Much Discussion Today in Administration About Videotape of Bin Laden Talking About 09/11 Attacks
JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: There is much discussion today at the White House, the Pentagon and elsewhere in the administration about this videotape of Osama bin Laden talking about the attacks of September 11th. Joining us now from the White House, our senior White House correspondent John King. John, how much are they saying at this point?</s>JOHN KING, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Judy, about an hour or so from now, we should get the official word from the administration and when and how they will release this tape. Senior White House officials telling us they still expect the tape to be released some time this afternoon. There were delays, we have been told, because much of the audio, Osama bin Laden speaking in Arabic on this homemade, handheld video is inaudible, so they brought in independent translators to translate the tape, and they say they are having to go back, and it is taking much longer than they anticipated, and rewind and replay, and rewind and replay, all of this part of the administration's effort to get an independent translation, because they know the release of this tape will draw scrutiny and curiosity around the world. But those who have seen the tape, and that group includes the president, senior administration officials, and in the past 48 hours key members of Congress, especially the intelligence committees, those who have seen it, they believe once it is released publicly, once people in the United States and around the world see it, they will have no doubt, as Senator Richard Shelby of Alabama says, that Osama bin Laden planned and is the mastermind of the September 11th attacks.</s>SEN. RICHARD SHELBY (R), INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE: I believe the translation from Arabic to English will be straightforward. It will be honest. It has to be. And I believe this is in the best interest of the administration, and I believe the world, that the people see this tape. It will show how cynical, how cold and how guilty Osama bin Laden is.</s>KING: Again, the target time for that release sometime later this afternoon. They had hoped for this morning, but some technical difficulties and logistical difficulties in translating the tape. We are told much of the Arabic is inaudible, And as that process is underway, and as the deliberations over just how to release it, and we are told that will be at the Pentagon, take place, the president today leaving the White House a short time ago to sign into law the Afghan Woman and Children Relief Act of 2001, this a piece of legislation that commits the United States government to providing humanitarian help, especially health care and education funding, to women and children in Afghanistan and refugees who have fled to neighboring countries. You see the president there surrounded by members of Congress who back the bill, some Afghan-American children as well. Mr. Bush signing this legislation and committing the United States, he said, not to leave Afghanistan once the transitional government gets into place. Mr. Bush saying the United States has made that mistake before. He voiced a commitment that the United States will back this new government and continue to fund the humanitarian relief efforts -- Judy.</s>WOODRUFF: John, even as the president focuses so much on Afghanistan and the future there, we know he also has his mind today on the U.S. economy, and on that stimulus bill, the bill that would, in his words, do something to perk up the economy in the year ahead. He met with Congressional leaders this morning. Are they any closer to a deal?</s>KING: Closer, yes. Close enough to get a deal is the question at this hour. Mr. Bush also met with his economic team after that meeting with the key members of Congress. That meeting was to be closed, but reporters were allowed in at the end, because the president wanting to push once more Senate Democrats to act. The president offered a compromised plan yesterday. Centrist Democrats in the Senate said it is fine with them, but the Senate majority leader Tom Daschle has yet to commit to bring that proposal to the floor. He says Democrats still want a more generous package of unemployment and health benefits for workers, not only those displaced by the September 11th attacks, but also and dating back to the beginning of the March recession. So the Democrats still wrangling with the administration, so the president made a statement to reporters, saying it past time for the Democrats to act.</s>GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Last night I met with people from the United States Senate, Senators Breaux and Nelson and Miller, along with centrist Republicans, and we agree that there is enough votes to get a good package out of the Senate, a package that I think will help our economy, a package that these Democrat and Republicans think will help workers and the economy. And I am hopeful that with good work, people around this table, and with leadership out of the Senate, and the House, that we will get a good package.</s>KING: Negotiations continue this afternoon. Senator Daschle said as he left that White House meeting the president, he still hoped to get something done. Obviously, though, still some partisan disagreements that need to be worked out. Again, the president wants this piece of legislation on his desk by Christmas -- Judy.</s>WOODRUFF: All right. We will look for how fast that movement takes place there at the White House and on the Hill. Thank you, John. And turning now to the threats, or the statements rather made by the American Taliban, John Walker. Joining us here in the Washington studio, our national security correspondent David Ensor. Apparently, Walker, being interrogated by officials, talked about the Al Qaeda moving yet again against the United States?</s>DAVID ENSOR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Judy. U.S. officials say that John Walker Lindh, the young man who apparently was fighting for the Taliban for some time, has said that he understands that there will be additional attacks against the U.S., including at least one in the coming days, before or around the end of Ramadan, and this year Ramadan ends on Sunday. He has said that he heard that there are attacks planned in phases, and that officials say they are interested by this, it's something they certainly want to hear everything about, but they are expressing some skepticism that the young American really knows what Osama bin Laden or the other senior leadership of Al Qaeda might have planned. One official saying these are tales told around a campfire, interesting, but not conclusive. One official likened it to a foot soldier predicting what a four-star general has in mind. You know, it's interesting, it's the rumor mill in the Al Qaeda and Taliban world worth knowing about, but it does not prove it's correct.</s>WOODRUFF: Now John Walker's parents released a letter they received from him?</s>ENSOR: That's right. Apparently, this letter was written on December 3rd, but actually received by fax by the parents on December 11th, and it says, in part: "Dear mama and papa, I apologize for not contacting you in such a long time. I realize that this must have caused you a lot of grief. I am currently alive and well in Afghanistan and I am in safe hands. I can not give you my situation, but it would be good to hear from you all." So that apparently a first letter to the parents from this young man. This is while he's being held by U.S. forces in Southern Afghanistan?</s>ENSOR: That's right.</s>WOODRUFF: Now, prior to that, John, when was the last time they had heard from him. It's been months and months?</s>ENSOR: Quite some time. They have said that they were getting worried about him, and were going to try to take steps to find out where he was, but then of course the news came out around the world, and you saw the pictures of him not in such great same shape, but alive at least.</s>WOODRUFF: All right, well, I think at least it's interesting that U.S. officials decided to release the information that he had made these comments about the next Al Qaeda attacks. All right. David Ensor, thanks very much. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com