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CNN Saturday Morning News

Bush to Spotlight Domestic Issues

Aired November 24, 2001 - 09:11   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.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: President Bush is monitoring developments on Afghanistan from the presidential retreat at Camp David, but when he returns to Washington, he plans to put the spotlight on domestic issues.

And CNN's Kelly Wallace is joining us now live near Camp David. Good morning to you, Kelly.

KELLY WALLACE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Catherine, and a belated happy Thanksgiving to you.

You are right, the president definitely continuing to monitor developments from the presidential retreat about the situation in Afghanistan. He will be getting his daily intelligence briefing today, and then enjoying some downtime with his family. Catherine, so far no official reaction from the White House to what CNN has been reporting, hundreds of Afghan fighters surrendering near the city of Konduz.

The big concern on the part of the administration continues to be about the foreign fighters, the Pakistanis, the Arabs, the Chechens, aligned with the Taliban. In fact, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld saying the day before Thanksgiving that it would be, quote, "unacceptable" to allow those fighters to leave the country, and, in the secretary's words, "to bring terror to other parts of the world."

Now, Catherine, of course, as you mentioned, Mr. Bush switching gears a bit and focusing on domestic issues next week. He will be calling on Congress to get a bill to his desk in days to give a boost to the sagging economy. And Republicans say the president should start using some of the political capital he has to get the tax cuts he wants.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(voice-over): President Bush, out of sight since arriving at Camp David Wednesday afternoon, will try to step up the pressure on Congress next week to stimulate the economy. That's welcome news to Republican leaders, who believe the administration needs to spell out what's acceptable and what's not.

SEN. TRENT LOTT (R-MS), MINORITY LEADER: I have encouraged the White House officials this past Friday to get more aggressive in that area. I believe they will. WALLACE: Congressional Republicans are pressing the president not to give in to Democrats who want more federal spending and fewer tax breaks for businesses. Republicans saying Mr. Bush should start using the clout that comes with an approval rating of 87 percent, according to the most recent Gallup poll.

STUART ROTHENBERG, "ROTHENBERG POLITICAL REPORT": Conservatives are certainly whining about the president's behavior, and I think they're trying to convey to the White House that they think that he should be more aggressive in pursuing a conservative agenda.

WALLACE: Conservatives don't want to see a repeat of the airline security debate. Some believe the president's chief of staff, Andrew Card, undermined House Republicans when he said the president, if necessary, would sign the Senate measure, even though it calls for a complete federal takeover of airport baggage and passenger screeners, which he opposed.

ARI FLEISCHER, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: Obviously the chief of staff spoke accurately for the president when he said that. The president just signed it.

WALLACE: That bill, viewed as a victory for Democrats, requires that airport screeners become federal employees for at least three years.

In the weeks ahead, the president will also push Congress on education, his faith-based agenda, and a plan to boost domestic oil production.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WALLACE: And the delicate balancing act the president faces, how much negotiating and how much demanding to do. Mr. Bush certainly knows he needs to keep conservatives happy, but he also knows if he appears too partisan, that sky-high approval rating stemming from the war against terrorism will begin to fade.

Catherine, back to you.

CALLAWAY: All right, CNN's Kelly Wallace, thanks, Kelly.

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