvious symbolic reasons for opening it, that this capital was opened, that air traffic is safe. You can't send those message with Reagan closed.
But they have got to work through security issues, and I am hopeful, very, very hopeful, that they will be worked through and we will get an announcement soon.
KING: When this president took office, you were hopeful that perhaps Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the White House could be reopened to commercial vehicle traffic, to tourist traffic, vehicle traffic. Now we see more streets closed down around the Capitol building, around the White House periodically as well. This city forever changed by this?
WILLIAMS: This city has been changed. We have to be a prepared city. We have to be a secured city. We have to have -- we have to be joined at the hip with the federal government. But, as Newt Gingrich said in the column this week in "The Washington Post," we are a democratic city, we are a symbol of open democracy, and that means we are an open city, and we are going to balance risk, we are going to balance between public order and American liberty.
And that means that our public officials are open to the people. There are risks attached to that, but the benefits gained by that, the message, the powerful message it sends, I think far outweighs it.
KING: One of the big debates now is what's call homeland security. Increased cooperation among the federal agencies, but also the state and local governments. What lessons has the District of Columbia learned from this, in terms of your police, your fire, emergency response efforts? What is being done now because of what happened on September 11?
WILLIAMS: Well, we have got an emergency response plan. We are updating it in important areas, such as public communication and important areas, very important vital coordination consultation, preparation with a federal government. Before any plans for -- before any announcements for evacuation are made that we are joined at the hip in that exercise.
Working with our region is very important, because we are -- to give you an example, we are the second most congested traffic area in the country. It's not something we brag about, but it's true. So we have got to work with the region as well in all of these exercises.
KING: District of Columbia Mayor Anthony Williams, thank you for joining us this morning.
WILLIAMS: Thank you.
KING: Sir, many challenges, obviously, in the weeks and months ahead.
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