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CNN Wolf Blitzer Reports

Bush Optimistic on State of the Union Address; Sharon Wins Reelction in Israel

Aired January 28, 2003 - 17:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


ANNOUNCER: Now, a special edition of WOLF BLITZER REPORTS: the State of the Union.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I will rally the American people to some great causes.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): President Bush ready to tell us what we face in the next year, Iraq, terrorism, the economy, health care. But they get the first crack. Democratic presidential candidate Senator John Edwards and former GOP Senator Fred Thompson.

Then, it's your turn to sound off.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I would like to see him do a little more in order to give businesses incentives to hire.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I would hope that he would back off from this military buildup and wait until we have more backing of the allies.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'd like for him to clarify why he thinks we need to go to war now and expose whatever evidence he has to the people.

BLITZER: As one war threatens, another still rages. U.S. troops in Afghanistan fight their biggest battle in almost a year.

Israel votes, but now what?

As the Laci Peterson case grows cold, her husband makes a stunning admission.

And, he calls himself Jacob. He's three years old. You won't believe what a store caught on camera.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: You're looking live at the White House only four hours before the president addresses the nation and this year he's facing a triple threat, Iraq, homeland security, and the economy.

Hello, I'm Wolf Blitzer coming to you today only a few blocks away from a very, very busy West Wing. In the coming hours, the president will give what may be the most important speech of his presidency, the president's State of the Union address before a joint session of the U.S. Congress and a global television audience will focus on several issues. The two most crucial are the possibility of war with Iraq and the country's ailing economy.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BUSH: Tonight, I'm going in front of our nation to talk about the great challenges that face our country but no doubt that we'll be able to handle those challenges because we are a great country.

BLITZER (voice-over): By all accounts, President Bush himself faces an enormous challenge in trying to reassure a jittery public worried about a shaky economy and the prospect of war with Iraq.

BUSH: I look forward to giving this speech. It is a moment where I will rally the American people to some great causes and remind them that we'll accomplish those causes together.

BLITZER: The president will not only insist that Iraq continues to violate U.N. resolutions by refusing to give up its weapons of mass destruction, but will go further. Aides say he will make the case directly linking the Iraqi regime of Saddam Hussein to the al Qaeda terror network.

DAN BARTLETT, WHITE HOUSE COMMUNICATIONS DIR.: What we do have to worry about and what we have to focus on are those rogue nations, such as Iraq, acquiring and developing weapons of mass destruction in which they may let those weapons of mass destruction or actively provide those weapons to terrorist organizations such as al Qaeda.

BLITZER: As part of the president's continuing effort to ratchet up the pressure on Iraq, Mr. Bush will consult with key allies in the coming days including Italy's Silvio Berlusconi and Britain's Tony Blair.

The Central Intelligence Agency is currently declassifying information about Iraq's weapons programs that Secretary of State Colin Powell is expected to make public at the United Nations perhaps as early as next week.

That could include a variation of what then U.S. Ambassador Adelaide Stephenson did at the U.N. during the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis when he dramatically released photographic evidence of Russian missiles in Cuba, something the Russians were at that very moment denying.

The Powell presentation could be followed by yet another address to the nation by the president later in February, but tonight, Mr. Bush will have a broader message.

BUSH: I'll talk about our deep desire for peace, peace not only here at home but peace in troubled regions of the world. BLITZER: To underscore that commitment, the president again will have several special guests sitting with the first lady in the gallery. But one seat will remain empty to symbolize what the White House says is the empty place many Americans will always have at their tables and in their lives because of the attacks of 9/11.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: And only within the past few minutes the White House has released excerpts from the president's State of the Union address. For that, let's go to our Senior White House Correspondent John King - John.

JOHN KING, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, good evening to you. Let us focus on Iraq, obviously the subject of most urgency in the president's speech tonight.

We are told the president will mention that the United States does have evidence, as you noted, of links, current links between Saddam Hussein and al Qaeda, also evidence we are told that Saddam Hussein is actively working now to conspire to hide things and deceive the U.N. weapons inspections.

