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CNN Live Sunday

Interview With James Zogby

Aired March 09, 2003 - 15:44   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.


FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: So far, politicians, pundits and protesters have shaped the debate about a possible war with Iraq. Now college students will have their say. On Wednesday, a group of students from North Carolina's Davidson College plans to discuss the crisis via satellite with Iraqi students attending the University of Baghdad. James Zogby will moderate. He's the founder of the Arab- American Institute and host of "View Point with James Zogby" airing on Abu-Dubai (ph) TV. He joins us now from our Washington bureau. Good to see you, James.
JAMES ZOGBY, ARAB-AMERICAN INSTITUTE: Thanks, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Well, it's always nice and very enlightening to hear young people speak because they really do speak from the heart. But what are your expectations when you pair American and Iraqi college students together this week?

ZOGBY: You know, this idea came about because I heard Davidson students were on teaching this semester, Republicans and Democrats have an extraordinary debate on campus. I thought, why not try to do an interactive, because that's what my show does with people in the Middle East. Abu-Dubai (ph) TV suggested that we try Baghdad.

Now, I understand that there is going be some asymmetries here. We have a free debate in America, they don't have a free debate in Iraq. But kids in Iraq are facing the prospect of being showered with bombs and kids in Davidson won't, so there is going to be, I think, very intense feeling on both sides of this and hopefully the kids will get to learn about each other a little bit and maybe kids in Iraq are going to learn about free and open debate in America and kids at Davidson are going to learn about how kids in Iraq feel right now.

WHITFIELD: How much do you concern yourself, though, that those Iraqi students just might not be able to say what they're thinking and feeling?

ZOGBY: Well, you know, I've been doing this for a long time, and you learn the kind of questions to ask. As you well know, in this business, you're not going to ask them questions about how do you like your leader, but you can ask them how you feel or what they want Americans to know or what they want to know about Americans. And I think they're going to get to learn a lot about America.

This is the future generation, however this war comes out, if there is a war at all, this is the next generation of Iraqis, and their opportunity to see Americans and hear Americans debate and know that Americans are kids just like them, and put a human face on each side I think is beneficial to everybody in this struggle. We have to know that there are human beings on both sides of this confrontation.

WHITFIELD: Now, how were the university and college students actually selected for this debate?

ZOGBY: I actually talked to the Abu-Dubai (ph) bureau in Baghdad today. The university, just like Davidson, put out feelers for kids to come. They went to the Political Science Department, they went to the department that deals with media, and they asked for English language kids who wanted to speak to kids in America, just like Davidson did. And they told me beforehand in Abu-Dubai (ph), they said, these kids are not going to have wide-ranging views about their government, partly because they feel they can't, but also because, right now, their biggest concern is not Saddam Hussein, their biggest concern is the fear that they're going to be showered down with bombs and they want to let Americans know who they are and what they feel in this moment in their personal history. So I think there's a lot of intense feeling on both sides, and my job is going to be to try to get some of those feelings out and make it as informational a discussion as possible.

WHITFIELD: All right, intense but at the same time, I'm sure, students on both sides are really excited to have this opportunity. James Zogby, good to see you.

ZOGBY: It is going to be hard to say goodbye to them at the end of the show.

WHITFIELD: Yes. All right, well, glad you've been able to bring them together for a segment of this program.

ZOGBY: Thank you.

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 March 9, 2003 - 15:44   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: So far, politicians, pundits and protesters have shaped the debate about a possible war with Iraq. Now college students will have their say. On Wednesday, a group of students from North Carolina's Davidson College plans to discuss the crisis via satellite with Iraqi students attending the University of Baghdad. James Zogby will moderate. He's the founder of the Arab- American Institute and host of "View Point with James Zogby" airing on Abu-Dubai (ph) TV. He joins us now from our Washington bureau. Good to see you, James.
JAMES ZOGBY, ARAB-AMERICAN INSTITUTE: Thanks, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Well, it's always nice and very enlightening to hear young people speak because they really do speak from the heart. But what are your expectations when you pair American and Iraqi college students together this week?

ZOGBY: You know, this idea came about because I heard Davidson students were on teaching this semester, Republicans and Democrats have an extraordinary debate on campus. I thought, why not try to do an interactive, because that's what my show does with people in the Middle East. Abu-Dubai (ph) TV suggested that we try Baghdad.

Now, I understand that there is going be some asymmetries here. We have a free debate in America, they don't have a free debate in Iraq. But kids in Iraq are facing the prospect of being showered with bombs and kids in Davidson won't, so there is going to be, I think, very intense feeling on both sides of this and hopefully the kids will get to learn about each other a little bit and maybe kids in Iraq are going to learn about free and open debate in America and kids at Davidson are going to learn about how kids in Iraq feel right now.

WHITFIELD: How much do you concern yourself, though, that those Iraqi students just might not be able to say what they're thinking and feeling?

ZOGBY: Well, you know, I've been doing this for a long time, and you learn the kind of questions to ask. As you well know, in this business, you're not going to ask them questions about how do you like your leader, but you can ask them how you feel or what they want Americans to know or what they want to know about Americans. And I think they're going to get to learn a lot about America.

This is the future generation, however this war comes out, if there is a war at all, this is the next generation of Iraqis, and their opportunity to see Americans and hear Americans debate and know that Americans are kids just like them, and put a human face on each side I think is beneficial to everybody in this struggle. We have to know that there are human beings on both sides of this confrontation.

WHITFIELD: Now, how were the university and college students actually selected for this debate?

ZOGBY: I actually talked to the Abu-Dubai (ph) bureau in Baghdad today. The university, just like Davidson, put out feelers for kids to come. They went to the Political Science Department, they went to the department that deals with media, and they asked for English language kids who wanted to speak to kids in America, just like Davidson did. And they told me beforehand in Abu-Dubai (ph), they said, these kids are not going to have wide-ranging views about their government, partly because they feel they can't, but also because, right now, their biggest concern is not Saddam Hussein, their biggest concern is the fear that they're going to be showered down with bombs and they want to let Americans know who they are and what they feel in this moment in their personal history. So I think there's a lot of intense feeling on both sides, and my job is going to be to try to get some of those feelings out and make it as informational a discussion as possible.

WHITFIELD: All right, intense but at the same time, I'm sure, students on both sides are really excited to have this opportunity. James Zogby, good to see you.

ZOGBY: It is going to be hard to say goodbye to them at the end of the show.

WHITFIELD: Yes. All right, well, glad you've been able to bring them together for a segment of this program.

ZOGBY: Thank you.

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