The Early Show - Interview
SHOW: The Early Show (7:00 AM ET) - CBS
HEADLINE: Senator Richard Durbin of the Select Intelligence Committee discusses the controversy over President Bush's statements that Iraq attempted to purchase uranium from Africa
ANCHORS: HANNAH STORM; HARRY SMITH
BODY:
HANNAH STORM, co-host:
Now with more, here's Harry.
HARRY SMITH, co-host:
Thanks, Hannah.
Senator Richard Durbin is calling for a congressional investigation into President Bush's assertion that Iraq attempted to purchase uranium from Africa. Senator Durbin joins us this morning. Good morning, sir.
Senator RICHARD DURBIN (Democrat, Select Intelligence Committee): Good morning, Harry.
SMITH: So we hear this morning that Condi Rice in Africa is saying--she says that the CIA cleared the speech in its entirety. Do you want to respond to that?
Sen. DURBIN: Well, clearly there's some confusion here as to what happened. But I can't think of anything more serious than misleading the president of the United States and the American people when it comes to an issue of this importance. The president comes before the American people once every year in a joint session of Congress and speaks to us from the heart about the priorities of America. It is apparent now that one of the statements, and a very important statement, made by the president this last January was not technically accurate.
SMITH: Why do you think this warrants an investigation?
Sen. DURBIN: Well, consider what's at stake here. It's the credibility of the White House on issues of gravest importance involving national security. The president was rationalizing and justifying the need for war, for American families to risk the lives of their children in uniform, and I think that really rises to the highest possible level in terms of a president's responsibility. Now we have called into question whether someone at the highest level in the White House distorted information from the intelligence agencies, which led to the president's statement.
SMITH: Senator Inhofe of Oklahoma called this controversy nothing but an absurd media-driven diversionary tactic. Do you think he's on the money or off the mark?
Sen. DURBIN: I couldn't disagree more. What's at stake here is the credibility of the White House. At a time when we're fighting a war on terrorism, we're engaged in a policy of pre-emption where we can attack a nation when we believe that they may be threatening the United States, intelligence is a very, very important commodity. And if the intelligence agencies come up with reliable information which is then distorted by political operatives in the White House and delivered to the American people, it'll destroy the cred--credibility of that White House and the presidency. We can't let that happen.
SMITH: It's interesting to look at, because if the CIA has gone to the White House and says, 'Don't say that, we don't really--we don't have the--the intelligence to back it up,' why would the White House then go ahead and say, 'Well, the Brits say that the Africans are selling uranium to the Iraqis,' which, of course...
Sen. DURBIN: Well...
SMITH: ...later turned out to be based on a--a bogus document?
Sen. DURBIN: Well, based on this press report, it appears that someone in the White House believed that the facts didn't support the script, and as a consequence, they stuck with the script at a time when the American people deserved the facts. I...
SMITH: What if we find out that this is true?
Sen. DURBIN: Well, if we find out that it's true, we have to go to the highest level. Someone at the White House has to be dismissed, and I believe that we have to have a full explanation for the American people. You know, in Congress here, we have focused on the intelligence agencies, believing that they got it wrong. This press report from CBS suggests they got it right, and it was the White House that distorted this information delivered to the American people by the president.
SMITH: Senator Durbin, we thank you for your time this morning.
Sen. DURBIN: Thank you, Harry.
SMITH: Bye now.