Washington Week Show - WW#4524
Washington Week Show - WW 4524 - "Show Open"
Hosted by Gwen Ifill, with guests Dana Priest, Martha Raddatz, David Wessel. Composite footage (unclean) with Washington Week title and text: U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice walking down steps from plane; VS U.S. Secretary Rice with foreign heads of state; prisoner in an orange jumpsuit; jail cell; American soldier pulling hooded prisoners from transport. Secretary Rice says, "The President has made it very clear that U.S. personnel will operate within U.S. law and within our international obligations." U.S. President George W. Bush speaking to a group of Caucasian elderly men (possibly Council on Foreign Relations). Iraqi men shoveling cement and climbing a utility pole. 9/11 commissioners; destruction at ground zero. Men and women walking along city street. President Bush at podium, says, "This economy is strong and the best days are yet to come for the American economy." President Bush shaking hands with men behind him after speech. Pres. Bush wearing protective eyeglasses, looking at equipment with an adult Caucasian male.
Washington Week Show - WW 4524 - "POW Treatment"
Show host Gwen Ifill asks how the United States can prove it is playing by the rules of the Geneva Convention in fighting terrorists. U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has traveled to Europe to convince critics the U.S. is not in violation, although by the end of the trip, she indicates that America might have done “a thing or two” wrong. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says, "The United States does not engage in torture, doesn't condone it, doesn't expect its employees to engage in it. Will there be abuses of policy? That is entirely possible, because just because you are a democracy it doesn't mean that you're perfect." Ifill turns to Dana Priest of the Washington Post, who first wrote about secret prisons. She details that the accusations and rumors have been circulating for some time before becoming public knowledge. The CIA has performed acts of renditions that involve foreign governments and secret prisons and, domestically, they have asked to be exempt from Senator John McCain’s bill forbidding cruel and unusual treatment. Secretary Rice went to Europe to patch alliances with U.S. partners, but was not expecting this level of criticism, which handcuffed how she could respond. Her answers to classified questions about U.S. behavior to prisoners of war were unclear at best.
Washington Week Show - WW 4524 - "POW Treatment"
Show host Gwen Ifill adds that U.S. allies are suspicious toward U.S. intentions in the Middle East beyond the war itself. Dana Priest of the Washington Post says that is true and it is the by-product of the secrecy that the Bush Administration has employed while fighting two wars, leaving room for media inquiries and imagination to run wild. Martha Raddatz of ABC News asks Priest about rendition and how it works with regard to the humane treatment of prisoners. Priest outlines the stipulation on torture in treaties the United States has signed with countries it uses for renditions, notes that to send prisoners to countries that have tortured prisoners the United States must receive assurances the prisoners will be treated humanely, but the prisoners cannot be monitored so the assurances are worthless. David Wessel of the Wall Street Journal asks Priest why the prisons are still classified when the knowledge of them has been publicized. Priest states there are still national security concerns with the exact locations, that the United States wishes to exert maximum control over the prisoners; the prisons exist due to unofficial agreements between each country’s intelligence service. Governments acknowledging their existence would bring up legal issues.
Washington Week Show - WW 4524 - "POW Treatment"
Show host Gwen Ifill wonders if part of the message U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice delivered to American allies was to get over concerns, this is nothing unexpected in war. Dana Priest of the Washington Post agrees, notes this is the reality, especially when it is a fact that tactics employed by the United States would not be possible without cooperation of foreign powers. Ifill looks to how the White House will react to Senator John McCain’s bill in Congress which forbids the use of cruel and unusual treatment of foreign prisoners.
Washington Week Show - WW 4524 - "Iraq War Withdrawal"
Show host Gwen Ifill transitions from the efforts of the Bush Administration to answer critics abroad to the the domestic challenge of doing the same. U.S. President George W. Bush walking on stage in Minnesota, says, "We face an enemy that has got an ideology and a strategy and a tactical plan to achieve their strategy. These people have hijacked a great religion and turned it to their advantage, they think. A fixed timetable of withdrawal would embolden the enemy, would confuse the Iraqis, and would send the wrong signal to our young men and women in uniform." Ifill notes that Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld did talk about drawing down troops in Iraq while battling a more generic enemy.
Washington Week Show - WW 4524 - "Iraq War Withdrawal"
Show host Gwen Ifill notes the use of the word “they” and mentions Congressman John Murtha (D-PA), friend-turned-enemy of the White House strategy on Iraq, and his view that the United States named the enemy. Congressman Murtha says, "Bin Laden said he attacked the United States because of the troops in Saudi Arabia. That's terrorism. Terrorism was in London, terrorism was in Spain, terrorism obviously in the United States. That's completely separate from what's going on in Iraq. Iraq is an insurgency." Ifill says the language used in this debate is important and turns to Martha Raddatz of ABC News for an update on the shift in language used by the White House. Raddatz notes the President is not using “insurgents” or “insurgency” in his speeches, and the press have been trying unsuccessfully to get the Press Secretary to say it, reason being that all officials and commanders have said that to put down an “insurgency” takes 9-10 years. The White House is trying to redefine the enemy, but if it is done too much the American people will not know who we are fighting and wonder what the United States is doing in Iraq. That does not take away the importance of defining an enemy, but changing the definition too much will cost the administration public support.
