The MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour; State of the Union and Response

set herb earth the pope maine and welcome to this special edition of the newshour the subject of this is the state of the union on this tuesday night the thirteenth nine cents us and other allied forces launched a military attack on iraqi president bush will address a joint session of congress in the chamber of the house representatives there will be a democratic response to be given tonight by the senate majority leader george mitchell

may this special program will include built in their entirety analysis by david gergen mr shiels us citizen and congressional reaction a group of citizens are with judy woodruff in denver colorado is two us senators and two of its members of the house representatives will be with us here in washington and robin first the news to developments just before president bush makes his address to congress american official said tonight the soviet union promise president bush yesterday but the soviets were removed they are airborne troops in many other units from the three baltic republics and reopen talks with the independence movements their official said the promise was made in a letter from us gun carried by the soviet foreign minister and in a joint statement tonight the soviet union and the united states said the gulf war could start if there were unequivocal commitment to withdraw from kuwait in a statement secretary of state baker and soviet prime minister does not like also promised to work together to end the arab israeli conflict once

the gulf war ends united states said ten more iraqi planes flew across the frontier to run bringing the total to ninety at the pentagon army lieutenant general tom kelly said the us would attack fleeing iraqis if they could be intercepted an iraqi airspace it all reporters why it hasn't been done yet so we're not trying to shoot them down i was so you're not correct and that i pointed out for a number of times that they were taking off a mayor feels a northerner and they're not communicating until i get through the iraqi government to save northern rock not communicating until i get to the iranian border of them they didn't communicate bought as i indicated our aircraft are mainly in the south around promised again to keep iraqi planes and pilots until the war ends iran also complained to the united nations about iraqi planes landing on its soil iraq radio set an allied prisoner of war was killed in a bombing raid on a government building in baghdad presumably the victim was being held there as part of iraq's human shield policy is name a nationality were not given

us command of the dulcet twenty four iraqi tanks and armored personnel carriers were destroyed by marine fighter bombers near the saudi kuwait border it was described as the largest confirmed success against ground forces so far the murders commands and allied air raids or destroyed seventy five to eighty percent of iraq's oil refining capacity saudi officials said they were succeeding in efforts to protect their countries do sound as asian plants and other facilities from huge oil slick in the gulf officials also said barriers were being put in place to keep your away from the nesting grounds of birds and sea turtles and this will be george bush's third state of the union address as this one of course will be unlike all the others because it comes at a time of war mr bush is expected to give the congress and the american people via television a report on the war or how it is going where it is heading into probably a restatement of why it's happening while the war is expected to dominate there will also be some words about domestic matters in a few moments the president's arrival will be announced by the doorkeeper of the house changed

in law and there is a shot of the house chamber with the members of the cabinet there is the key man in the persian gulf warden and they're in the middle of course the secretary of defense dick cheney is why the secretary of the treasury brady and then secretary of state baker that was the attorney general richard thornburgh on secretary cheney's left to be on the vice president of the united states who serves as president of the senate will reside along with the house speaker tom foley with the quail and mr mr paul you can see there in the center standing in front of the american flag and the president is not coming that we've been told is not coming down the hallway and mr james juma law the doorkeeper of the house will be announcing his arrival in a moment to the members of the house members of the senate and to the people of america via television

mark shields and david gergen are here would be you know in the evening or involvement in an aisle seats in the senate as one of the women

and

lynn you the pope the police band the president and the speaker and members of the united states congress

i come to this house of the people to speak to you and all americans certain that we stand a defining hour halfway around the world we are engaged in a great struggle in the skies and on the season since we know why we're there we are americans part of something larger than ourselves for two centuries we've done the hard work of freedom and tonight we lead the world in facing down a threat to decency and humanity what is it stay is more in one small country it is a day ideas a new world order are diverse nations are drawn together in common cause to achieve universal aspirations of mankind

peace and security freedom and the rule of law such as a world worthy of our struggle and worthy of our children's future the poop has resolutely gathered to condemn and repel wallace aggression saddam hussein's unprovoked invasion his ruthless systematic rape of a peaceful neighbor violated everything the community of nations holds dear the world has said this aggression will not stand and get it the

pain we have resisted the trap of appeasement cynicism and isolation that gives temptation to tyrants the world has answered saddam's invasion with twelve united nations resolutions starting with the demand for iraq's immediate and unconditional withdrawal and back out by forces from twenty eight countries and six continents with few exceptions the world now stands as one of the end of the cold war has been a victory for all humanity year and a half ago in germany i said that our goal was a europe whole and free tonight germany is united europe has become whole and free and america's leadership was

instrumental in making it possible the pie to the soviet union is important not only to us to the world that relationship has helped to shape he's another historic changes but like many other nations we have been deeply concerned by the violence in the baltics and we have communicated that that concern to the soviet leadership the principle that has guided us is simple our objective is to help the baltic peoples achieve their aspirations not to punish the soviet union cry recent discussions with the soviet leadership we had been given

representations which if fulfilled would result in a withdrawal of some soviet forces the reopening the republics and a move away from violence we will watch carefully as the situation develops and will maintain our contact with the soviet leadership to encourage continued commitment to democratization the people it is possible i want to continue to build a lasting basis for us soviet cooperation for a more peaceful future for all mankind the triumph of democratic ideas in eastern europe and latin america and the continuing struggle for freedom elsewhere all around the world or confirm the wisdom of our nation's

founders the night we work to achieve another victory a victory over tyranny and savage aggression when this union and are the last decade of the twentieth century century thankful for our blessings steadfast in our purpose aware of our difficulties and responsive to our duties at home and around the world for two centuries america has served the world as an inspiring example of freedom and democracy for generations america has led the struggle to preserve an expanded the blessings of liberty and today in a rapidly changing world american leadership is indispensable americans know that leadership rings burdens and sacrifices that we also now why the hopes of

humanity turned to us we are americans we have a unique responsibility to do the hard work of freedom and when we do freedom works conviction and courage we see in the persian gulf today is simply the american character interaction the indomitable spirit that is contributing to this victory for world peace and justice it's the same spirit it gives us the power and the potential to meet our toughest challenges at war we are resolute and resourceful if we can self a sleek confront the evil for the sake of good in a land so far

away then surely we can make this land all that he should if anyone tells that america's best days are behind or theyre looking the wrong way the pen i come before this house the american people with an appeal for renewal this is not merely a call for a new government initiatives it is a call for new initiatives in government in our communities and from every american to prepare for the next american century america has always led by example so who among us would set the example of our citizens will lead us in this next

american century everyone who steps forward today to get one addict off drugs to convince one troubled teenagers not to give up on life to convert one of these patients the hell one hungry child we have within our reach the promise of a renewed america we can find meaning and reward i serve and some higher purpose than ourselves a shining burns elimination of a thousand points of light and it is expressed by all who know the irresistible force of a child's hand and a friend who stands by you and stays there the volunteers generous gesture and ideas that is simply write the problems before us may be different but the key to

