Obama: "Capture Or Kill" Bin Laden

CBS Evening News Exclusive: Katie Couric Interviews Barack Obama On Terror, Israel And His Stimulus Plan

(CBS)  In just six days, Barack Obama will be sworn-in as President of the United States. Today, Osama bin Laden marked the occasion with a new threat. But in an exclusive interview with CBS News anchor Katie Couric, the president-elect sent a message of his own for bin Laden and his terror network. What follows is a partial transcript of the interview.

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President-elect Barack Obama: We took our eye off the ball when we invaded Iraq. And now it's done. My job is to withdraw in a responsible way from Iraq and stabilize the situation there. But our real focus has to be on Afghanistan, the border regions between Afghanistan and Pakistan. And we have to put as much pressure on them as possible. I've already, you know, spoken to my national security team about how we're going to do that. And I'm confident that we can keep them on the run, and ensure that they cannot train terrorists to attack our homeland. That's my number one priority as President of the United States.

Couric: How important do you think it is, Mr. President-elect, to apprehend Osama bin Laden?

Mr. Obama: I think that we have to so weaken his infrastructure that, whether he is technically alive or not, he is so pinned down that he cannot function. My preference obviously would be to capture or kill him. But if we have so tightened the noose that he's in a cave somewhere and can't even communicate with his operatives, then we will meet our goal of protecting America.

Couric: A renewed ceasefire seems pretty elusive at this juncture between Hamas and Israel. What would you say to leaders on both sides to break through the stalemate?

Mr. Obama: Well, you know, I've been very clear on this, Katie, that until January 20th we have one president at a time and that's George Bush. But, we are gonna start on day one. Hillary Clinton, in her testimony during her confirmation hearing, expressed my views and the views of the administration that we can't delay. We can't kick the can down the road. We're gonna have to take a regional approach. We're gonna have to involve Syria in discussions. We're gonna have to engage Iran in ways that we have not before. We've gotta have a clear bottom line that Israel's security is paramount. But that also we have to create a two-state solution where people can live side by side in peace.

Couric: It was revealed yesterday that your nominee for Treasury Secretary, Timothy Geitner, failed to pay some taxes, and did so only after he learned he would be tapped as Treasury secretary. How embarrassing do you think this is for a future Treasury Secretary who will be overseeing the IRS?

Mr. Obama: Well, I think he's embarrassed about it. But we knew about this before we nominated him. It was an innocent mistake, a common mistake that's made. But here's the bottom line: Nobody denies that he is uniquely qualified for this job, that he has more experience in dealing with international crises. He's been uniformly praised by Republicans and Democrats and by the marketplace. And so … I'm confident he will be confirmed and I'm confident he will do an outstanding job.

Couric: And let me just end by asking you about the stimulus package. Forty percent of your stimulus package relies on tax cuts with the hopes that people will invest that money or put it back into the economy.

Mr. Obama: Right.

Couric: But some critics have said, "hey, that didn't really happen the last time." Why will it this time?

Mr. Obama: Well, there are a couple of things. First of all, I think it's important to understand that the majority of our spending is direct government spending on critical infrastructure that will set the table for long-term economic growth.

We're gonna double alternative energy. We're gonna rebuild our schools and community colleges and public universities. We're gonna invest billions of dollars in health information technology so that we can drive down costs for average families. So that's where the majority of the money's going.

Now, are some people gonna just pay down their credit cards or save some of that money? Absolutely. And if Congress has better suggestions where they can show me that one approach is gonna be better than another approach, I'm happy to take it. I don't have pride of authorship here. But the general framework, the general outlines of the plan are ones that we have run by economists from the left and the right, conservative, liberal. This is a package that I think is gonna make sense. I have every confidence that it's gonna work. But it's gonna take some time. And we've gotta do it with some speed. So my main message to Congress right now is "get it done."

Couric: And if it doesn't work?

Mr. Obama: Failure is never an option. Not in America.

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You'll be able to see more of Couric's interview on a CBS News Special, "Change and Challenge: The Inauguration of Barack Obama," next Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET or 8 p.m. CT.

[seldomseenki]

I would be totally surprized if Bin Laden were still alive.

[chyenna-2009]

Obama: "Capture Or Kill" Bin Laden

Uhhhh, don''t we have to capture Binazzhole before he can kill him. And after he''s captured, kill him. But please kill him as slowly and as painful as possible.

[hypnotoad72]

Nice to know OBL will be FINALLY brought to justice.

And how he was ignored by Bush: 6 months to the very day Bush said he would stop at nothing to get Osama, dead or alive, he said Osama no longer concerned him. FTW!!!

(google "Bush 9/13/01 Osama Justice" and "Bush 3/13/02 Not Concerned Osama" for the actual quotes. Even as Iraq was an issue (thank Al Gore''s 9 minute clip from 1992 on youtube to show Bush was making nothing up in 2003), to say Osama no longer interested him - regardless of contact - was utterly STUPID and disrespectful of ALL Americans.)

[enviro_wacko]

As far as Osama Bin Laden goes...............exicute the individual !

Posted by cessna172_ at 12:14 PM : Jan 16, 2009

Uh, okay.

[cessna172_]

One more thing President Obama...........please don''t give social security benefits to ilegal aliens .

They aren''t paying into it so don''t give them something that hasn''t been earned !

[cessna172_]

As far as Osama Bin Laden goes...............exicute the individual !

[enviro_wacko]

Did you catch how many times in the interview Mr. Obama said "gonna" or "gotta?"

How incredibly Presidential he sounds when he "uh" speaks.

