President Bush, on whether Saddam Hussein is developing weapons of mass destruction: “I don’t know what more evidence we need.”. . . Sen. Fred Thompson (R., Tenn.), on Meet the Press: “I think Saddam will not allow inspectors back in, number one. The [U.N.] Security Council will not support us to put inspectors back in, number two. And three, if inspectors went back in, it would be a fool’s errand.” . . . Homeland security director Tom Ridge, in New York Times: “I think it would be a horrible mistake to conclude that there aren’t more al-Qaeda operatives within this country.” . . . Secretary of State Colin Powell: “Pre-emption has always been available as a tool of foreign policy or military doctrine.” . . . Powell intends to resign at end of first Bush term, reports Time. . . . CNN/Time poll: 51 percent support “military action involving ground troops” to depose Saddam Hussein in Iraq, down from 70 percent in December. . . . Congress convenes in New York to commemorate terror attacks. . . . For first time in decades, Coast Guard permanently stations armed boat on Potomac River.
Gov. Jeb Bush (R., Fla.) sends scolding letter to Gov. Jesse Ventura (I., Minn.) over scheduled visit to Cuba: “While I don’t expect you to cancel your trip, I strongly believe doing so would be the right thing to do.” . . . President Bush, on latest rejection of judicial nominee: “What the Democrat members of the Senate Judiciary Committee have done to Justice Owen is shameful, even by Washington standards.” . . . Bush has visited Iowa seven times since election, compared to Bill Clinton’s nine trips in eight years. Only Texas, Florida, and Pennsylvania have seen more of Bush.
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