solving them remains the say it is the individual the individual who steps forward and the state of our union is the union of each of us one of the other some of our friendships marriages families and communities we all have something to give so if you know how to really find someone who care if you've got a hammer find the mail if you're not hungry not lonely not in trouble seek out someone who is join the community of conscience do the hard work of freedom and that would define the state of our union the pope we've had people has been the source of our strength

what government can do alone is limited but the protests will of the american people knows no limits we're amazing rob solomon realism and playwright idea was we're americans we are the nation that believes in the future we are the nation that can shake the future and we were going to do just that by strengthening the power of choice of individuals and families together these last two years we put dollars for child care directly in the hands of parents instead of the rubber suits the poems of americans with disabilities

why creativity the marketplace in the service of the environment for clean air and made homeownership possible the pope the strength of the democracy is not in bureaucracy is in the people and their communities in everything we do less unleashed the protests chill of our most precious resource our citizens are citizens themselves we must return to families communities counties cities states and institutions of every kind the power to chart their own destiny and the freedom and opportunity provided by strong economic growth and that's what america is all about it's

booming now tonight in some regions of our country people aren't genuine economic distress and i hear the earlier this month cathie black hole massachusetts wrote me about what can happen when the economy slows down saying my heart my heart is aching and i think that you should know your people out here are hurting badly i understand and i'm not unrealistic about the future that there are reasons to be optimistic about our economy first we don't have to fight double digit inflation second most industries will have to make big cuts in production because they don't have big inventories and third our exports are running solid and strong

in fact american businesses are extorting at a record rate so let's put these times in perspective together since nineteen eighty one we created almost twenty million jobs but inflation in half and cut interest rates in half and yes the largest peacetime economic and expansion in history has been temporarily interrupted but our economy is still over twice as large as our closest competitor we will get this recession behind us and returned to growth soon we we will get on our way to a new record of inspiration and achieve that competitive strength it will carry us into the next american century we should focus our efforts today on

encouraging economic growth investing in the future and giving the power and opportunity to the individual we must invest again with control of federal spending and the poor budget that holds the growth in spending to less than the rate of inflation and that's why i'm in all the sound and fury over last year's budget debate we put into law new enforceable spending caps so that future spending the base will mean a battle of it is not a bidding war the

pain the budget agreement finally put the federal government on occasion go plant and cut the growth of debt by nearly five hundred billion dollars and that phrase funds for saving and job creating investment now as do more my budget again that includes tax free family savings accounts families free withdrawals from iras for first time homebuyers as to increase jobs they refused to

pay i know there are differences among us about the aftermath in the effects of the capital gains and senate so tonight i'm asking the congressional leaders and the federal reserve to cooperate with us in a study led by chairman alan greenspan to sort out are technical differences so that we can avoid a return to unproductive partisan bickering at this is our efforts will bring economic growth now and in the future they must also be matched by long term investments for the next american century and that requires a forward looking plan of action and that's

exactly what we will be sending to congress we've prepared a detailed series of proposals that included a budget the proper most investment in america's future and children education infrastructure space and high technology legislation to achieve excellence in education building on the partnership force within fifty governors in the education system enabling parents to choose their children's schools and helping to make america number one in meth is a blueprint for a new national highway system a critical investments in our transportation infrastructure aei research and

development agenda that includes record levels of federal investment and a permanent tax credit to strengthen private r and b and to create jobs to pay comprehensive national energy strategy that calls for energy conservation and efficiency increased development and greater use of alternative fuels the poem the brain america's financial system into the twenty first century so that our banks remain safe and secure and continue can continue to make a job creating loans for our factories our

businesses and home buyers you know i do think that there's been too much pessimism sound banks should be making sound loans now an interest rates should be lower the pain in addition to these proposals we must recognize that our economic strength depends on being competitive in world markets we must continue to expand american exports a successful uruguay around world trade negotiations will create more real jobs and more real growth for all nations and you and i know that if the playing field is level america's workers and farmers in our work out produce anyone

anytime anywhere fb mexican free trade agreement and our enterprise for the americas initiative we can help our partners strengthen their economies and move toward a free trade zone throughout this entire hemisphere as budget also includes a plan of action right here at home put more power and opportunity in the hands of the individual and that means new incentives to create jobs in our inner cities are encouraging investment through enterprise zones it also means tenant control and ownership of public housing freedom and the power to choose should not be the privilege of

wealth they are the birthright of every american the pain crucial to protecting equal opportunity the pope as a responsibility to speak out against racism bigotry and hate we the poor you are vigorous enforcement of existing statutes and i will once again pressing congress to strengthen the laws against employment discrimination without resorting to the use of unfair

preferences it's brilliant to protect another fundamental civil rights freedom from crime and the fear that stocks hour since the attorney general will soon convene a crime summit of our nation's law enforcement officials and to help us support that we need tough crime control legislation and we know the pain and as we fight crime we will fully implement our national strategy for combating drug abuse recent data show that we are making progress but much remains to be done we will not rest until the day

of the dealer is over the political is every american's right in every american's responsibility and so we are proposing an aggressive program of new prevention initiatives for instance for children for adults and for the elderly to promote a healthier america and it helped keep costs from spiraling the principal people more choice in government by reviving the ideal of the citizen politician who comes not to stay but to serve and one of the reasons that there is so much support across this country for term limitations is that the american people are increasingly concerned about big money influencing politics so we must look

beyond the next election to the next generation and the time has come the book the national interests above this special interest and that totally eliminate political action the pen would truly put more competition and elections and more power in the hands of individuals and were power cannot be put directly in the hands of the individual it should be moved closer to the people away from washington the federal government too often treats government programs is if they are of washington by washington and for washington was established federal program seemed to become immortal

it's time for a more dynamic program lifecycle some programs should increase sums a decrease some should be terminated and some and some should be consolidated and turned over to the states it's b my budget includes a list of programs for potential turnover killing more than twenty billion dollars working with congress and the governors i propose we selected least fifteen billion dollars in such programs and turn them over to the states in a single consolidated grant fully funded for flexible management but it has to pay the value of his turnover approach is straightforward it allows the federal government to reduce

overhead it allows states to manage more flexibly and more efficiently it most power and decision making closer to the people and it reinforces a theme of this administration appreciation and encouragement of the innovative powers of states as laboratories this nation was founded by leaders who understood the power belongs in the hands of people and they planned for the future and so last week here and all around the world as americans we know that there are times when we must step forward and accept our responsibility to lead the world away from the dark chaos of dictators for the writer promise of a better day almost fifty years ago we

began a long struggle against aggressive totalitarian is now weak face another defining hour for america and for the world there is no one more devoted more committed to the hard work of freedom and every soldier and sailor every marine air imminent coast guardsman every man and woman now serving it's been fb

