Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Saturday Morning News

Bush Applauds Installation of New Government in Afghanistan

Aired December 22, 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.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: In the United States, the Bush administration is monitoring the political turning point in Afghanistan. But President Bush also found time to participate in a very important U.S. event: the Olympic torch relay. We all got to watch, and along with CNN's Kelly Wallace. She's at the White House, and it was pretty emotional and pretty awesome.

Hi, Kelly.

KELLY WALLACE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hello to you, Kyra.

Exactly, pretty emotional and pretty awesome, no doubt. The administration, though, also welcoming the developments in Afghanistan, Kyra. This administration certainly has viewed the end, the official end, of the Afghanistan ruling Taliban regime and the installation of a new Afghan government as one of the main successes so far in this campaign against terrorism. Administration officials especially heartened that the new 30-member government will include all ethnic groups in Afghanistan and will also include two women.

So the administration certainly welcoming the developments on this day.

And Kyra, yes, as you mentioned, President Bush, who at this hour is en route to the presidential retreat at Camp David, where he will spend the holiday weekend, a short time ago. And as you see, live pictures of Marine One getting ready to lift off here, the reflecting pool on the Washington Mall, the president will chopper the short trip to the presidential retreat in the Maryland mountains where he and the first lady and also the president's father, the former president, and Barbara Bush and other family members will be gathering for the holiday weekend and for Christmas before the Bushes on Wednesday head to Texas for the rest of the holiday.

Well, earlier, as we mentioned, the president hosting a very emotional ceremony here on the South Lawn of the White House in honor of the Olympic Games, the Winter Olympic Games, but also the September 11 attacks.

You see the president there. He is shaking hands with Eric Jones, he's a local college student. Eric Jones actually was the runner who carried the torch out of the White House. Eric Jones after the attack on the Pentagon, a local college student here. He headed to the Pentagon to work for four straight days to try to rescue victims and help in recovery operations. And then after that he drove up to New York City, where he helped for 10 days, again in rescue and recovery operations.

It was some moment we all watched together as Eric Jones carried that torch from the South Lawn, and then that torch is now making its way to Baltimore. Do not see that there, but the woman standing with President Bush there, Elizabeth Anderson Howell, and she was the runner who actually carried the torch onto the South Lawn, and she lost her husband, Brady, in the September 11 on the Pentagon.

The president in his remarks noting the courage and compassion of Eric Jones and Elizabeth Anderson Howell in talking about how the whole country is really recognizing at this time those who lost loved ones in the attacks and all those who volunteered to help those in need.

And Kyra, there is another issue, the president, a very weighty issue, no doubt, the president will be thinking about over the holidays, and that is what to do about John Walker. He is the 20- year-old American allegedly who was fighting with the Taliban in Afghanistan. Walker currently being held in the custody of U.S. military officials on a U.S. Navy ship in the Arabian Sea.

There is a report in today's "New York Times" quoting unnamed administration officials who say Walker will likely face one charge that could carry the death penalty. But I talked to some White House officials who are really cautioning against any speculation. They say President Bush has not made any decision, nothing is ruled in, ruled out, at this point in time.

The president told us as much yesterday in the Oval Office. But he also had some strong words about John Walker, and for the first time linking him to the al Qaeda terrorist network.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I've tasked the National Security Council to work up a strategy on how to deal with each and every person that we capture. And obviously Walker's unique in that he's the first American al Qaeda fighter that we have captured. And we will announce to the country when we have made up our mind on all, on how to deal with the wide variety of cases. Walker himself is being well treated on a ship of ours. He is -- we suspect he's finding his berth a little better than it was when he was placed in the prison in Afghanistan.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WALLACE: The president also told us yesterday that Walker's attorney had been in touch with the administration. In fact, we did understand that the attorney did contact the White House counsel, Alberto Gonzalez, earlier in the week to have a brief discussion.

And Kyra, as for a timetable on when the president will unveil his decision about what to do with John Walker, we just don't know. Guidance is it could come at any time, but not likely next week, probably sometime beyond that.

Kyra, back to you.

PHILLIPS: All right, live from the White House, our CNN's Kelly Wallace. Thanks, Kelly.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com