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CNN Live Sunday

White House Turns Up Heat on Congress on Iraq Issue

Aired September 15, 2002 - 18:16   ET

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

CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: The Bush administration is turning up the heat on Congress regarding Iraq, hinting that if lawmakers don't get in line, they may pay a political price. CNN's Kathleen Koch has that story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The president took the first shot Friday.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I can't imagine an elected United States elected member of the United States Senate or House of Representatives saying, I think I'm going to wait for the United Nations to make a decision.

KOCH: Sunday, his national security adviser and top Republicans followed up prodding Congress to vote before the U.N. on the potential use of military force against Iraq.

CONDOLEEZZA RICE, NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: I can't believe that the American Congress wants to be behind the power curve on this.

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: I think that the American people need to know how their elected representatives stand on this very critical issue of war and peace.

KOCH: Top Democrats fired back that the timing smacks of politics.

SEN. JOHN KERRY (D), MASSACHUSETTS: Now that they've done it in the month before elections, they've put this into a political context that becomes dangerous for their own goals.

SEN. HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON (D), NEW YORK: I certainly don't think that the president would do that. There might be some around him who would engage in that, and it shouldn't be permitted. This is a serious national security issue.

SEN. TOM DASCHLE (D-SD), MAJORITY LEADER: We need to ensure that we have all the facts as we write it. That's all we've asked from the beginning.

KOCH: So the administration promised more facts to bolster its case.

POWELL: We will put out more documents. We put out one document this past week. The British will be putting out a document. I think there's more than enough information out there to satisfy anybody who is interested with respect to the nature of this threat and why this is not a matter we can look away from.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KOCH: Some in the Senate say the most likely move before lawmakers head home next month to campaign is a resolution urging U.N. action that would show support for President Bush without taking the more politically risky step, Carol, of voting to put U.S. troops in harm's way.

LIN: Interesting. All right, thank you very much, Kathleen Koch, reporting live there from Washington.

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