In the excerpts released by the White House, Mr. Bush alludes to that. He will say in the speech tonight: "Twelve years ago, Saddam Hussein faced the prospect of being the last casualty in a war he had started and lost. To spare himself he agreed to disarm of all weapons of mass destruction. For the next 12 years, he systematically violated that agreement.

Almost three months ago, the United Nations Security Council gave Saddam Hussein his final chance to disarm. He has shown instead his utter contempt for the United Nations and for the opinion of the world. Mr. Bush will go on to say the dictator of Iraq is not disarming. To the contrary he is deceiving.

In the excerpts released by the White House, the president also puts in a plug for his tax cut to the Congress tonight, urges the Congress to work with him on a bipartisan basis on healthcare.

But, Wolf, obviously of most immediate concern to the White House is convincing the American people that if the president orders U.S. troops into war in Iraq in the coming weeks that he is following the right course -- Wolf.

BLITZER: All right, John King, thanks very much. John's going to be back later this hour with a special interview with a top adviser to the president, the former White House Counselor Karen Hughes. Thanks, John, very much.

The president's second State of the Union address comes at a time when a majority of Americans say the president is doing a pretty good job. In the latest CNN-"USA Today" Gallup Poll, 60 percent of those questioned say they approve of the way the president is handling his job. Thirty-six percent say they disapprove. But the president gets some mixed reviews on two key aspects of his job. Asked how he's handling world affairs 50 percent said they approved; 45 percent say they disapprove. As for the economy, 46 percent give him a thumbs-up, 49 percent give him a thumbs down.

Joining us now to talk about the president's important speech tonight are two special guests, the Democratic Senator and the Democratic presidential hopeful John Edwards of North Carolina, and the former Republican Senator Fred Thompson of Tennessee. Thanks, Senators, very much for joining us.

Senator Edwards first to you, you've been a hawk as far as Iraq is concerned. What specifically do you think the president has to say tonight to convince a lot of nervous Americans that a war may be necessary?

SEN. JOHN EDWARDS (D), NORTH CAROLINA: Well it's critical, Wolf, that he explain to the American people, and for that matter to the entire world why he believes action is necessary. It's critical number one for the legitimacy of our action. It's very important for the American people to support what we're doing and it's important for the world to perceive our action as legitimate. It's also...

BLITZER: When it comes to Iraq -- excuse me for interrupting.

EDWARDS: Sure.

BLITZER: When it comes to Iraq you basically support his stance.

EDWARDS: Well, I support the notion that Saddam Hussein has to be disarmed. I've said that from the beginning. I still believe that. If in fact he's not voluntarily disarming, and Hans Blix' report yesterday was certain disturbing in that regard, then I think we have to move forward.

But what the president has failed to do up until now, Wolf, and it makes it very, very difficult for us, he's failed to adequately make this case. He's failed to make it to the American people. He's failed to make it to the international community.

It's enormously important because, first, for our action whatever it is to be perceived as legitimate at home and abroad, the president has to have effectively made the case.

Second, for us to be successful, both in a military action if there has to be one and the period post Saddam Hussein, we need the help of others. We need the international community to be with us.

BLITZER: So you're saying don't go it alone?

EDWARDS: I'm saying that he has to effectively make the case. He's not done that to date and it's critically important that he do it.

BLITZER: All right, let's bring in Senator Thompson. Senator Thompson you've been away from Washington for the last several weeks since you left the Senate. You've been out in the Heartland. You've also been in Hollywood as we all know. What does the president have to say...

FRED THOMPSON, (R), FORMER U.S. SENATOR: Not Hollywood, Wolf, but I take your point.

BLITZER: All right, you understand what I'm saying. But tell us what you think the president has to do tonight in order to convince a lot of Americans who aren't yet convinced.

THOMPSON: Well, I think that the president should and will go over the history of how we got to where we are. You know we're not here because we're aggressive by nature or because we like to threaten smaller nations.

We're here because of the threat that Saddam Hussein poses. He has attacked his neighbors. He has persisted in developing weapons of mass destruction. He's used it on his own people. He's running a medieval slaughterhouse in Iraq.