each of them as a volunteer volunteered to

revive this nation's defense and now they bravely struggle to earn for america for the world and for future generations a just and lasting peace our commitment to them must be equal to their commitment to their country they are truly america's finest if you're in the golf is not a war we wanted we worked harder to avoid war for more than five months we only arab league the european community united nations tried every diplomatic cabinet un secretary general perez to play our presidents gorbachev major role owes all mubarak and

ben to be kings five and house are prime ministers major and andreotti just to name a few all worked for a solution that time and again saddam hussein flatly rejected the path of diplomacy and peace the world well knows how this conflict began and when it began on august second one saddam invaded and sacked a small defenseless neighbor and i am certain of how it will end so that peace can prevail we do the fb tonight i am pleased to

report that we are on course iraq's capacity to sustain more it's being destroyed our investment our training our planning or are paying off time will not be sad and salvation our purpose in the persian gulf remains constant dr iraq out of the way to restore awaits legitimate government and to ensure the stability and security of this critical region let me make clear what i mean

by the region's stability and security we do not seek the destruction of the rock its culture or its people rather we say in iraq it uses its great resources not to destroy not to serve the ambitions of a tyrant but to build a better life for itself and its neighbors we see the persian gulf where conflict is no longer the rule or the stronger neither tempted not able to intimidate the week most americans know instinctively why we are to go off they know we had to stop so them now not later they know that this brutal dictator will do anything will use any weapon will commit any outrage no matter how many innocents suffer

they know we must make sure their control of the world's oil resources does not fall into his hands only the finance further aggression they know that we need to build a new enduring peace based not on arms races in confrontations but on shared principles and the rule of law and we all realize that our responsibility to be the catalyst for peace and the mood in the region does not end with a successful conclusion of this war democracy brings the undeniable value of thoughtful dissent and we've heard some dissenting voices here at home some handful reckless most responsible but the fact that all voices have the right to speak out is one of the reasons we've been young i didn't purpose and principle for two hundred years it's

been our progress in this great struggle is the result of years of vigilance and a steadfast commitment to a strong defense and now with remarkable technological advances like the patriot missile we can defend against ballistic missile attacks aimed at innocent civilians looking forward i've directed that the fbi program the re focus on providing protection from limited ballistic missile strikes whatever their source the posters to deal with it future threat to the united states to our forces

overseas and to our friends and allies the quality of american technology thanks to the american worker has enabled us to successfully deal with difficult military conditions and help minimize precious loss of life we've given our men and women the very best and they deserve it the panel place in our hearts for the families of our men and women serving in the gulf they are represented here tonight and this is norman schwarzkopf it's been the pittsburgh grover

grateful general schwarzkopf and all those serving with him and i might also recognize one who came with her with the assist force go from a pow or the wife of distinguished chairman of the joint chiefs fb and to the families and to the families and they say our forces in the gulf will not stay there one day

longer than is necessary to complete their mission the pain and the success of the r a s pilots of a kuwaiti saudi friends the canadians italians the pilots of qatar and bahrain all our crew but for the first time since world war two the international community is united the leadership of the united nations once only hope for ideal is now confirming its founders' vision the pain being asked to bear alone the financial burdens of the struggle last year

our friends and allies provided the bulk of the economic costs of desert shield and now having received commitments of over forty billion dollars for the first three months of nineteen ninety one i am confident they would do no less as we move through the desert storm the pope but the world has to wonder what the dictator of the rocks is thinking if he thinks by targeting innocent civilians in israel and saudi arabia that he will gain advantage he is a big role and the pain it he will advance his cause through tragic and

despicable environmental terrorism he used and roll and if he thinks that by using the coalition prisoners of war he will benefit he used to pay fb we will succeed in the gulf and when we do the world community would set an enduring morning do any dictator or

desperate present or future who contemplates outlaw progress the world and therefore seize this opportunity to fulfill a long held promise of a new world order or brutality will go on were awarded and aggression will need collective resistance yes united states there's a major share of leadership in this effort among the nations of the world only the united states of america has both the moral standing and the means to back it up with the only nation on this earth it could assemble the forces of peace this is the burden of leadership and the strength that has made america the beacon of freedom in a searching world

this nation has never found glory and more our people have never wanted to abandon the blessings of home and work for distant lands and deadly conflict if we fight an angler it is only because we have to fight at all and all of us yearns for a world where we will never have to fight again each of us will measure within ourselves the value of this great struggle any cost in lives any cost is beyond our power to measure that the cost of closing our eyes to aggression is beyond mankind's power to imagine this we do know our cause is just our causes moral our cause is ms

bee future generations understand the burden and blessings afraid to let them say we stood for duty required us to step let them know that we affirm america and the world as a community of conscience the winds of change are with us now

the forces of freedom are together united and we move toward the next century more confident than ever that we have the wheel at home and abroad to do what must be done the hard work of fried may god bless the united states of america will once the people on the phone

is weekend in home village to send them omar thornton mississippi on the us for security in egypt is very very very very big importing belong to the point of

the curtains in the new normal say the person's vote for their fifteen minutes the vaguest ovations when he spoke about troops on duty in the persian gulf the united states can safely provided for them are discrimination tv and there goes the president leaving the chamber of the house of representatives and we will be gone in a few minutes to the democratic response on to the senate majority leader george mitchell of maine you will speak from the lyndon baines johnson room on the second floor of the capitol while we wait for that quick analysis now of what the president had to say and did not have to say by vernon and she'll that's david gergen editor at large of the us news and world report mark

shields syndicated columnist for the washington post did give me an overview about the speech to muslims speech that happen the worrying public affirmation by the congress or the president by everyone in the hall of support for the treatment of triumph and for the fact that there is all but i think there's a unity of belief or does it does it just cause the last time an american president spoke in this hall about terrible imperialist war orphans during vietnam for fifteen years ago and you simply could not see that kind of support for the troops people were divided i think tonight given a very vivid and well for those explosion of love clubbing was all around happening rather than a speech on the ita day it certainly wasn't a time when the president took his surge his popularity and support the country and translate into any sort of domestic programs including great and i know there were really no bold initiatives hear about and the political capital he does have eased decided to ordain hold onto obviously instead of trying to convert it into a

legislative achievements you had spoken earlier on on is earlier this evening about this was an opportunity for the president to ask the rust rest of us makes sacrifices of the byzantine is that he needed and that was that was an affirmation davidson actually right set of support for the troops support debt which which is entirely different from vietnam there isn't even during regular congressman from new york who did speak to one of the rather large protests a year in march there was sergei that emphasize that your description of the war not with the warriors should support of the wars but he didn't add that was it during david maybe maybe early hughes deputy of the more sensitive to that republican rhetoric that i have read it and i did hear a call for sacrifice because you know you're little more was the war was at in terms of the emotion or look the speech will be remembered for have a question about that and yet he did spend a good hunk of them going through