Posted by NObama_09 at 11:14 AM : Jan 16, 2009

Did you notice how many times Chimpy said "nuculer" or "`Merica."

It is pretty widely recognized that Obama is a great speaker and Chimpy is a stupid redneck loser who speaks like a south Texas gas pump attendant.

[nobama_09]

Did you catch how many times in the interview Mr. Obama said "gonna" or "gotta?"

How incredibly Presidential he sounds when he "uh" speaks.

[rafterman1]

===how about the 120,000 dollars a year welfare recipients and illegal immigrants recieve in free money and benefits currently?===
Posted by dumbocrap at 07:20 AM : Jan 16, 2009

The great right wing lie. No welfare receipient gets 120,000 a year in benefits. The fact is, there are actually very few on welfare or receive any kind of govt assistance in this country. The right wing picture of scores of welfare moms driving around in a Caddy is just a MYTH. The TRUTH is, 99 percent of people who get the meager welfare they get NEED it.

[wvu74621]

1000 dollar tax break will pay my car payments for one month.... how about the 120,000 dollars a year welfare recipients and illegal immigrants recieve in free money and benefits currently? HHMMMM...oh that''''s right..it is the responsibility of the hard working AMBITIOUS americans to carry the load for the people who want everything for free....right? WRONG


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Posted by dumbocrap at 07:20 AM : Jan 16, 2009

It makes sense!

[dumbocrap]

Bin Laden died of kidney failure 6 years ago...get over it.. nuke the rest of those motherf@ckers... and let''s get back to work.... fighting over religious beliefs simply shows ignorance..... the reason religion can''t be substantiated in any of the societies of the era is because legends are simply that ...legends..... and legends with no archaeological or historical proof are called MYTHS...what a bunch of ret@rds

[dumbocrap]

1000 dollar tax break will pay my car payments for one month.... how about the 120,000 dollars a year welfare recipients and illegal immigrants recieve in free money and benefits currently? HHMMMM...oh that''s right..it is the responsibility of the hard working AMBITIOUS americans to carry the load for the people who want everything for free....right? WRONG

[changethis09]

OK, Bamy. How much are you willing to spend to acquire or end this pagan zealot''s life. There''s the dilemma your predecessor faced. Enjoy your time in the light, Mr. Kenya''s Man-Of-The-Decade. Your country will turn on your quicker than you could ever imagine.

[dixxson-2009]

OBAMA needs to get off Mr Bin Laden for a
spell right now and see how that works.
Ron Paul knows, Obama knows, and We All
know, that we are way way ahead of them when it comes to "KILLS" WOUNDED" MAIMED" and financial destruction!
Not even counting the latest Israel incursion! If he''s really about "CHANGE"
and don''t won''t to get "TRAPPED" under the
Bush Doctrine, He needs to stop talking about "Killing" Anyone and "Everyone" and get us out of "Iraq" and "AFGHANISTAN".
A Full" and Daunting "Task".

[centerfall94]

And another thing, he''''s still the president, show some respect. The quote you used was actually Ironically from the bible. I am a sincere Christian, not one of those Wishy-washy passive Christians. I am going to speak my mind, even though I live in a PC world, were we are told to leave our religion at the door, I don''''t care. And I am certainly no fool. At sixteen years old, I know what is right and what is wrong, not some liberal moral relativist that doesn''''t know what he''''s talking about. Since I am not a fool and since you seem to need some advice, I suggest that you call Rush Limbaugh on open-line Fridays, and see what he has to say about this view. May God Bless you, Grant Jacobson

Posted by Godisking2me at 07:26 PM : Jan 15, 2009

Speak again after you grow up. All you''re doing right now is setting yourself up to be a bigot.

[enviro_wacko]

And another thing, he''''s still the president, show some respect. The quote you used was actually Ironically from the bible. I am a sincere Christian, not one of those Wishy-washy passive Christians. I am going to speak my mind, even though I live in a PC world, were we are told to leave our religion at the door, I don''''t care. And I am certainly no fool. At sixteen years old, I know what is right and what is wrong, not some liberal moral relativist that doesn''''t know what he''''s talking about. Since I am not a fool and since you seem to need some advice, I suggest that you call Rush Limbaugh on open-line Fridays, and see what he has to say about this view. May God Bless you, Grant Jacobson

Posted by Godisking2me at 07:26 PM : Jan 15, 2009

You sound like a nut job.

[chyenna-2009]

===They only turned their nutball eyes to us when Carter stuck our nose in.===
Posted by dottydo

Wrong. It started in 1953, when the CIA overthrew the democratically elected Iranian president in favor of the hated Shaw. We have been messing around in their part of the world for 60 years and now the Muslims are pi$$ed.



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Posted by Rafterman1

The muslims are piss3d? Ya think? Well I''m pist too.

[chyenna-2009]

My life was NEVER threatened by anyone.
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We Americans felt very threatened after 9/11. And since u didn''t my I inquire as to what planet you reside on? The planet of "Delusion"?

[chyenna-2009]

Godisking2me

I think for a 16 year old high school student, you sound pretty wise.

[chyenna-2009]

roadwarrier1
People in other countries read these blogs so my advise to all republicans is simple. "It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt"
Before calling others fools maybe you should learn to spell. I know that the liberal schools are lacking but is the word "advice" really that hard to spell?
Please unplug your keyboard and only be thought a fool.


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Posted by charliem66

I don''t know what roadwarrior said and don''t care. Charlie, if you want to say something important then do so. But don''t sound like a "FOOL" by tryin to make something out of nothing. So eff''n what if people make spelling errors. This ain''t school dude. Real weak Charlie, real weak.