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CNN Live Sunday

Bush Eyes Tough Agenda for Next Week

Aired January 05, 2003 - 16:09   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.


ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Moving on, President Bush arrived back at the White House this afternoon from his ranch in Crawford, Texas. A difficult agenda awaits the president in the days and the weeks ahead.
CNN White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux has a preview.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): President Bush returns to Washington facing critical challenges on three different fronts: an ailing economy, a nuclear North Korea, and a defiant Iraq.

Mr. Bush's top priority in the next several days, to sell his economic stimulus package aimed at creating jobs and investments. An expected $600 billion plan over ten years, likely to include a controversial tax cut on stock dividends.

That proposed tax break is already sparking debate among Republicans and Democrats, who see the health of the economy as a key factor in determining who wins the White House in 2004.

SEN. HARRY REID (D), NEVADA: When they direct the tax programs to benefit the very, very, very few, and eliminate the majority from any benefit of these tax cuts, it is classfare. That's their job, creating class welfare, not ours.

SEN. DON NICKLES (R), OKLAHOMA: A lot of people want to create class warfare. I think what the president's interested in doing, and what I'm interested in doing, is growing the economy.

MALVEAUX: Also on the president's plate, North Korea.

This week the State Department is hosting talks with representatives from Japan and South Korea to convince them isolating the communist country is the best way to get Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear weapons programs.

But South Korea is still pushing for dialogue with North Korea.

Bush critics and presidential hopefuls are seizing on the differences.

SEN. JOHN EDWARDS (D), NORTH CAROLINA: I think the Bush policy in North Korea has been a failure. MALVEAUX: Monday the International Atomic Energy Agency, whose inspectors were kicked out of North Korea last week, will hold a special meeting to decide whether to bring Pyongyang before the U.N. Security Council to face possible economic sanctions.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MALVEAUX: Now, as for the showdown with Iraq, President Bush must make the critical decision whether or not to use military action to disarm Saddam Hussein.

The White House insists that it will wait, however, for weapons inspectors to report their findings to the U.N. Security Council by the end of the month before they take action -- Anderson.

COOPER: Suzanne, with regarding this bombing in Israel today, have we heard anything from the White House, a statement about the suicide bombings?

MALVEAUX: Well, the president was notified when he was aboard Air Force One earlier this morning, heading from his Crawford ranch back to Washington. His national security adviser, Condoleezza Rice, informed him of those twin bombings.

And a spokesperson released a statement earlier today, saying that "he condemns these brutal acts of terror in the strongest possible terms. For those who want to derail the peace process we are not deterred. People have a right to live in peace and security."

Clearly a frustration for the White House, hoping really to work on a road map to peace, that single vision of two states, Israelis and Palestinians living side by side, established in about a three-year period. The White House somewhat discouraged, but also determined to move forward -- Anderson.

COOPER: Suzanne Malveaux, thanks very much, from the White House.

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 January 5, 2003 - 16:09   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Moving on, President Bush arrived back at the White House this afternoon from his ranch in Crawford, Texas. A difficult agenda awaits the president in the days and the weeks ahead.
CNN White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux has a preview.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): President Bush returns to Washington facing critical challenges on three different fronts: an ailing economy, a nuclear North Korea, and a defiant Iraq.

Mr. Bush's top priority in the next several days, to sell his economic stimulus package aimed at creating jobs and investments. An expected $600 billion plan over ten years, likely to include a controversial tax cut on stock dividends.

That proposed tax break is already sparking debate among Republicans and Democrats, who see the health of the economy as a key factor in determining who wins the White House in 2004.

SEN. HARRY REID (D), NEVADA: When they direct the tax programs to benefit the very, very, very few, and eliminate the majority from any benefit of these tax cuts, it is classfare. That's their job, creating class welfare, not ours.

SEN. DON NICKLES (R), OKLAHOMA: A lot of people want to create class warfare. I think what the president's interested in doing, and what I'm interested in doing, is growing the economy.

MALVEAUX: Also on the president's plate, North Korea.

This week the State Department is hosting talks with representatives from Japan and South Korea to convince them isolating the communist country is the best way to get Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear weapons programs.

But South Korea is still pushing for dialogue with North Korea.

Bush critics and presidential hopefuls are seizing on the differences.

SEN. JOHN EDWARDS (D), NORTH CAROLINA: I think the Bush policy in North Korea has been a failure. MALVEAUX: Monday the International Atomic Energy Agency, whose inspectors were kicked out of North Korea last week, will hold a special meeting to decide whether to bring Pyongyang before the U.N. Security Council to face possible economic sanctions.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MALVEAUX: Now, as for the showdown with Iraq, President Bush must make the critical decision whether or not to use military action to disarm Saddam Hussein.

The White House insists that it will wait, however, for weapons inspectors to report their findings to the U.N. Security Council by the end of the month before they take action -- Anderson.

COOPER: Suzanne, with regarding this bombing in Israel today, have we heard anything from the White House, a statement about the suicide bombings?

MALVEAUX: Well, the president was notified when he was aboard Air Force One earlier this morning, heading from his Crawford ranch back to Washington. His national security adviser, Condoleezza Rice, informed him of those twin bombings.

And a spokesperson released a statement earlier today, saying that "he condemns these brutal acts of terror in the strongest possible terms. For those who want to derail the peace process we are not deterred. People have a right to live in peace and security."

Clearly a frustration for the White House, hoping really to work on a road map to peace, that single vision of two states, Israelis and Palestinians living side by side, established in about a three-year period. The White House somewhat discouraged, but also determined to move forward -- Anderson.

COOPER: Suzanne Malveaux, thanks very much, from the White House.

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