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Saturday Morning News

Bush Inaugural to Focus on Personal Responsibility

Aired January 20, 2001 - 9:46 a.m. ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: About two hours and 15 minutes away now from the main event, the swearing in, and then the inaugural address. We have excerpts now released from the Bush team.

Kelly Wallace at the White House to fill us in on the potential message we will her -- hear, rather, in, again, about two hours from now. Kelly, what are they saying?

KELLY WALLACE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, that's exactly right, Bill. The Bush team is saying that the president- elect's address will mark a, quote, "new commitment" to fulfill the promise of the nation through, quote, "civility, courage, compassion, and character." And then the incoming Bush administration has released two excerpts of the speech that Mr. Bush will give two hours from now.

Mr. Bush will declare, quote, "I will live and lead by these principles, to advance my convictions with civility, to pursue the public interest with courage, to speak for greater justice and compassion, to call for responsibility and try to live it as well."

A second excerpt, he will also say, quote, "What you do is as important as anything government does. I ask you to seek a common good beyond your comfort, to defend needed reforms against easy attacks, to serve your nation beginning with your neighbor. I ask you to be citizens -- citizens, not spectators -- citizens, not subjects, responsible citizens, building communities of service and a nation of character."

And following up with Daryn's conversation with Wayne Slater, clearly from these limited excerpts, the president-elect in his speech trying to talk about bringing the country together, words such as "civility," "compassion." President-elect is not expected to mention the Florida recount and the entire post-election battle, but clearly he knows that in this speech, he's going to try to unify and heal the nation after that five-week post-election battle.

Now, as for the current president, at least for two more hours, Bill Clinton, we understand he is at this time in the Oval Office, still working away, as he has said he would work until the final hour of his final day. He is going through some things, including some 100 possible presidential pardons. We understood that the president had made most of his decisions, but that he wanted to sleep on some of them, so we should be hearing from him soon. Bill, back to you.

HEMMER: All right, we'll stand by for word on those pardons.

Take us back to the speech quickly here. I'm not sure how much you know about this, Kelly, but I'm taking a bit of a chance anyway, if you'll embellish me for a second. It is said that George W. Bush had rather extensive input into this particular speech. What do we know about that?

WALLACE: Absolutely. Well, we know that the speech has been in the works since way back in mid-December, almost immediately after the Supreme Court's decision which, in effect, ended the election. His chief speech writer, Mike Curson (ph), pretty much was crafting it, but talking to the president-elect repeatedly almost daily. Karen Hughes, who has been the president-elect's longtime communications director, and will serve as his counselor here at the White House, she also had great input.

It was something that he would pass along suggestions, they would go ahead and craft some words, and then he would take a look at it.

It's been pretty much in final form, I understand, for the past several days, so much so that the president-elect has been using the teleprompter to practice over the past few days, to get it to the point where he is comfortable.

Also, Bill, the Bush team knows that this speech is very, very important. Ari Fleischer, the president-elect's designated press secretary, saying this will be the singular beginning of the administration. It is important to set the right tone, get off on the right start. Again, no doubt it's not exaggerating when most people say this is the biggest speech of his political career so far -- Bill.

HEMMER: All right, Kelly, thanks.

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