a list of domestic things but what you what you make of the officials in the west because there are longer and longer a lot of domestic initiatives and knockout some twenty three or twenty four domestic your notions of the good part of a lot of the things we've seen before various few surprises they are the ideal agrees that commission wraps for capital gains know the very movie on the notion of turning over someone twenty billion dollars fifteen billion dollars worth of domestic programs to the states can ask you about the military is that candidates as determined as a program called terminal what is no need for summer course no idea block grant programs and give the money or against a central feinberg what they will say we pritchard we don't believe your fund them are present on this first full funding for kyrgyzstan about the increasing cost of the time for you where you feel about the fact that one line in here

energy policy another way to try and i don't even think was a complete so nigerians a comprehensive national energy strategy the call for energy conservation efficiency increase of all of my memories of alternative fuels right there that's not terribly specific i mean i don't think anybody questions that you've infective kuwait to produce broccoli you know we would not be in the persian gulf iraq and that day does that saddam hussein does represent it is the potential dominance of that area and in saudi arabia would represent a threat to the world's economy but the idea of the united states responded and gentlemen the independence of asking us to be a little less so perhaps consuming and that image reckless unlike listener contestant could that be a an indication of the president's confidence of the senate that they won and won quickly and that we're really not going to have an energy problem once as lance are you and what they're not going to be a successful are the

problem shouldn't settle our internal squabbles avoid an energy policy on local political speeches with marvel that it took me back to the gulf coast and really going out to senator george mitchell of maine the senate majority leader for the democratic parties in the capitol building and the lyndon baines johnson room on the second floor under much across the persian gulf dawn is now waiting for americans there another night a dangerous passing another day of combat begins in the skies over iraq of what the ships in the gulf on the sands of arabia there are americans not republicans or democrats but americans who answered that country's coal before the war began we debated openly as democracy demands we agreed that are racks of aggression was brutal and illegal and interact last week kuwait by force if necessary

the difference was not in the polls but in the names one of force should be used immediately or only as a last resort if other means they are no one will ever know if that other course would have worked now that war has begun will work to see that it's swift and decisive with the least possible loss of life our hearts go out to the prisoners of war over indoor brutality and exploitation we honor their bravery we care for their families we warn their captors they'll pay a heavy price for mistreating our men there's nothing a democratic society can do that were difficult and asked if you'd risk everything in behalf of the many who has nothing we done that our troops deserve our full support they have mined and that of the congress

are support will not end when the fighting and those who risked their lives and our behalf and their families must know that a grateful nation cares about them not just joining but also after the war when the war is over there's one lesson we must never forget the dictator we help today they turn his weapons on us tomorrow fourteen years' us policy favored a rack we cannot repeat that kind of a study out of the tragic a war we seek a world where the force of the law is more powerful than the four sublime we seek a world where justice and human rights are respected everywhere students massacred and china priest murdered in central america demonstrators gunned down in lithuania these acts of violence are as wrong as iraqi soldiers killing civilians we

cannot impose repression in one place and all of that we seek a world with the burdens of three of our shared by all who enjoy its benefits for half a century from the berlin airlift of the persian gulf america has done its part those allies who've passport behind the shield of the common defense must contribute their fair share they're not doing it yet it's time they get one nation israel has done much by its brave refusal to be provoked this crisis has given us how awful you grew up the importance of israel's branch but as critical as the gulf conflict is the other business of the nation won't wait the president says he seeks a new world order we asked him to join us in putting our own house in order we have a

crisis abroad but we also have a crisis here at home we're in a recession more than a million americans who have jobs last year are out of work today bankruptcy's arising the banking system is in trouble people are worried about their economic future we can make this crisis by providing for the wellbeing of the american family that's our strength working families the men and women who toil an industry and fires were computers run small businesses that children and students for the future they're the true measure of our national bike catholic in just two weeks this war has shown us the enormous potential of our people in our technology week combines a period or equipment with concentrated training high skill with great courage to do the work of the war now we should apply our talent and technology

to the work of peaks if we can make the best smart all cut we make the best dc are if we can build a high speed patriot missile cut we build a high speed train i believe we can all first priority must be economic growth a skilled and dedicated workforce modern equipment and innovation are essential to a rising standard of living and economic growth solve many problems the old saying is true the best social program is a good job the first step to growth is a sensible energy policy we should have learned the lessons of the two oil price shocks of the seventies but we didn't for ten years we've had no energy policy we just relied on imported oil we must change that we need a new energy program which encourages conservation promotes the use of alternative fuels and

reduces our dependence on imported oil were outraged by the environmental disaster in the persian gulf but there's a broader threat to the global environment we must combat pollution before it makes much of the earth and fit for life we must strengthen the banking system now before it's a political crisis not after last year the senate passed a good bill to limit spending and political campaigns and eliminate political action committees were going to pass it again this year and push until it becomes law we want a better society not just for our returning servicemen and women but to their children and old choate we owe them not just to save the world but safer streets but whole so we'll put the emphasis in the resources where they bow at the

state and local level of the war on drugs and crime will provide care food and early education for the millions of children who don't get that we spend more on health care than any other country would get the best care but only for those who can afford that leaves out a lot of americans thirty seven million don't have any health insurance and we don't have any policy on what will be the crisis of this decade long term care for the elderly we can provide better healthcare at less cost we all have to do more with less your families have to government must do the same to be more careful with your tax dollars for ten years we've had record budget deficits and

record trade deficits we lost a lot of american jobs we're going to bring the deficits down and the jobs hole the president's way to do that is to give huge tax cuts to those with incomes over two hundred thousand dollars a year we disagree it's working men and women the middle class whose taxes should be cut there already bearing most of the tax burden they're also bearing the burden of war not many kids whose families earn more than two hundred thousand dollars a year volunteered to join the army it's mostly the children of working people the middle class and the poor over the fighting and the dying their families shouldn't have to bear all the burden is what they need what all americans need most of all this opportunity the chance to succeed through hard work before i entered the senate

i served as a federal judge it's a position of great power but what i enjoyed most was presiding at citizenship ceremonies people who come from all over the world gather before me in a federal court there in the final act i have ministered to them the oath of allegiance to the united states and they became americans after every ceremony i spoke personally with each new america i asked them how and why they came the stories were inspiring their devotion to america moving the ranches with it but through them rent a common thing that's expressed by a young man who set in halting english i came because here in america everyone has a chance he summed up america in one sentence here everyone has a chance i know that's true i know that in america you can go as high and as far as your

talent and a willingness to work will take that means there must be a quality education for every american child there must be jobs fairness in the workplace with no discrimination with equal rights and economic independence for women no guarantees for anyone but an equal chance to succeed for everyone so tonight as we take stock of our country we acknowledge our good fortune to be americans citizens of the most free the most open the most just a sigh at in human history even as we recognize that there remain wrongs to be read but most of all we think about where your responsibility to have permission of our fellow citizens bear the burden of that support them now and to respect them when they return

