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CNN Live Sunday
Bush Will Deliver Televised Address Tomorrow
Aired October 06, 2002 - 18:13 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.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Tomorrow evening, President Bush plans to deliver a televised speech promoting his effort to take military action against Iraq. His plan, however, is still failing to win over many Democrats and much of the public he plans to address. White House Correspondent Kelly Wallace has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KELLY WALLACE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): President Bush back at the White House putting the finishing touches on his Monday night address. Aides say he will make the case to the American people and the Congress for a possible war with Iraq and answer questions, such as why now, something prominent Democrat Senator Ted Kennedy argues the president has failed to do.
SEN. EDWARD KENNEDY (D), MASSACHUSETTS: What we are asking in the Congress, what has changed in the last several months that makes this an immediate threat and that case has not been made.
WALLACE: Thousands who turned out in New York's Central Park agree demonstrating against any military invasion of Iraq. But that view is not shared by most lawmakers as Congress prepares to vote on an historic war powers resolution.
SEN. TRENT LOTT (R-MS), MINORITY LEADER: I don't think there's any doubt that the House and then the Senate in overwhelming votes will pass the resolution giving the president the authority he needs to use force if it is necessary as a last resort.
WALLACE: Still the Senate Democratic leader says he will try to narrow the president's authority to wage war.
SEN. TOM DASCHLE (D-SD), MAJORITY LEADER: Most of us want to make sure that we clarify the purpose of the use of force as to eliminate weapons of mass destruction.
WALLACE: In Iraq, a show of force. Thousands turn out north of Baghdad for a military parade while the Iraqi government signals a possible shift on its willingness to allow U.N. inspectors access to Iraq's eight presidential complexes.
MOHAMMED ALDOURI, IRAQI AMBASSADOR TO U.N.: I don't think that we would have problem on that question, on that issue. Certainly, we can accommodate ourselves with the U.N. to have free access to residential sites.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WALLACE: The timing of the president's speech is significant, coming on the one-year anniversary of the military campaign against Afghanistan, the president hoping his words convince the American people and skeptical allies that Iraq should be the next focus of the war on terror -- Carol.
LIN: Kelly, on another matter, has the president or any of his staff had a chance to take a look or listen or at least read the transcripts from these new bin Laden tapes that are allegedly Osama talking on television?
WALLACE: Exactly. It doesn't appear so, no immediate reaction just yet. U.S. officials say they're aware of the reports, aware of the tape, and of course they are looking at it and will examine the broadcast. No surprise, Carol, typically in these cases the Bush administration withholding comment until it can look at the materials and assess their credibility.
What will be interesting to see, though, is if this case even as questions remain about whether it is Osama bin Laden, whether this complicates President Bush's efforts to build international support for a war against Saddam Hussein, because as you know some of the president's critics believe any military campaign against Iraq could disrupt the international coalition to go after bin Laden and al Qaeda operatives - Carol.
LIN: All right, thank you very much, Kelly Wallace live at the White House. CNN will have live coverage of the president's speech. That is tomorrow evening at 8:00 Eastern, 5:00 Pacific.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired October 6, 2002 - 18:13 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Tomorrow evening, President Bush plans to deliver a televised speech promoting his effort to take military action against Iraq. His plan, however, is still failing to win over many Democrats and much of the public he plans to address. White House Correspondent Kelly Wallace has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KELLY WALLACE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): President Bush back at the White House putting the finishing touches on his Monday night address. Aides say he will make the case to the American people and the Congress for a possible war with Iraq and answer questions, such as why now, something prominent Democrat Senator Ted Kennedy argues the president has failed to do.
SEN. EDWARD KENNEDY (D), MASSACHUSETTS: What we are asking in the Congress, what has changed in the last several months that makes this an immediate threat and that case has not been made.
WALLACE: Thousands who turned out in New York's Central Park agree demonstrating against any military invasion of Iraq. But that view is not shared by most lawmakers as Congress prepares to vote on an historic war powers resolution.
SEN. TRENT LOTT (R-MS), MINORITY LEADER: I don't think there's any doubt that the House and then the Senate in overwhelming votes will pass the resolution giving the president the authority he needs to use force if it is necessary as a last resort.
WALLACE: Still the Senate Democratic leader says he will try to narrow the president's authority to wage war.
SEN. TOM DASCHLE (D-SD), MAJORITY LEADER: Most of us want to make sure that we clarify the purpose of the use of force as to eliminate weapons of mass destruction.
WALLACE: In Iraq, a show of force. Thousands turn out north of Baghdad for a military parade while the Iraqi government signals a possible shift on its willingness to allow U.N. inspectors access to Iraq's eight presidential complexes.
MOHAMMED ALDOURI, IRAQI AMBASSADOR TO U.N.: I don't think that we would have problem on that question, on that issue. Certainly, we can accommodate ourselves with the U.N. to have free access to residential sites.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WALLACE: The timing of the president's speech is significant, coming on the one-year anniversary of the military campaign against Afghanistan, the president hoping his words convince the American people and skeptical allies that Iraq should be the next focus of the war on terror -- Carol.
LIN: Kelly, on another matter, has the president or any of his staff had a chance to take a look or listen or at least read the transcripts from these new bin Laden tapes that are allegedly Osama talking on television?
WALLACE: Exactly. It doesn't appear so, no immediate reaction just yet. U.S. officials say they're aware of the reports, aware of the tape, and of course they are looking at it and will examine the broadcast. No surprise, Carol, typically in these cases the Bush administration withholding comment until it can look at the materials and assess their credibility.
What will be interesting to see, though, is if this case even as questions remain about whether it is Osama bin Laden, whether this complicates President Bush's efforts to build international support for a war against Saddam Hussein, because as you know some of the president's critics believe any military campaign against Iraq could disrupt the international coalition to go after bin Laden and al Qaeda operatives - Carol.
LIN: All right, thank you very much, Kelly Wallace live at the White House. CNN will have live coverage of the president's speech. That is tomorrow evening at 8:00 Eastern, 5:00 Pacific.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