If you can believe the recent article in the "New York Times" last Sunday, this is what we're dealing with here and there are two threats. One has to do with the potential of nuclear capability, I think within six months or so. If he's able to buy fissile material on the open market, he can have a nuclear capability. He already has substantial weapons of mass destruction in the form of chemical and biological. We know that he had virtual tons of VX that is unaccounted for.

Also, the United Nations gave him a last clear chance to disarm and he has not taken it. He has done just the contrary, so we've got to ask ourselves whether or not we sit back as a nation and we sit back as a United Nations and allow this to happen.

BLITZER: But, Senator Thompson, what about the point...

THOMPSON: I think unless we did something...

BLITZER: Yes, but what about the point Senator Edwards made that he has to bring the allies, the U.N. essentially, onboard if it comes down to a war?

THOMPSON: Well, there's no question that we need as many allies onboard as possible, but the British are allies. The Australians are allies. The Spanish are allies. The Italians are allies and I could mention many more, some of which are in the Middle East.

I think at the end of the day that we'll have them there, because setting the example for those who would be the enemies of the United States and for all civilized countries of getting right up to the brink and warning that we will take action if he doesn't comply and then backing off away from that would set a terrible example and put us in more danger in the future.

BLITZER: What about, Senator Edwards, the whole notion and the president is going to speak about this we're told tonight rather extensively, the connection between Saddam Hussein's regime and al Qaeda? You said -- or at least you've been on the Intelligence Committee. How strong is that connection based on what you know?

EDWARDS: Well, most of the information that I'm hearing over the last couple of days is new to me, Wolf. I've not heard or seen it before. I don't think it changes things dramatically.

I think the issue about Saddam Hussein -- Fred mentioned some of it -- the issue about Saddam Hussein is he started a war. He lost. He entered into a ceasefire agreement. He agreed to disarm and he is a serious threat to us and that threat has to be taken seriously.

So, it's really important, both tonight and in the weeks to come, for the president to explain what a serious threat he is to the region, to the American people. And secondly for him to explain why it is factually we need to move and we need to move now, because we need as much international support as we can possibly have for us to be successful in this action.

And, I might add it's also critical, and you won't hear the president talk much about this, to the legitimacy, to the credibility of both the U.N. and the international community.

BLITZER: All right, Senator Edwards thanks for joining us. I want to, before we leave, I want to bring back Senator Thompson. A lot of our viewers now love you on "Law & Order." How's it going along? You're back in show business a little bit, Senator.

THOMPSON: Yes. There seem to be as many people in show business talking about these issues as politicians, so I laughingly said the other day I had to get back in show business to get my political views heard but it may not be a joke.

BLITZER: Well, we love watching you on the little screen, the big screen, here in Washington. Good luck to you, Senator Thompson.

THOMPSON: Thank you very much. I appreciate it.

BLITZER: I'm sure you're not leaving Washington for a long time. Senator Edwards, always good to have you, I'm sure you're not going into show business anytime soon.

EDWARDS: I'm going to leave that to Fred. He's doing it well enough.

BLITZER: Thanks to both of you.

We scanned the editorial pages from newspapers around the country. Here's a little bit of what they're saying outside the Washington Beltway.

From the "Houston Chronicle": "If Bush's speech tonight consists of proud boasts of America's righteousness and its willingness to forego a decent respect for the opinions of humankind. If it includes a laundry list of uncompromising domestic proposals designed to please those on the Republican side of the aisle, it will not only fail but deserve to fail."

The "Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel" says this: "President Bush must convince his national audience that his domestic policies and his strategy on Iraq are on the right track. If the apparently unsettled state of the union is any guide, it could be a tough sell."

And the "Detroit Free Press" weighs in with this: "He owes the American public a better explanation than has been offered to date for risking U.S. lives, domestic security, and the stability of the Middle East. If there is 'fresh evidence' linking Hussein to terrorism, as Secretary of State Colin Powell said Monday, let's hear it."

We might hear it indeed later tonight. Here's your chance to weigh in on this story. Our "Web Question of the Day" is this: is the state of the union better now than one year ago? We'll have the results later in this broadcast.

