CNN Paula Zahn Now - Transcript

CNN

SHOW: PAULA ZAHN NOW 20:00

HEADLINE: New Videotape of Missing U.S. Soldier?; Reforming American Intelligence

GUESTS: Richard Shelby, Evan Bayh, Fareed Zakaria, Tony Perry, Jesse Jackson, Lori Majewski, Joe Klein, Michael Medved

BYLINE: Kelly Wallace, Jim Clancy, Nic Robertson, Jamie McIntyre, Paula Zahn, Frank Buckley

HIGHLIGHT:
A new videotape out of Iraq purports to show a missing U.S. soldier who has been taken captive. In the wake of September 11, does the United States need a single person in charge of intelligence? How far will some women go to be accepted into college sororities?

BODY:
ZAHN: A powerful new post, a director of national intelligence, is being considered by the White House. He would oversee the nation's 15 sometimes squabbling intelligence agencies.

At this week's 9/11 hearings, many commissioners seem to be in favor of creating such a post. Is it a good idea?

Well, joining us now to talk about that, Democratic Senator Evan Bayh, who serves on the Select Committee on Intelligence. Also with us is Republican Senator Richard Shelby, who served on the committee for eight years. He took part in that same committee's investigation of intelligence failures after 9/11.

Good to see both of you.

(CROSSTALK)

ZAHN: So, Senator Shelby, why do you support the idea of creating this new agency?

SEN. RICHARD SHELBY ®, ALABAMA: I support the idea because I believe that we are going to have to really have a czar or a national director to bring all of our 15 intelligence agencies together under one roof, where they can cooperate more, where they can share information, where one person has control of the budget.

ZAHN: Senator Bayh, you've got the head of the FBI and the CIA very opposed to this idea. Do you understand their concerns?

SEN. EVAN BAYH (D), INDIANA: Well, I'm not sure of the head of the CIA is so opposed. He was a little reluctant to speak his mind for fear of starting a bureaucrat turf war.

But, you know, look, I support the idea as well, along with Richard and others. It was recommended by Brent Scowcroft, a very knowledgeable individual, a close adviser to the first President Bush. And Richard is right, Paula. We simply are not going to make progress in the war on terror unless we have someone in charge of setting priorities, allocating resources and holding all those 15 agencies you mentioned accountable for achieving results.

ZAHN: Senator Shelby, this plan was drafted more than a year ago, and a lot is being made of the timing of this. Do you think that it's being talked about publicly now to preempt the sting of any possible 9/11 Commission report?

SHELBY: If the timing is right, that's what counts. Sometimes you have to have problems to get problems solved, and the commission is coming behind what we did on the joint investigation. And I hope that the president is listening, because he has a great opportunity to change the intelligence community. But it will take his leadership to get it through.

ZAHN: Senator Bayh, other forms being considered are the creation of a domestic intelligence agency. Is that a good idea?

BAYH: I tend to favor that as well, Paula.

We're in the process of trying to reform of FBI to enable them to do a better job with regard to counterterrorism domestically. They're a great law enforcement agency, but they were never really intended to be an intelligence agency. And I think we need to look carefully at what our major allies who have the most experience in this area, the Israelis and the British, have done, which is to have a separate domestic anti-terror agency whose only priority is fighting terrorism.

Currently, the bureau has to fight drugs, bank robberies, auto theft, all that kind of thing, in addition to terrorism. I think we need to seriously consider a single agency that focuses like a laser on fighting terrorism.

ZAHN: Senator Shelby, this week's hearings brought to light some of the serious problems that exist particularly in communications between the CIA and the FBI. Should George Tenet keep his job?

SHELBY: Well, I've always said that's up to the president.

George Tenet has got not about nine lives, but 27 political lives. He wouldn't be working for me. But he's still working for the president. He does have a lot of talent in some areas, but he keeps on saying that it's somebody else's fault. You know, it's never his fault. He's never accountable. But we're all accountable, but one of the problems of the intelligence community, no one steps forward to accept accountable. No one has been fired, to my knowledge, because of the failures of intelligence leading up to September the 11th.

ZAHN: Senator Bayh, do you agree with that assessment?

BAYH: I agree with Richard that it's ultimately up to the president to hold those who work for him accountable. And mistakes have been made, Paula. And I have told Mr. Tenet directly-and I do have a high regard for George-I told him directly, look, the American people understand that we're all human and that mistakes are made, but what they won't tolerate is the unwillingness to step forward and admit mistakes and most importantly of all do what it takes to make sure they don't happen again.

ZAHN: Thank you for joining us with your thoughts tonight, Senators Shelby and Bayh.