CBS The Early Show - Transcript

CBS News Transcripts

SHOW: The Early Show (7:00 AM ET) - CBS

HEADLINE: Senators Joseph Biden and Chuck Hagel discuss President Bush's address to the UN

ANCHORS: HARRY SMITH

BODY:
HARRY SMITH, co-host:

More news now. President Bush has received mixed reaction around the world to his UN address on Iraq. But what about here at home? Joining us with some thoughts, Republican Senator Chuck Hagel and Democratic Senator Joe Biden.

Gentlemen, good morning to you both.

Senator JOSEPH BIDEN (Democrat, Delaware; Ranking Member, Foreign Relations Committee): Good morning.

Senator CHUCK HAGEL (Republican, Nebraska): Thank you. Good morning.

SMITH: Let me start with the notion that if the job yesterday was to convince the United Nations to share more of the burden on Iraq, did the president get the job done? Senator Hagel?

Sen. HAGEL: Well, first, I think the president deserves great credit in going to the United Nations, laying out the urgency of the--the objective here and some of the specifics of what needs to be done, not just now and in the near future, but for the long term. What he did not do is get into some specific areas where our allies could share this burden, share this responsibility. And we need to do that and we need a lot of help there. We're going to need a lot of help. So decision-making authority shared among our allies needs to--needs to be done and we need to start talking about it or we will have limited assistance in a very dangerous part of the world that needs all of the world's focus and attention.

SMITH: Senator Biden, your assessment.

Sen. BIDEN: I agree with Senator Hagel. I--I don't think the president--he had a tough job, in light of his relationship with the United Nations. I didn't expect him to--I'm glad he didn't apologize for anything, as some are saying he should. But I wish he had been more straightforward and laid out exactly what it was that our plan was. For example, had he said, 'Look, I want to turn over power to the--to the Iraqis as quickly as possible. I'm prepare to sit down with all of you and the Security Council to determine how to do that, and we have a joint responsibility.'

I mean, you heard, Harry, your--your--your an--your analysis on your program a moment ago where they said that the president wasn't about to turn over $20 billion to an Iraqi government. Well, we're asking the international community to turn over tens of billions of dollars to us in order to run that country. And so there's got to be--there's got to be a sharing of responsibility here and letting other people in on the deal. And, quite frankly, I hope somebody ell--else does get in on the deal because this is no prize we won. We should be having the whole United Nations Security Council in on what that government is going to look like.

SMITH: Senator Hagel, should the president have taken a more conciliatory tone?

Sen. HAGEL: Well, I don't know about conciliatory tone. This is a serious issue and it has long-term consequences as to how we handle it, how the world community handles it. I think it deserves a rather straightforward business approach and that's the approach he took. But, again, I say what we need to do now is to get into the specifics of how we bring our allies into this, how we share this burden, this responsibility. And, also, Harry, something is occurring here in this country, aside from the political dynamic that's very dangerous, and that is the president is losing a consensus on our very important objective in Iraq and the Middle East, and that is help develop the Iraqis to the point where they can govern themselves and stabilize the Middle East. If we fracture that and divide our country, it will be very difficult to come back together and try to do this.

SMITH: Well, let me follow up on that, because the president's approval ratings have slipped from 71 percent in March to 50 percent. Senator Hagel, what do you think is going on here?

Sen. HAGEL: Well, there's a certain natural ebb and flow always in these kinds of things. Partly what I think is going on is--is the American people are starting to finally realize the immensity of this task in terms of dollars, manpower, how long we're going to to be there and they're starting to ask some tough questions.

SMITH: Senator Biden, 59 percent of Americans say they oppose the president's request for $87 billion for Iraq and Afghanistan. Bill Frist wants to put this on the fast track. Should the brakes be applied?

Sen. BIDEN: Not the brakes, but we should get full explanation. I'm not about to vote for the $87 million without further explanation. Ambassador Bremer is going to be appearing for us--before our committee this morning, right after this program. I want to know how the money is going to be used. I want to know what the plan is. Because, Harry, this is--as my dad would say, 'This is really very simple.' There's billions and billions of dollars that has to be spent to rebuild Iraq. Either the president has a plan to bring in the rest of the world and help defray that cost or all the American people are going to pay all of the bill. And this is time to put pride aside, this is the time to go out there and do what has to be done to get the world in on the deal or the American taxpayer will pay the whole freight. And that's why they're upset with this president, in my view. He didn't level with them in the beginning.

SMITH: We've got to go.

Sen. BIDEN: He...

SMITH: Senator Biden, we've got you. Thanks very much.

Sen. BIDEN: Thank you.

SMITH: We appreciate it.

Sen. BIDEN: Appreciate it.

SMITH: Senator Hagel, you, too. We thank you so much.

Sen. HAGEL: Thank you.

Sen. BIDEN: Thanks in--a lot.

Sen. HAGEL: Thank you.