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The Standoff with Iraq

Clinton advisers to hold Ohio forum on Iraq

Clinton's top national security advisers

CNN will televise Wednesday's session live

February 18, 1998
Web posted at: 11:42 a.m. EST (1642 GMT)

COLUMBUS, Ohio (CNN) -- In an apparent effort to take the public pulse on a possible U.S.-led military strike against Iraq and to drum up support, President Clinton's foreign policy team went to the heartland Wednesday for a "town hall" meeting that was to be televised live by CNN.

Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, Defense Secretary William Cohen and White House National Security Adviser Sandy Berger will lead the 90-minute forum at Ohio State University.

Albright, Cohen and Berger are holding a "town hall" meeting on Iraq Wednesday in Columbus, Ohio

The three will speak briefly before taking questions from the audience, organizers said at a news conference Monday.

Albright will continue on from Ohio, speaking Thursday at Tennessee State University in Nashville and the University of South Carolina at Columbia.

"She will make clear the stakes involved in this crisis, the threat posed, the diplomatic efforts we've sought to resolve this without the use of force, and the reasons why the use of force may be necessary," State Department spokesman James Rubin said.

Ohio's meeting comes one day after Clinton's televised speech on the U.S. position on Iraq. During it, he said he still favored a diplomatic solution to the crisis, but that Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein would have to accept the consequences if he continued to stall weapons inspections.

Sometimes, force is "the only answer," Clinton said.

Polls show that American support for a military strike is slipping, and Congress has withheld a vote of confidence.

William Hall, Ohio State's assistant vice president for student affairs, said he believes the State Department decided to bring the forum to his school to get feedback from Midwesterners.

"It's one of those places, when you want to go out and touch the American people, it comes to the top of the list," Hall said.

CNN exclusive fuels media anger

Interactive Maps Key locations in Iraq Pinpointing Iraq's deadly arsenal Databank Allied forces in the Gulf Who's Who Key players in the Iraq-U.N. drama Multimedia Recap of the 1991 Gulf War Message Boards Will Saddam Hussein live up to the deal?

Cable News Network is hosting the event at Ohio State's Saint John Arena, which can seat 13,276 for basketball games.

The White House, apparently noting the TV-watching habits of Hussein, approached CNN about televising the session.

CNN agreed, but insisted it be an exclusive event. That means the other networks are limited to broadcasting two minutes of footage, credited to CNN.

The White House sought to smooth things over by making Albright, Cohen and Berger available for interviews afterward. Fox also plans to air its own interviews.

CBS declined comment through a spokeswoman. Messages seeking comment from NBC were not immediately returned.

"If the administration's goal is to talk to the American people, then perhaps CNN's restrictions may slightly defeat that purpose," said an obviously angry spokeswoman for ABC. ABC was sending anchor Ted Koppel to Ohio State to do interviews for ABC's evening program "Nightline."

White House spokesman Mike McCurry said the White House approached CNN because of its global audience. The fact that Hussein and other Iraqi leaders are known to watch CNN "was certainly an element but not the only reason," McCurry said.

White House Correspondent Eileen O'Connor and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Iraq Standoff Main  |  Latest Stories  |  Message Board

Related stories:

• Mubarak: Iraq sends 'positive' message - February 18, 1998
• The case for diplomacy: Damage, destruction and doubts - February 17, 1998
• The evidence: What weapons does Iraq have? - February 17, 1998
• Iraq shows signs of flexibility as Annan prepares to visit - February 17, 1998
• For Hussein, conflict never ended, it just took a break - February 17, 1998
• Clinton demands total access for U.N. arms inspectors - February 17, 1998

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