Vote at cnn.com/wolf. While you're there, I'd like to hear from you. Send me your comments. We might read some of them on the air each day at the end of this program. That's also, of course, where you can read my daily online column, cnn.com/wolf.

And, please join me and my CNN colleagues for our special coverage of the State of the Union address. That begins at 8:45 p.m. Eastern, 5:45 p.m. Pacific. President Bush is scheduled to begin his remarks at 9:01 Eastern, 6:01 Pacific.

(INTERRUPTED BY BREAKING NEWS)

BLITZER: When we come back, he led the Persian Gulf War. Now, Norman Schwarzkopf is weighing in on the possibility of a second war. You might be surprised by what he has to say.

Plus, Scott Peterson's secret. Learn what he says about what he shared with his pregnant wife before she went missing.

Also, the camera never lies and this video is heartbreaking. A 3-year-old's traumatic trip to the store.

And what do you want to hear in the president's State of the Union address tonight? We'll go coast-to-coast to find out, but first today's "News Quiz."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): Which president refused to give a State of the Union address in person? Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, Franklin Roosevelt, Richard Nixon? The answer coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Welcome back. We have more now on the showdown with Iraq. A day after U.N. inspectors reported that Baghdad is not coming clean Iraq insists it's cooperating fully but it's also getting ready for war. President Saddam Hussein warned his generals to look out for traitors, and Iraq's Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz warns his country will inflict great losses on any attackers.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TARIQ AZIZ, IRAQI DEP. PRIME MINISTER: We are preparing ourselves in all areas to face this aggression, but we still hope, we still hope that it will not happen because it's bad for us of course, it's bad for the region, and it's bad for the world.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Saying the United States and its allies underestimated the brutality of Saddam Hussein, former President George Bush is defending his decision not to send U.S. troops into Baghdad during the first Persian Gulf War. In a speech last night, the former president also defended his son against allegations he's too eager to attack Iraq.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE H.W. BUSH, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I must confess that the voices of outrage that say this president wants war really get to me. No president wants war.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: He was "Stormin' Norman" when he commanded U.S. forces in the Persian Gulf War but he's "Skeptical Norman" right now. Retired General Norman Schwarzkopf tells the "Washington Post" he hasn't seen enough evidence yet to convince him that a new war is warranted. He says he still thinks U.N. inspections are the right course to follow and he says comments from the Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld make him a bit, quote, "nervous."

Just how soon could a war begin? CNN Pentagon Correspondent Barbara Starr looks at issues driving the timetable.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Near Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, more military equipment being loaded for the Persian Gulf. Already there, the troops onboard the assault ship Nassau not sure when they may see action.

CMDR. TERRY O'BRIEN, USS NASSAU: We're ready and I think right now we're at the peak of our readiness to do anything that we're called on to do.

STARR: If Saddam made a sudden move, 400 warplanes and 92,000 troops already in the region could swing into action immediately. But being ready for all out war is still weeks away, the timetable driven on several fronts. President Bush may agree to let inspectors continue their work in Iraq before deciding on a war option. That could be an advantage for U.S. troops. MICHAEL O'HANLON, BROOKINGS INSTITUTION: Right now there is certainly a good case for giving the Pentagon more time. They don't have anything close to all their forces in place.

STARR: One hundred and fifty thousand to 200,000 troops would be needed, more than double the current force in the region. That could take another month. More than 100 warplanes still to be deployed, including B-2 bombers and F-117 Stealth fighters.

The Hajj, the annual Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca runs through mid February, war unlikely until it is over.

The moon, on March 3 there will be a new moon, one of the darkest times. The U.S. military wants to use its advantage of fighting at night.

And hot weather will rapidly approach by the end of March. The bulk of the action needs to be over by April before heat makes fighting more difficult.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

STARR: Wolf, the military will be ready to offer President Bush the option of war with Iraq by mid February or perhaps the end of that month. But if there is a delay in that decision that could give the president more time to build crucial international support -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Barbara Starr, at the Pentagon thanks, Barbara, very much.

