Vanderbilt Television News Archive

(Studio: Candy Crowley) Report introduced.

(White House: Kelly Wallace) The blame game over how much President Bush's administration knew about terrorist threats prior to September 11 examined; scenes shown about the September 1999 Library of Congress report suggesting Al Qaeda could crash planes into buildings. [BUSH - says had he known the enemy would use airplanes to kill, he would have protected America.] [White House press secretary Ari FLEISCHER - says the information did not raise enough alarms.] Senator Charles Grassley's call for an investigation noted. [Yesterday, Senator Hillary CLINTON - says a New York newspaper headline read "Bush Knew;" adds she is not placing blame.] [FLEISCHER - criticizes Clinton.] White House damage control measures noted. The defense and feisty modes at the White House in response to criticism discussed.

(Studio: Candy Crowley) Report introduced.

(Washington: David Ensor) The questions about whether intelligence could have prevented September 11, but missed clues, examined; details given of the warnings from CIA director George Tenet last summer about a possible large-scale attack by Al Qaeda. [On Wednesday, Senator Bob GRAHAM - says we failed to put the puzzle together.] [Representative Porter GOSS - says the intelligence structure is flawed.] [Secretary of Defense Donald RUMSFELD - comments on reorganization.] [On February 15, Vice President Dick CHENEY - talks about the basic mission.] The possibility of an overall reorganization of the intelligence community discussed.

(Studio: Candy Crowley) Live interview held with Senator Evan Bayh about intelligence. [BAYH - says the real story is not presidential malfeasance, but why did the intelligence community not get the whole picture; cites the bureaucratic intransigence and cooperation is needed to make changes; points out the FBI was not communicating with the CIA as in the flight school matter; reiterates the system was dysfunctional and failed.]