i think tonight about young airman from winslow may i met him in december in saudi arabia he has four children including one year old twins he hadn't seen them for months i didn't know when he would but he didn't complain he was quiet but it was the quiet strength of someone committed to his country and has to be our duty now is to support the men and women serving in the persian gulf to work and pray for their swift and safe return home and to build an america worthy of them and their children may god bless and watch over each of them thank you and goodnight i was the democratic response by senator george mitchell of my in the senate majority leader back to garden and shields mark shields david gergen mark opens the message of george mitchell that george

mitchell had a lot tougher job tonight and george bush he's following a commander in chief who has sky high support in the public opinion polls and he had to give a speech for his party without appearing to be either a cartoon are our crippling if what he succeeded in doing that like it shifted the attention from the international global where the president got his biggest response and where he has certainly enjoyed this is great success back home to the problems of the country not only did that successfully i think it did it deftly dyke and i i thought you will be able to tell how successfully was if the republicans accuse him of class warfare and a kenyan they get republicans ago is when they say that they indulge in class warfare we mentioned affect about there are very few signs of those earning two hundred thousand dollars a volunteer service that of course is the dividing line on capital gains and it set the line that's going to be remembered for most important thing probably the line that you know we we

will have this weapon duel problems overseas and our current bacterial crisis overseas now those of course the season is profane that that we're going to hear more of your job to support her and george bush's speech we found the call for sacrifice here in this point now they're into a one handed the democratic or the tax break for middle class republican to television tax rates for the upper class and some hostility began do you think he was able to be due to appear to be nonpolitical but the political will not to show an alternative to the republican president i think it did have a lot of work that was a contest was there and he took a few shots but they were their watch it causes prison for instance on the on the monthly up on its an invasion for not paying attention they're a direct threat to its neighbors and then demonstrate in the morning about dead dealing in arms and this line that we can make the bus park on can we make the best dc or we can build a high speed of a cruise missile can we build a high speed train i believe we

can and quell dissent really is mostly relegated said it certainly a message in america as americans know what a vcr was invented tae and there's not a single one produced to manufacture here today i thought it was a silly this ones yeah they were is that normally call for an hour to come home from the wig off and so that the vcr florida's at what were the elements are just seeing our way gave generously inside the cassini oh line of of what i would call me and nationalism that the democrats will begin to emphasize in the camp we get we do this and we think that if we can't we can't say we're no thank you both very much and among the many of the same pbs stations will have more reaction to tonight's state of the union address and the democratic response this is a special edition of the macneil lehrer newshour our special edition of the newshour continues

now we'll be hearing from some citizens of colorado been listening to president bush's speech and senator mitchell's response there with judy woodruff mr denver studio we'll also be talking to members of congress who represent them and we'll hear more from our regular commentators david gergen and mark shields we begin with judy woodruff in denver rahman we have gathered together a group of people who do represent i think a pretty broad cross section of colorado citizens they are men and women of different ages they represent different ethnic and economic backgrounds and at least as of an hour ago they had their differing views on the war in that first golf so let's go to them right now and i asked them what they thought about the president had the sales the democratic response dennis brimhall year hospital administrator here in denver what were your thoughts on the president's well i mean the president obviously benefited from a sense of unity the previous presidents have haven't gotten that physician i think you're recall two things i was moved by the recognition of the troops and yet the statement at the present have it was he was really very profound he

said the involvement of people will define the state of the union and i think that was a thing what you what you what you think it was performed well i think he was basically saying that we need to get involved and if we do that we can change a state of the union out that some optimism that sometimes we we don't like to get involved with that i think that's that's a truth reprise what you think is his name well i thought it was a very very brilliant speech i must i must say i think he set the tone properly it was coach and it was direct and it was probably balanced he took the initiative away from saddam hussein because i think the nation expected the focus to be there and what president bush did was properly balance the content which i think really set a proper tone with domestic policy and foreign policy and i have to congratulate him for doing that

laura potter it feel to say why do you think the president set the right tone the right balance here i think the president's old age from ronald reagan's book and that cast responsibility for domestic problems to the individual marketplace i think that he's going to engage in warren diplomatic relations and enforcing environmental laws improving education fighting homelessness is our individual i don't think that's correct one because i don't think the individual and the marketplace alone can solve those problems takes the commitment of the nation he washed his hands of that commitment his hands are completely full with the foreign relations and a rabbi stephen foster and you agree with but i really don't i have some real concerns about what the president said well i think all of us had a sense that that that we are behind the troops and i think we all are i wonder what those troops are going to come home to

i serve as the chairman a state's of rights commission state and i can tell you that the civil rights violations are alive and well there's discrimination to take all of those people who serve this country many of them are blacks and hispanics and to bring them home to this country where we can't even pass a simple civil rights legislation that promotes quotas and timetables and affirmative action are seems to me that we're going to be bringing people home to no jobs whatsoever and only providing jobs to the rich chairman hamilton you're active in the republican party agree with our rabbis hostages said absolutely not why they got president bush delivered perhaps the best state of the state speech that i've ever heard in my forty six years i do think there is ample reasons for the people too come back to colorado and back to america for that reason they left this country in very good shape i'm very confident they will return in good shape i do have a problem however with your

commentator's i thought that they were the absolute the most biased to people i've ever had the opportunity to watch on pbs and i'm disappointed with that we make it back to just a minute mark and david are you listening reverend sandra willson you're shaking your head just plus at my head in agreement with rabbi foster we are living in a time of a serious discrimination when we need to be fighting wars domestically and they were mentioned tonight war still on poverty we think we visited that already the literacy discrimination odd joblessness hopelessness homelessness in a society are most concerned about the message the mixed message or giving to her children not we tell them they learned along with one another and then were converting a penny arcade into little computerized versions of desert storm and how can we tell them that you go to high school and get it and grow up you get a job you have to not have access to

opportunities like i'm concerned about that that our moral courage his country is somehow being eroded in the gloria of the words all right let's let's really here to this side that the uncertain so i forgot you and would you please stand up a forgotten your for your name but you've been active in the supporting the war is there a yes man we have organized a group called smash students mobilized to get saddam hussein and our one of our one of our missions in and two in response to the president tonight is that it is good to see the support of the congress both republicans and democrats for trips overseas which has been one of our primary missions but what about when you hear some of the comments of the people on the other side of the room were just saying they worry about what the troops will come home to that there's not enough attention being paid to domestic issues what what struck you about what the president had to say tonight on that were we were worried about what the troops what sort of mentality the troops are going to come onto are they gonna be spit on like some of the soldiers in vietnam that is our mission to make sure that they come home happy and ready to go back into the