Opponents of a war against Iraq are debuting a new commercial tonight coinciding with the president's State of the Union address. It's sponsored by a group called True Majority and features the actress Susan Sarandon along with a former U.S. ambassador to Iraq.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SUSAN SARANDON, ACTRESS, ACTIVIST: Before our kids start coming home from Iraq in body bags and women and children start dying in Baghdad, I need to know, what did Iraq do to us?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The answer is nothing. Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11, nothing to do with al Qaeda. Its neighbors don't think it's a threat. Invading Iraq would increase terrorism not reduce it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Meanwhile, Israelis went to the polls today in part to decide the future of the Middle East conflict.

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I'm Christiane Amanpour in Tel Aviv. The winner was never in doubt. It's the incumbent Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, but the future is in question. Will it calm the Palestinian conflict which inflames so many emotions in the Middle East, especially now as the U.S. president contemplates war in Iraq. BLITZER: We'll have Christiane's report. That's coming up.

Also, child abandonment caught on tape. Do you recognize this child? Police ask the public for help. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Turning now to a pair of major international stories. It's the biggest battle in Afghanistan since last spring's Operation Anaconda. Hundreds of U.S. and coalition troops, backed by warplanes and attack helicopters, have been fighting for two days against rebels holed up in the mountain caves near the Pakistani border. The U.S. military says at least 18 rebel fighters have been killed. No allied casualties are reported.

Israelis went to the polls today and gave Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and his Likud Party a clear victory, but now what? Mr. Sharon must put together a ruling coalition. That's not necessarily always all that easy.

Let's go live to CNN's Christiane Amanpour for all the details in Tel Aviv -- Christiane.

AMANPOUR: Well, Wolf, you know they say that all politics is local. Perhaps that is not true here in Israel where really politics have a massive international implication and no more so than at this time while the U.S. is contemplating war in this region.

You know the situation with the Palestinians is inflaming all sorts of passions in the Islamic and Arab world and the question is will Ariel Sharon's victory be able to allay that or come to some kind of negotiated settlement?

Well, it depends on what kind of coalition he's able to put together. His victory was never in doubt. In fact, he has won many more seats in fact than were even predicted according to exit polls, somewhere in the region between 33 and 36.

Labor, the historic opposition, has gone down to its worst defeat ever. According to the exit polls it's got even less than 20 seats, the worst showing for Labor since the founding of the state.

A surprise party that came really from the shadows, Shinui, it means change and it campaigned on a fiercely secular platform. That may help influence any kind of coalition.

But most people are saying that Ariel Sharon may have to go into coalition with the right wing religious party. They say he doesn't want to do that because he knows that this country wants a national unity government, except that the Labor candidate Amram Mitzvah has said that he will not join a national unity government.

So the question really is in these next few weeks that Ariel Sharon has to put together a government, just what kind of government it will be and how it will affect Israel's relations with the United States at this particularly critical time and not only with the Palestinians but also with the rest of the world -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Christiane Amanpour in Tel Aviv. Thanks, Christiane, very much.

The economy, health care, a possible war in Iraq and terrorism. We go across America to find out what you want the president to say just about three and a half hours from now.

Plus, she's seen the speech and given her opinion. Now one of the president's most trusted advisors gives us a sneak peak of the State of the Union.

And, a man under suspicion. Scott Peterson, on his secret affair that apparently wasn't all that secret. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Welcome back to this special edition of WOLF BLITZER REPORTS. Coming up, we'll go coast to coast to find out what you want to hear from the president in tonight's State of the Union address.

(NEWSBREAK)

BLITZER: When President Bush delivers his State of the Union message, his topics are expected to include a possible war with Iraq, the war on terror, the U.S. economy and health care. With the address only three and a half hours away or so, CNN correspondents in Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York and Miami have been talking to people about what they want to hear. We have a sampling starting with CNN national correspondent, Gary Tuchman, in Atlanta.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GARY TUCHMAN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I'm Gary Tuchman in Atlanta, Georgia at the Varsity Restaurant, a landmark in this town, a place where people from all walks of life come for some of the best chili dogs on the planet. But we've come here today to ask a question -- during the State of the Union address tonight, what would you like President Bush to say about the possibility of war with Iraq?

