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CNN Saturday Morning News

Bush Delivers Radio Address

Aired November 24, 2001 - 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.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: We are waiting now for President Bush's radio address. We're going to take you to CNN White House correspondent Kelly Wallace. She's near Camp David where of course, the president spent the long holiday weekend -- Kelly.

KELLY WALLACE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Catherine, look for the president, in his radio address, this being the Thanksgiving day holiday weekend, to talk about what Americans have to be thankful for, following the September 11 attacks. Also, look for the president to warn Americans again that the most difficult of the military campaign in Afghanistan is still ahead.

Let's go now to Mr. Bush, again at the presidential retreat at Camp David.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: This holiday season, Americans have much to be thankful for. We're thankful for the character of our fellow citizens who are flying flags and donating to charity and comforting those who grieve. Americans have aided the families of victims and the starving children of Afghanistan half a world away. This country has a good and generous heart.

We're thankful for the decency of the American people who have stood for the American tradition of tolerance and religious liberty, a tradition that is welcomed and protected generations of immigrants from every faith and background.

We are thankful for new heroes, police officers and firefighters and emergency workers, who have renewed our respect for public service and provided lasting lessons in courage. We're thankful for the men and women of our military who are defending our lives and liberty with such skill, honor and success. We are thankful, this year, even more intensely for our lives and our families and the love of those around us.

Americans are remembering what really matters. Holding our children more closely, giving them more time. And we're thankful to God who turned suffering into strength and grief into grace.

Offering thanks in the midst of tragedy is an American tradition perhaps because in times of testing, our dependence on God is so clear. The Pilgrims gave thanks even after the many deaths of a bitter winter. Abraham Lincoln proclaimed days of national Thanksgiving even during a bloody civil war. Lincoln asked God to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as it may be consistent with the divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility. We pray for this goal and we work for it.

In America, blessings are meant to be shared and our Thanksgiving is revealed in concern for others. At this season, Laura and I hope you will find ways to reach out and share your blessings and talents in your own communities. Tutor or mentor a child. Volunteer in a hospital. Support our troops by becoming active in the USO. Comfort those who feel afraid. Show your kindness to a Muslim neighbor. Help someone in need of shelter or food or words of hope. And continue to pray for America.

We will face difficult times ahead. The fight we have begun will not end quickly or easily finished. Our enemies hide and plot in many nations. They are devious and ruthless. Yet, we are confident in the justice of our cause. We will fight for as long as it takes and we will prevail.

May God grant us patience, resolve and wisdom in all that is to come. Happy Thanksgiving and thank you for listening.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

WALLACE: And there of course, you hear the president, of course, talking about what Americans have to be thankful for, saluting the police officers, firefighters, members of the military and also every day Americans helping out in their communities and comforting loved ones who lost loved ones in the World Trade Center and Pentagon disasters on September 11 as well as the crash, of course, of that Pennsylvania plane.

Again, as we noted, the big message coming from the president at the end, warning Americans. He said -- quote -- "We will face difficult times ahead. The fight we have begun will not end quickly." It will not be easily finished. The president definitely alerting Americans that the next phase in Afghanistan, as members of the military try to find Osama bin Laden and members of his al Qaeda network, that it wont' be easy and that it could represent the greatest risk for American forces.

And Catherine, you also heard the president say that terrorists aren't just in Afghanistan that they hide out in other nations. That's another message we've heard from the president over these past few days, that this campaign won't just be limited to Afghanistan, that the president will go after and the U.S. will go after terrorists in other parts of the world -- Catherine.

CALLAWAY: Indeed, it seems he is preparing us, or indicating of what is to come. I know we didn't hear anything from him about the situation in Afghanistan in that that -- in his address, but certainly, he knows of the Taliban surrenders that are under way now in Konduz and Mazar-e-Sharif today. Any word from anyone in the administration on those? WALLACE: Yes, Catherine. No official reaction just yet. The president definitely getting his daily intelligence briefing. This morning, certainly, going over the rapidly changing developments on the ground. The big concern though, continues to be on the part of the White House about the foreign fighters aligned with the Taliban. You have Arabs, Pakistanis, Chechens who are fighting alongside the Taliban soldiers. And the big concern on the part of the administration is making sure that those foreign fighters are not able to leave Afghanistan.

As we reported earlier, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld noting the day before Thanksgiving, he said it would be -- quote -- "unacceptable if those soldiers would be able to leave Afghanistan" and in the Secretary's words, "bring terror to other parts of the world." So definitely, something the administration watching very, very closely and wanting to make sure that any of those foreign fighters will remain in Afghanistan. And as the Northern Alliance troops have said, they would face justice in that country there -- Catherine.

CALLAWAY: Kelly, is the president planning on staying at Camp David throughout the holiday weekend?

WALLACE: He is enjoying a little more down time with this family today and then tomorrow, he will be remaining at Camp David, heading back to the White House tomorrow night.

CALLAWAY: He has a busy week ahead of him next week, right? All right...

WALLACE: Yes, he does.

CALLAWAY: Thanks, Kelly.

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