workplace our it i was sitting just behind you is michelle king co why i understand you have a different feeling about the war going well out protesting the war but i would like to make it clear that i do support our troops in the gulf i welcomed them with open arms and i would not in a million years that honor soldier but i'm committed to my country and i feel it's my duty to speak out against the war because i have to wonder what kind of peace and security can you secure for people like killing them what kind of human rights can restore to the people equate when they had to begin with and nothing the president said tonight change your mind and it seemed to me and scientists say this like empty rhetoric and i didn't hear that but the real reason why were in the gulf you saddam hussein was contained by the economic blockade on this incident when they land some way that you and i was pleased with what i heard generally i'm

concerned however that now we have the opportunity to do something about the energy policy in this country we still haven't done it it was not long ago that the millions of miles per hour you know is defeated shortly after this war started and i think now if any time we can get together and try to do something about alternative forms of energy this is the time to do it so you were like the two heard the president say more about that ari let's turn to come on visits the ways is that how you pronounce it you are a palestinian descent what were what were your thoughts as you listen mum uk voters not so much the palestinians say are the goals we forgive and seven billion dollars in aid to egypt within i get thirteen billion dollars in aid that is real because the question that made no good where do we go from here on is not moral commitment is uneconomic and the five hundred million dollars a day that were spent we haven't even put in ground troops

we have it so the situation or reinforcing ground troops or feeding ground troops in a combat situation or putting gasoline in tanks what we did i mean he touched on some domestic policy so kerry how's he came here is impossible and that this country is dying while we're helping the amir of kuwait for god so i just the ad why is i mean you know it was this aggression that and there is a parallel to be about this what we thought the gross in there with a domino theory there were fighting with the persian gulf there at the ski by for me as somebody of your fingers mr east began to pass me a note a little while ago and strong thoughts about a major spending on the sport we've made some strides in putting in some money into long term gains in the economy how to sustain that and now is a time when the economy's down

to put in those kinds of investments so over the long term we will be able to treat the benefits of income and did you hear the president addressed that in a really did not to the extent that showed me priorities and showed me a game plan and a planned from the leader that would come down through the congress as legal the whole investment when he turned quickly to helen littlejohn hell and you have a family in the gulf what what were your thoughts as you listen to the president i was not encouraged by the stay innovation on that really expresses the same time i had in my heart my heart swelled when that happened i work for the army and i i could not in all good conscience do that unless i really felt that the goal of this administration's piece i believe that we're waging another war we're waging peace hellman john thank you and we're back on the intimate robin back to you know yes driver's not briefing on capitol hill are four members of the colorado congressional delegation from the senate democrat tim wirth a member of the armed services committee a freshman republican hank

well i'm a member of the foreign relations committee on the house side to armed services committee members are with us denver democrat patricia schroeder chairwoman of the subcommittee on military personnel and colorado springs republican joel hefley senator words did you hear what you wanted to hear tonight the lawyer doesn't begin the discussion of energy i was struck by the discussion a lady in denver about energy policy in the absolute imperative that also you know robin for us a call that's so important because we have a an economy that could really benefit vary greatly if we got on an energy processor we're starting in that direction let's hope maybe that's the silk purse that comes out of this situation of personnel i didn't hear any difference in wording between what senator mitchell said for the democrats and one senator mr the president were said in his speech about energy bars are almost the same phrases repeated is there a difference there so i hope that there is a difference i hope that the president does come along with a major commitment to conservation alternative energy programs natural gas all of the pieces of a conference in a shortage of

originality our rumor mill it or why she has been filled with words about how sununu and dominance on and killed and energy program and let's hope that ever walk ins has won on that front and that the president is reflecting mr watkins and not those people in the white house who were said to have really been very destructive of the time energy policy we ought to have sen brown do you think that the war has so abruptly early administration and congress close to initiating a real energy policy the president got the strategy senator mitchell college a policy well i think the elements are there you had made your suggestions for a number of years that congress has been unwilling to act on but clearly it's an area both in conservation and stimulation of the other energy sources that we ought to move on the big news i think was the presence recommending that we do away with political action committees that we're going out with her limitations i think that would play a major role in the changing congress in getting the country moving at least from a policy

point of the un charter what was the big news of the president's speech today i think the thing is too is this feeling on the floor they're really sincere emotion own anti everyone coming together when they talked about the troops think everybody's heart was there i must say on the domestic agenda i i really felt and heard a lot of those words before the words are wonderful but we're not seeing anything other than words going to education and going to the environment and going to the many things that we need to catch up on you know the president is right and then he says that we lead by example and in the world we're doing that but it caused we've kind of dropped the ball and he tends to it away from of by saying we'll either give it to the states and many of them are are bankrupt at this point or we'll all do it through volunteerism and if you look at america's families are struggling harder and harder to stay even and don't have a lot of time to run out and volunteer that doing a lot now in a weakened although a little more but i'm not sure we can meet the real

problems i guess my feeling as i've seen the future this country needs and diapers and all i see is giving those young people in diapers as more debt as we didn't get any answers to that tonight and to me that was the real cloud hanging over the state of the union the debt and how we get out of it are congressman daschle only words you heard on these boom on the domestic agenda when i don't think they're just words i thought the e and probably the biggest statement the most important thing that the president said and i was it was going to present the congress with a budget that would be below the inflation rate the president's don't do that that's too politically dangerous to do that he will be an attack my wrist as religious group in the country who wants more money if he does a budget like that followed we try to get our own budget put together a pier so i think for him to say that he would present as a budget only for inflation rate says it is serious about some in the budget problem it throws it squarely in the lap of a congress to say congress now it's up to you the ball is in your court ended and we want you to respond to this which is next to the persian gulf is probably the most serious problem facing the country and

the senator were so what do you think the big news was of the speech tonight but i would suspect that the whole notion of the congress and the presidents a coming together of the first person your panel in denver doesn't have any advantage of unity i have the country now has the advantage of unity and support for the troops in the persian gulf i that message is loud and clear and it right now in our nation's history that a terribly important message and i think i will come away with me from this speech with a sense of that extraordinary motion on the floor the ovation and that very very broad support for our troops so is that they'd chief message out of the stadium in and senate among the assistant sense of emotional support for the troops well i think it's been summarize well the year the unity behind the troops is a very clear all market where just transpired but i suspect a congressman hefley is correct when he says the biggest news is replies the biggest news is a commitment to bring in a budget that's less the inflation rate the fact is the

budget compromise of last year didn't work its a fraud spending is up fourteen percent so far this year the deficit's going to be the biggest in the history of this country and clearly the big news in the big battle is going to be over the budget the shear thats clearly out of control not about paying for the war is sour or nuncio members injured his group and mccarver said that the president hasn't spelled out how that was going to be done well there's no question that the defense cross are going to be a big part of that budget battle buddies you know i think that the president's done a wonderful job in green and funds from four countries that you mentioned forty forty one billion dollars it in this first quarter a significant amount of money and the prior quarter but the fact is our allies thanks to the prodding by the present they have collected much of the marginal cost of the war so sure it's a factor but the fact is that we've gotten so much help from other countries it is i think they'll put that into perspective burger comes from insurance senator mitchell for the democrats was and is happy with the contribution of the allies do you feel it mentioned about paying for the

