Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Saturday Morning News

Bush on Way to Camp David to Meet With Italian Prime Minister

Aired September 14, 2002 - 08:33   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

CHARLES MOLINEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Let's go now to the White House. Marine One is on the lawn and President Bush is on his way out. He's on his way to Camp David, actually. He's going to be meeting with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlesconi, talking about the war on terrorism.
White House correspondent Kelly Wallace is there right now -- Kelly.

KELLY WALLACE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Charles, I can tell you White House aides are feeling very good. They feel the president made a strong case to the international community at the United Nations to deal with Saddam Hussein. And on this day, as you said, he will be doing more consultations, meeting with more allies, hosting the Italian prime minister at the presidential retreat at Camp David.

You'll recall it was just a week ago last Saturday when he hosted British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Now, the Italian prime minister is a strong supporter of President Bush's in Europe, although he has said that when it comes to dealing with Saddam Hussein, this administration, the world community must work through the United Nations.

You see the president there waving off, Mrs. Bush joining him. You saw Condoleezza Rice, the president's national security adviser, Andy Card, White House chief of staff.

The president's message, we heard him say it yesterday, he says he is highly doubtful that Saddam Hussein will ultimately comply with U.N. demands to disarm. The president seeming to indicate that he believes eventually military action will be necessary to deal with the Iraqi leader. And that was a message coming from Vice President Cheney. He said that this president has made it clear he will deal with Saddam Hussein if the international community chooses not to. And he expressed that message in an interview with Robert Novak for a special program, the 20th anniversary edition of "Novak, Hunt & Shields."

MOLINEAUX: OK, thank you.

Kelly Wallace at the White House.

Of course, we're going to keep our eye on that, as well as what's going on in Copenhagen, Denmark, because Attorney General Ashcroft is there. He's going to be meeting with ministers of justice as well as interior ministers from around the European Union, talking about the fight against terrorism. We're going to be standing by for the latest from there.

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