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CNN LIVE AT DAYBREAK

Word From Washington, White House Latest

Aired May 21, 2003 - 06:35   ET

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

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Despite the violence in Israel, President Bush is standing by that road map to peace. He talked at length about it, but what about today?
We'll take you live to the White House now and John King.

What's on the president's plate today -- John?

JOHN KING, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Carol, uncertain if we will hear the president talk about the Middle East today. His only open public event focuses on a domestic issue, and environmental issue. The president calls it the "healthy forest initiative," an effort to cut trees in some forests to try to prevent burnings and encourage growth in the forests.

But behind the scenes, the administration is working urgently on the Middle East in the wake of these latest bombings. You mentioned the president talking about it publicly. Secretary of State Powell and others are also working privately. They are very happy here at the White House so far with the Israeli response.

There was some fear that Israel would launch a military retaliation, and that in turn would lead to even more Palestinian bombings. The White House says it believes the government of Prime Minister Sharon is handling this almost perfectly right now, improving security, but not doing anything that might alienate the Palestinians even further.

The pressure from the White House is on Mahmoud Abbas, the new Palestinian prime minister. They say he must prove that he is in charge. He must prove that he can crack down on Palestinian groups.

And the president yesterday here at the White House said, yes, this violence is a setback, but he said it would in no way deter him from pressing ahead, dedicating all of the time and energy he says it will take to get the two parties back on the road to peace.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We've got a lot of work to do to convince all of us who care about peace to step up and fight off terror, to cut off the money and to find these people and bring them to justice. Now, we're still on the road to peace. It's just going to be a bumpy road.

(END VIDEO CLIP) KING: A key question, of course: When does the president get personally involved in the diplomacy? Prime Minister Sharon of Israel was due here at the White House. That trip was cancelled, of course, because of the bombings over the weekend. There have been additional bombings since. The White House says it is hoping the prime minister can come in the very near future. They are simply waiting for the Israeli government to say it believes security has improved, things have calmed down to the point when Prime Minister Sharon can come to the White House -- Carol.

COSTELLO: I want to talk about Ari Fleischer for just a minute, the White House spokesman leaving in July. So, will correspondents miss him?

KING: I'm sure correspondents will miss him. Ari has tried his best. It is one of the most difficult jobs in Washington, and it was about to get even more difficult.

It is incredibly hard to be a White House press secretary for a president who is, on the one hand, running the government and, on the other hand, running a re-election campaign. It requires enormous coordination. It can be a very frustrating enterprise. Ari Fleischer decided this was what he called -- quote -- "the last off-ramp." If you are going to leave the Bush administration, you have to do it now, or you have to commit to stay through the re-election campaign. He decided after 21 years in government and politics to get out, have a little time at the beach this summer, spend some time with his wife, then make a little money in the private sector.

COSTELLO: Yes, make a lot of money in the private sector.

KING: Make him a lot of money.

COSTELLO: John King, many thanks.

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