Washington Week Show - #4520
Washington Week - WW #4520 - "Opening"
Composite footage (unclean) with Washington Week title and text: New Jersey and Virginia Democrats celebrating; California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger speaking at event; Dick Cheney; John McCain; Al-Qaeda war prisoners walking behind a chain link fence; U.S. soldiers examining room full of metal barrels in Iraq; Saddam Hussein; terror attacks in Jordan, emergency first responders running down street at night; U.S. President George W. Bush shaking hands with soldier at podium, says to military members, "Against such an enemy there is only one effective response-- we will never back down, we will never give in, we will never accept anything less than complete victory." President Bush walking outside White House with Vice President Dick Cheney.
Washington Week - WW #4520 - "Opening"
Composite footage (unclean) with Washington Week title and text: White House on an autumn day, trees beginning to change color. Introduction of guest panel: John Harwood of The Wall Street Journal, Doyle McManus of The Los Angeles Times, Dana Priest of The Washington Post, and Michael Duffy of Time Magazine.
Washington Week - WW #4520 - "Off-Year Elections"
Program host Gwen Ifill introduces topic of recent Democratic election victories and how it effects the Republican Party and President George W. Bush. John Harwood of The Wall Street Journal begins. Mention of the negative effects of the war in Iraq, Social Security, and Hurricane Katrina upon the Republican Party. Discussion of President Bush’s falling approval rating; the state of the Republican Party; Democratic Senator Tim Kaine’s victory in Virginia; President Bush’s involvement in the Republican Senate campaign in Virginia. Split screen footage of Harwood talking, President Bush and First Lady Laura Bush at campaign event for Senate race in Virginia.
Washington Week - WW #4520 - "Off-Year Elections"
Doyle McManus of the Los Angeles Times discusses recent Democratic Party election victories and how they might affect upcoming mid-terms. John Harwood of The Wall Street Journal discusses recent Republican failures to get budget bills passed. Harwood discusses attempt by the Republicans to reunite more moderate Republicans in the Northeast with conservative Republicans in the South. Mention of the issues of spending cuts, immigration, taxes. Harwood discusses candidates in upcoming mid-term elections for the U.S. House of Representatives.
Washington Week - WW #4520 - "Gov. Schwarzenegger"
Show host Gwen Ifill introduces the topic of California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. John Harwood of The Wall Street Journal discusses Schwarzenegger’s falling approval rating since assuming office. Split-screen of Harwood talking and footage of Arnold Schwarzenegger and wife Maria Shriver at campaign rally. Mention of Governor Schwarzenegger being a pro-abortion and pro-gay rights (same sex marriage) Republican. Mention of the “Amend for Arnold” campaign.
Washington Week - WW #4520 - "G.W. Bush & War"
Host Gwen Ifill introduces topic of President George W. Bush’s recent Veteran’s Day speech on the War on Terror and the war in Iraq. U.S. President George W. Bush speaking to military members: "The stakes in the global war on terror are too high and the national interest is too important for politicians to throw out false charges. These baseless attacks send the wrong signal to our troops and to an enemy that is questioning America’s will."
Washington Week - WW #4520 - "G.W. Bush & War"
Show host Gwen Ifill turns discussion to Doyle McManus of The Los Angeles Times. McManus begins discussing the White House stance on criticism for the war in Iraq. Discussion of the White House’s strategy to improve President George W. Bush’s approval rating. McManus discusses President Bush’s most recent speech on the War on Terror. McManus discusses the Bush administration’s strategy for countering Democrats against the war in Iraq. Mention of gas prices, mid-term elections, and hints of scandal. Discussion of whether the Bush administration misled the U.S. into war. Mention of Democrats who voted for and supported a war in Iraq; President Bush’s strong stance on the war in Iraq.
Washington Week - #4520 - "Bush Staff"
Doyle McManus of The Los Angeles Times discusses the upcoming State of The Union Address. Mention of the possibility of rolling out new policies. Mention of immigration, tax reform, and education. Discussion of whether President George W. Bush needs to make changes in his staff. Mention of the indictment of Scooter Libby. Discussion of President Bush’s opinion of his staff. Discussion of Andy Card and Karl Rove.
Washington Week - #4520 - "CIA Black Sites"
Show host Gwen Ifill introduces topic on how the U.S. is treating its prisoners of war. Washington Post article on secret prisons. Dana Priest of The Washington Post begins discussing CIA treatment of Al-Qaeda prisoners. Discussion of secret prison Sites in Eastern Europe, known as “Black Sites.” Discussion of legality of “Black Sites” and the rights of prisoners. Mention of the Military Tribunal at Guantanamo Bay.
Washington Week - WW #4520 - "CIA Black Sites"
Dana Priest of The Washington Post discusses the investigation into how information on Black Sites and Al-Qaeda prisoners was leaked to the public. Priest speculates as to why the U.S. needed extra secret prisons aside from prisons like Guantanamo Bay and prisons in Afghanistan. Discussion on CIA and Military “Enhanced Interrogation Techniques.”
Washington Week - WW #4520 - "CIA Black Sites"
Dana Priest of The Washington Post discusses public opinion toward the treatment of Al-Qaeda prisoners, and Congressional reaction to CIA Black Sites. Brief discussion of human rights, Eastern Europe, and European Union’s reaction to CIA Black Sites.
Washington Week - WW #4520 - "POW Treatment"
Show host Gwen Ifill introduces new topic: whether the U.S. is using torture to get information from Al-Qaeda prisoners. U.S. President George W. Bush giving speech: "Any activity that we conduct is within the law. We do not torture and therefore we're working with Congress to make sure as we go forward we make it possible, more possible, to do our job."
Washington Week - WW #4520 - "POW Treatment"
Michael Duffy of Time Magazine discusses the debate between Senator John McCain and Vice-President Dick Cheney over U.S. treatment of Al-Qaeda prisoners. McCain has passed legislation in the Senate that makes it unlawful for any agent of the U.S. government to treat a prisoner in any way that does not comply with the Geneva Convention. Duffy points out that the Bush administration and Vice-President Cheney would like the CIA to be exempt from Senator McCain’s legislation. Discussion of White House threats to veto Senator McCain’s bill if he does not allow an exemption for the CIA. Senator McCain says he will not allow an exemption for the CIA. Duffy discusses splits in opinion within the Bush Administration and the Military over U.S. treatment of prisoners of war.
Washington Week - WW #4520 - "POW Treatment"
Michael Duffy of Time Magazine discusses why U.S. Vice-President Dick Cheney is willing to fight Senator John McCain on the issue of torture. Mention of scandal surrounding Cheney and the indictment of top aide Scooter Libby. Duffy says President George W. Bush wants Cheney to fight on the prisoner treatment issue. Discussion of Cheney’s role in the Bush administration and his attachment to the issue of torture. Discussion of the Bush administration trying to use the Vice-President as a behind-the-scenes role despite the prominence the role has in the public sphere. Discussion of whether there is room for a compromise between Cheney and McCain. Mention of the possibility of a Bush veto.
Washington Week - WW #4520 - "Closing"
Show host Gwen Ifill closes show. End credits.