war you know we out west are very very good at adding things up we don't like that out west and i think that spokesperson did a very good job first of all we heard forty billion dollars pledged pledged is the magic word of the first round of pledges only kuwait has made there so far secondly if you add up how many days or in that first quarter you're lookin at ninety days sold ninety days and end its a billion dollars a day and the first quarter pledges all coming in we're still talking about fifty billion dollars and when you add that to the snl bailout and some of the proms arriving with fdic and many of the other problems that were having that fifty billion dollars is a lot of money and that's only if the good news is they need all the pledges as they haven't in the past i'm pleased they're talking about burden sharing when i first brought it out it was like they won a bathing suit to church so i must say i was thrilled that the president will use those words anne is talking that

but he's walking a very tight rope is trying to hold the alliance together so you can't push the allies to heart we're afraid the alliance comes apart i think we in the congress it got a new main ones that go out there and now make sure those pledges are made and many of them are increased i think that's our role and he can say look i don't want to push at this i read i have all those tigers over there that are biting at my heels that person halfway if the president's going to with europe was introduced a budget below the rate of inflation how it would you answer they are colorado voter who says house awarded a fourth well i think a lot of the war is going to be fully paid for as the president said with their money from other countries that i would agree with powerful ensure that we ought to make darn sure that those pledges are are paid by the pledges are fine i hope it's just not it's an expression of goodwill we really needed to be paid before we got into the shooting part of this thing when we were still under a desert shield the other countries that pledged or are funded about seventy five percent of the extra cost of doing this night with

additional pledges the presence talking about the night that i'm a long ways towards paying for the length of the war that as i think it was probably fake but i don't think any question about it we as a nation with the economic situation we have right now can not afford a long protracted engagement over there are colleges can stand it if you will stay there are we will go back to duty in denver germany rahman not picking up on that question about the cost of the war linda barclays has been a major john bottle and is over in the persian gulf right now how much do you worry about how much this war is that it cost you spend a lot of time thinking about dr sam think about it at all i think about my husband being over there and sold them a lose their lives and also the spouses they're here because i do a lot of volunteering at fitzsimmons and that's where my heart is right now would you would you make of what the president had to say tonight in terms of justifying why we're over there did you think you needed to say anything new did he say anything new as far as you were not really and is real pathway say in the standing ovation that we got

in the support of the soldiers that we're thinking diane heard that when you listen to the president tonight what did you want to hear what as you feel you needed to hear him say about the war in the gulf well our my concern was there so much talk about war and the golf what message are giving our children the next generation of children i'm really very deeply concerned about what we're saying to them are we saying the way to resolve conflicts through violence that's that's the message or giving them linda moore see your nurse what you think about that i know that i am a mother of two teenage sons are also with nato ally and it scares me to death the thing that they're about the age that they could be attracted to go into the war scientists hope that we get the job done and we get over what we get our guys hold as quickly as possible what

did the president say anything tonight that you felt better explain the rationale for being well i think so i think that i i don't think even i think we all know why we're here why we are out we turn to robert lamb sure that we heard from your wife a little bit earlier you fought in world war two is that right that did you wanna buses and you know what you are the members of congress from our own citizens i kiss to be moralistic question for sen wirth there were yes i'm still disturbed about the energy policy that we do not hand and i was appalled that the senate of the united states two weeks after the august second invasion of kuwait where the oil is good vote down an extension of mileage to detroit i think it's a crime that the senator like joseph dingell has so much power duran something like that through the senate you refer to congressman john dingell of michigan do have similar words about that senator warren

well my question the center worth is it against the bill armstrong voting could use air then i just one or doha center worth noting oh i was one of the early years of the effort to get that mile per hour number increased also the alternative fuels for curley importing about eleven million barrels of oil a day for transportation we could cut that in half with relatively little help that require a little work except political will and for sure we are fifty seven eight votes in the senate but that was enough to break the filibuster with almost unanimous republican opposition and there was a filibuster on the issue you could be a high as you were listening to the president tonight would you like to her more about energy i got something that was on that without my mind i i think that we all know that that oil plays an important part of our life i always did in colorado with fairey the solar energy research center they're doing great think there are i think we need to put a little bit more attention to what we're doing here the obit

that what we got tonight speech and the attitude of the american people of unity if we take the energy that we view the world right behind our the war effort the peace effort are and in that use that energy towards a better drug or education or off the field right this week got the energy were demonstrating that image continuous and did you get the sense and listen to the president that he you and he who are on the same wavelength and i think so i think it's our responsibility to make it happen i think it's our responsibility to make our elected representatives do the things that we want well i fill it is because i'm a military member then to vietnam panama and i will be going to saudi arabia so i think it's not my responsibility also what the one thing that i was wondering about our members of congress and the members of this

congregation here they drive home and maybe i'm doug hughes and toyota's and honda's not about bp is that we're not i think about bob's been talking about american products american initiative and stuff but we don't support our own we don't we play the seton people waiting for the troops but as the first time i've seen that come up as a men's dome that sits on the american wheeled to maintain they don't think americans wheel why not a lot of history history of saying what they've done before like i say it i was in vietnam i was the impending mob scene what americans have done i've seen how americans have targeted the warriors and they're the ones who don't want war more than anybody but when they turn against the war use this term but what you've got turned back eventually they are in out let's let's turn to say sergeant dave dawkins on the metropolitan police force here in danvers oh right when you heard the president say i don't remember exactly how i quote unquote i call a new

view the americans to join the community of conscience solving problems is up to the individual that's what we were just talking about here what do you think when you were you know as a we suffer for twenty years has been fighting a war on the streets the last twenty years and the volunteer our youth council would venture partners i'm a little concerned about them a crime control legislation where is the money going to come from when we start paying off toward death and we start an off the wood yes yeah defense because everybody can walk and that worries the money going to come from for the programs to help that crime control legislation which you heard the president say that as strength of our countries and our individuals it's not in the bureaucracy it's not in the government well certainly i know that will make a big difference but we need the government to participate to make the work with one and the back of your the other side of the room where the gemini raising his hand back here for the right to use services dan winters we just came back from la iraqis arrive in baghdad a week ago today five

days of the bombing has been a great deal of suffering a great deal of pain mine came back after the war started in seventy five days later many americans will suffer many iraqis have suffered i'm really disappointed the president senator mitchell and the fourth congress people from this day no one is mentioning anything about peace millions of people have demonstrated throughout the world in the last few weeks and they've demanded give peace a chance none of them have talked about feast of talk about the cr it's a new oil problems why not peace and why not sell burgess mr burgess is the head of an economic think tank that as you recall the center for the new west why why haven't we heard one i think i think the main reason is it takes two to make peace and i think in the middle east work dealing essentially with with the madman i think as the president said the night the prime minister's presidents the general secretary of united nations has