Washington Week Show - WW 4524 - "Violence in Iraq"
Dana Priest of the Washington Post asks Martha Raddatz of ABC News what effect capturing Abu Musab al-Zarqawi would have on the fighting in Iraq. Raddatz says that while he is a terrorist, his capture or death would have minimal impact over the violence currently enveloping the country. Zarqawi and his network are a small part of that violence. David Wessel of the Wall Street Journal asks Raddatz what U.S. President George W. Bush means when he talks about victory in Iraq. Raddatz says it is unclear what victory look like. Commanders will say one things and the President will say another. The one important question that still is not or cannot be answered is: Does victory mean that U.S. troops will still be there? Show host Gwen Ifill adds, “If so, how many?” Raddatz states that there must be draw-down plans or discussions occurring somewhere and those plans will become public when the U.S. Army is notified of what troop movements are needed and where.
Washington Week Show - WW 4524 - "9/11 Report"
Show host Gwen Ifill segues to the 9/11 commission report. Tom Kean, Chairman of the 9/11 Commission says, "We believe that the terrorists will strike again, so does every responsible expert that we have talked to. If they do, and these reforms that might have prevented such an attack have not been implemented, what will our excuses be?" Ifill asks Martha Raddatz of ABC News what the White House response was. Raddatz says the White House stresses it is doing the best it can, but there are others who can do more (i.e. Congress). No solid answers were given why there were “Fs” given in so much crucial categories. Ifill asks Dana Priest of the Washington Post for the intelligence community’s reaction. Priest says they stayed silent and left it to the White House. Intelligence officials will say they are continuing to work hard and make improvements, especially with regard to transparency between departments. Raddatz goes back to the most glaring “F” grade yet to be rectified: First Responders not being able to adequately communicate with one another. The White House is pushing to remedy this, possibly with new legislation.
Washington Week Show - WW 4524 - "Economic Agenda"
Show host Gwen Ifill turns to the economy and how Congress either helped consumers with tax cuts or hurt people with cuts to critical programs, with debates on the House floor illustrating the positive and negative effects. U.S. Representative David Dreier (R-CA) says, "We're encouraging investment with this. We want to do everything that we possibly can to make sure that those people who are out there creating jobs have the incentive to do that." U.S. Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA) says, "They cut the poor! They cut the most vulnerable! They cut the youngest! And where does the money go? It goes to the millionaires!" Ifill says the final version of the bill has not been decided upon and asks David Wessel of the Wall Street Journal who gets to pay for this tax cut. Wessel explains what Republicans want to do in the way of tax cuts beyond the $70 billion dollar threshold they have to work with, by which he means Republicans will need just 51 votes to pass it in the Senate. Republicans are trying to put Democrats in a bind with the Alternative Minimum Tax extension, which mostly affects states that vote Democratic. Democrats do not want to vote for the $95 billion tax cut, but not doing so will do away with the Alternative Minimum Tax, hurting them at the ballot box. By putting them in corner, Republicans hope to get all the tax cuts they want by forcing at least politically vulnerable Democrats to vote their way.
Washington Week Show - WW 4524 - "Economic Agenda"
Show host Gwen Ifill asks David Wessel of the Wall Street Journal if there is any connection between the spending/tax cut debates on Capitol Hill and people’s feelings about the economy. Wessel says the anxiety is one of the reasons Republicans want to do another tax cut, to bring a level of confidence back to consumers and the economy. Republicans know this will likely be the last tax cut for some time and they want to get it done before the next election. Martha Raddatz of ABC News asks Wessel how U.S. President George W. Bush can take advantage of the economy and get some credit for a positive turn. Wessel notes how Republican strategists have corrected that mistake and will talk about the economy more going forward, putting the President at the forefront, and knocking negative stories about the Iraq War from the front pages. Wessel lists the current economic positives, but also why consumers are not sharing this optimism. Wages are not going up, gas prices are coming down but are still high, higher health costs, and noteworthy companies cutting pensions after the President successfully communicated the issues surrounding Social Security. Dana Priest of the Washington Post asks about tax reform. Wessel says it’s dead and says why.
Washington Week Show - WW 4524 - "Show End"
Show host Gwen Ifill thanks her guests, mentions the short show run-time due to the PBS fundraising drive, gives the audience a way to follow along with the show, signs off. Credits roll.