Anderson Cooper 360-Transcript

Anderson Cooper 360-Transcript

COOPER: John King, thanks very much. Appreciate it.

We have been getting a response -- responses all day from both sides of the aisle, Republicans and Democrats. As we said at the top, President Bush is facing more than just ugly facts on the ground in Iraq. He's also dealing with political opposition at home, even within the Republican Party.

Today, Senators Sam Brownback and Norm Coleman said they are against a troop escalation. Now, that makes at least five GOP senators now publicly opposing the president. Reportedly, the number could rise to 10 or more.

Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell is not one of the dissenters. He's the Senate minority leader. He joins us now from just across the Hill.

Senator McConnell, doesn't a surge of more than 21,000 troops fly in the face of the message voters sent in this midterm election?

SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (R-KY), MINORITY LEADER: What I think the voters said was, they were dissatisfied with the lack of progress in Iraq.

So, the question is, what's the way forward? The Democratic critics seem to think that, by leaving Iraq, it will somehow make things better. Senator McCain has pointed out, on repeated occasions, that the principal difference between this situation and Vietnam is, when we left Vietnam, they didn't come here.

It's no accident we haven't been attacked again for the last five years. It's not just good luck. It's because we have been on offense in places like Afghanistan and Iraq. It has protected the homeland for five years.

What we have not seen work out well is the establishment of the new government in Iraq. So, how do you do that? Well, the question is, you have got to clearly quiet the capital city. Putting General Petraeus in charge, clearing and holding the neighborhoods, largely with Iraqi troops, is the -- the only chance, frankly, that most of us believe can -- can work. So, I...

(CROSSTALK)

COOPER: But do you really believe it can work? I mean...

MCCONNELL: Oh, absolutely, it can work.

COOPER: Stephen Hadley, the national security adviser, just a couple months ago, in an internal White House memo that was leaked, expressed real concerns about al-Maliki's ability and/or willingness to affect change, in particular against the sectarian militias.

Now it seems like we're gambling the entire strategy on a promise by Maliki to do just that. Do you believe him?

MCCONNELL: Well, look, it's his last chance. The president made it clear. You do it now or we do leave.

And we want to -- want to have one last opportunity here to see if we can secure the capital city. Only with security, with clearing and holding these neighborhoods, does the new government have a chance to function and reach the kind of political compromises that need to be made for the government to work. They can't do that in the midst of all of this violence.

COOPER: As you know, there's a lot of skepticism out there, and people listening tonight kind of shaking their heads.

I mean, the -- the -- the intelligence was wrong getting into this war about the WMD. The president, all along, has been saying that they had enough troops. Now, tonight, he's saying they didn't have enough troops, and the strategy is being turned around.

Why should people believe the president has it right now? MCCONNELL: Well, I mean, obviously, what was being done before had -- had not worked in Iraq. It has worked here at home. We haven't been attacked again for five years. So, clearly, what we have been doing has protected the homeland. That's very important.

It has not succeeded in -- in setting up a government that can function in Iraq. Obviously, you have got to have a secure capital city, or that isn't going to happen. So, the president is doing, it seems to me, the obvious thing. And he's challenged the Maliki government to get it right, to go after violence on either side, either Sunni or Shia, and be a part of clearing and holding the capital city, so they have a chance for a future.

And I think it's the only approach that has any chance at all of working. I intend to support the president enthusiastically.

COOPER: And -- and, tonight, do you see a -- a complete repudiation of Donald Rumsfeld's strategy? Back in April, you were saying you thought he was a spectacular secretary of defense, one of the best in American history.

It seems, tonight, though, the president is completely changing course from the strategy that Rumsfeld himself was the champion of.

MCCONNELL: Well, look, you change strategy when things are not working.

What did work over -- over the last five years, under Don Rumsfeld, is the -- America has not been attacked again. That worked very well.

What has not worked so well is setting up a government in Baghdad that can function. And, so, it required a change of direction. And the president has been doing that, much as Abraham Lincoln, during World War -- during the Civil War, changed generals when he didn't like the outcome. That's what's going on here. We're -- we're trying for an improved result.

Look, we don't want these terrorists back in America. We don't want Iraq to descend into total violence. It's time to try something new. And that is what the president is doing. I think he's courageous in doing it. And I think he's correct in doing it. And I intend to support him.

COOPER: How concerned are you that some of your fellow Republicans are no longer supporting him, Sam Brownback, Norm Coleman come -- coming out today, saying it's not a good idea?

MCCONNELL: Well, we're happy to have Joe Lieberman, Democratic candidate for vice president in 2000, supporting the president. I think there will be people on both sides who may be in unusual places.

The Congress really only has one tool here, Anderson. And that's to cut off the money for the troops. I don't hear any of the Democrats yet saying they want to do that. If they do, there will be a supplemental appropriation coming along in February. If they want to cut off money for the troops, that will be the time to try it.

COOPER: Senator McConnell, we appreciate your time. Thank you, sir.

MCCONNELL: Thank you.

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