been a massive effort to resolve this crisis so without war and those efforts failed because of one person saddam hussein what about that we waited seventy three years with the russians and the president said or five months we've tried every diplomatic that way couldn't we wait a few more months it's easy to start a war and we can see how difficult that is to create one last comment i think the va the problem here is we're dealing with somebody who was very rapidly accumulating a weapons of mass destruction and the means to deliver them we've seen in the past several days the lead bombardment of innocent israelis an end and saudi arabia is with the first stage of these weapons so i think waiting two more years certainly seventy three would be asking for a suicide than i disagree with our here somebody resist the reverend wilson oh just like this is a community of conscience to acknowledge where he does toys from new we gave them to him when he was our as sophie we hated iran he was ok many referred

saddam hussein as we talk about our ourselves being a community of conscience i cannot like his to kind of acknowledge that soap so we can take responsibility for our complicity in this because i pray for support the troops is well i'm not sure we're telling the whole story and review we need to tell the whole story so we think that now is it that you know we have some hand in where we are now germans are artists or are the stories of the nineteen eighty four was israel the rock knocked out the reactor if israel hadn't wrecked the iraqi reactor israel hadn't iraq would have nuclear weapons today and i think that the issue of whether or not we should be there now is confirmed by the fact that if iraq had the chance to use those weapons of mass destruction she would have not only on israel but also on saudi arabia and perhaps even up to wait till mcmahon are back on the back row and then reach way up there and try to get the mike my reaction is islam

negative to those comments i heard a lot of new world order but it sounded old were world order to me my view was it still says just cause and we have the means to enforce that you might use sounds like the old world order i'm ready for a new world order and i continue to oppose the war i served in vietnam is that rightly tell me that earlier in our economy just turned around they're just quickly to gene a shrew is a veteran is that correct mr ahmed veteran second world war right i've listened to all the remarks in this room this evening over some of the remarks remark fine president and i listen to the remarks from our senators and our representatives and i think that the president did less and very definitely brought up just about every subject that was mentioned in the room tonight we didn't have you know if he managed to give them each subject but i think he

pretty well covered everything we need for the domestic and foreign and domestic and foreign that you think and i think you're very definitely did an excellent job thank you very much from someone back here when the turnaround said mr herzog yes i take it this is such a serious issue we guarantee see the divisiveness in this country i think the divisiveness get worse especially good at the end i think the point is to be made that you can be against the war and i guess the warrior and in fact i'm against this war that we use eleventh century means in conflict resolution and twenty first century weapons but in fact the dedication the courage of expertise of our soldiers is very moving no we share the loneliness we share that fear and i think that no matter where you wind up in this thing they have to have your respect and admiration thank you know we had another hand up all right over here yes sir leigh turner and connect it says jack mabry who has a conscientious objector during vietnam and i just like asked people whether now we have a

national amnesia in this country because well maura where we when we invaded panama and i was just a poster of that how moral was the passive mr bush's predecessors circus to reagan when he destabilize nicaragua over eight years and thousands of people were killed as a result of that a discovery about the invasion of grenada in fact whenever the united nations protested against those invasions the united states carried out it was disregarded by mr bush or by his predecessor so i don't think we should take this holier than thou attitude about the situation or about any other situations can come in the future anybody want anything for fifteen seconds before we go back to new york and i would say yes i i say amen to work was just said and i think too few people talked about the morality of this war and certainly george bush as a george mitchell hasn't sen wirth hasn't the president did talk about the morality of norton just to say that he felt that this was a high moral cause i like what

the episcopal bishop of atlanta sat in his christmas sermon there is no longer any excuse for is talking about a just war with nuclear annihilation right around the corner there is no such thing well i think that's all were going to have time for but frankly they're still many hands up i wish we had time to get to all of you thank you all of you here in denver for being with us tonight and now back to joe in washington there's like a gm to folks with year and denver and back to a david gergen a mark shields for a few final words first of all german hamilton one of the one of the people there in the group there and dinner was critical of the two of you and his point was that you criticize president bush first sign things and then along came oh senator mitchell who said exactly the same things and he praised him for saying them but what viewers how do you respond to that well i think they're afraid that we did you want to make the point that they say similar things but to be on the presidents the sentiment not that some of

what was aware were being imprisoned are able to have a lot to memorize for a nice your article find that there are both of us are in assets or more potent reasons than exceptional drought assembling this coalition in the persian gulf and they did an excellent job and prosecute war i thought tonight's newshour tonight was the companion corruption of applause for the troops in the gulf and that's something i'm sure no one was more than george bush i think that they thought going into that because we wanted to be achieved his goal of the most important thing we heard from a number of people on that reverend like a woman who's got a husband there now how much they appreciated that i think that was the big news today or did you think yes you can use the data and he is his charge is it for one it there was a higher level expectation attention to the president tonight that there was any way we don't really graydon indictments pressure should be the grade that there were bottles and different bottles are sort of the heart of the party's way out the party out of power of the advances and the

more attractive articulate spokespersons to get your beer in their positions and in he sees that moment but this was a this was a rather magic moment george bush called a defining moment in the country it was certainly a defining moment in his presidency and i just question why listening to what i thought was immensely articulate and interesting people and in the end in denver doctor judy woodruff that each of them had a different league oliver speech allies in india someone says seven they needed someone else's minimum mpg i then then we go to a new world over budget compromise was a fraud even the members of congress had different ways and indicated that that was important so that there wasn't a fanatic hold the speech i think was the criticism that mr joe we found is that george bush speaks to ratchet he speaks through what he does that i think the speeches were other important part of presidents who are not as important to him as the actions and thieves and that is a big contrast say with you who is a who

was who who almost rule the country for speeches rather than through actually it isn't in time magazine named joy of course the man of the year i know the aliases and their definition was in foreign policy he was at this masterful figure davis described and domestic policy he was still an island defined unfulfilled figure i don't think he defined of the field himself a union address that problem tonight as to what was missing on the domestic side of what he feels is defining the defining our history is now and it's in the persian gulf it's not your home and i think he sees his place in history and i think he sees america was the district where ninety nine is now being determined in the persian gulf anger in march hillsides union members finally once again the main news stories president bush assured the nation tonight that the war against a walk will be won when the recession will end soon and reply senate majority leader george mitchell said the democrats support the war but he accused the president of ignoring investors elsewhere in

the world and problems at how american official said the soviet union promise president bush that it will remove many of its troops from the three baltic republics and reopen talks with the independence movements secretary of state baker in soviet foreign minister best mick mc declared the war could stop if iraq promised to withdraw from kuwait but to also promised to work together to end the arab israeli conflict once the gulf war ends imagine and i ran and this has been a special edition of the nose are we will be back tomorrow night with a regular with the regular copy of the newshour until then i'm jim lehrer thank you and goodnight funding for the newshour has been provided by at and t computers communications made the right choice and by pepsico and made possible

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