Your name, sir?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Russ.

TUCHMAN: Russ, what would you like to hear the president say?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I would hope that he would back off from this military buildup and wait until we have more backing of the allies.

TUCHMAN: Next to you is a gentleman by the name of?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mark (ph).

TUCHMAN: Mark, what would you like to hear President Bush say?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'd like for him to clarify why he thinks we need to go now and expose whatever evidence he has to the people.

TUCHMAN: Thank you, Mark. Your name, ma'am?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My name is Kathy.

TUCHMAN: Kathy, what would you like to hear President Bush say tonight during the State of the Union address?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'd like to hear him say that he is going to rethink what seems to be a predetermined commitment, especially to go in without the support of our allies. It reminds me too much of Vietnam.

TUCHMAN: The gentlemen next to you is named?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Bill.

TUCHMAN: Bill, you were telling me before you favor this possibility of action in Iraq.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, no one wants war and I'm certainly no exception. But I believe that it's inevitable and I think that it needs to be done.

TUCHMAN: And you want the president to say that?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

TUCHMAN: Thank you for talking with us.

There's a lot more for us on the table tonight for the president of the United States. With more, we go to my colleague, Charles Feldman, in Los Angeles.

CHARLES FELDMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Charles Feldman in Los Angeles where we asked people what they wanted to hear from President Bush tonight concerning the war on terror.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That he's more interested in Osama bin Laden and the war on terrorism than he is in Iraq and the war against Saddam Hussein. That's what I'm interested in hearing.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The representatives that are actually involved with the war on terror actually have less bureaucracy.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I just feel like the direction he's going is so sort of like being a marshal, you know, that it's just so distressing.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think just that we need some assurances that it's still on focus.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I want to hear real talk about the war on terrorism and not more talk about spurious links between the war on terrorism and a war on Iraq.

FELDMAN: That's what some people are saying. I'm Charles Feldman in Los Angeles. Now here's Greg Clarkin in New York.

GREG CLARKIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Greg Clarkin on Wall Street. Well, first and foremost on the minds of many Americans is the fragile state of the economy. Over the last year, unemployment has risen. There are now 8.6 million Americans out of work. And households have taken on more credit card debt.

We've also seen personal bankruptcies soaring. So against that backdrop of a weak economy, many Americans want to hear some talk about the economy from President Bush in his State of the Union address.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I would like to see him do a little more in order to give businesses incentive to hire people again, to not lay so many people off.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm working at a messenger service, you know, and I'm kind of struggling myself, you know, because I'm making ends meet, you know. And I think it should be more work, you know. He should concentrate on bringing more jobs to the area.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Certainly, some -- I think some decision on what's going to happen with Iraq. I think that's what's causing a lot of volatility right now. And then beyond that, I suppose some encouragement, I think, and a kind of a message maybe to other countries that we know what we're doing.

CLARKIN: Now, despite all the negative news, there are bright spots. Inflation is almost nonexistent and mortgage rates remain at historic lows. The housing market is still extremely hot.

Greg Clarkin, CNN Financial News, New York.

JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN MIAMI BUREAU CHIEF: I'm John Zarrella. Healthcare, it's a hugely important issue. Here's what people in Miami are saying.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The cost of prescription drugs and the coverage that we have on that is an issue that has to be addressed and especially for the elderly who have a limited income and can't afford drugs that they actually need to survive.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Luckily we are able to sustain insurance for ourselves, but we know other people who are in less advantageous positions and they themselves cannot afford to have home care.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I would like to have a little help with prescriptions. I spend pretty close to $4,000 a year just for prescriptions.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If the president expects to get elected in '04, he definitely has to do something for the senior citizens.

ZARRELLA: One question on nearly everyone's mind -- how it's possible the most powerful nation in the world can't ensure healthcare for all its citizens. Back to you, Wolf.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Thanks very much, John Zarrella, and all our correspondents around the country.

President Bush rehearsed his State of the Union message over the weekend with the former White House counselor, Karen Hughes, who remains a very close advisor. Today, she discussed the speech and what the president will have to say about Iraq with our senior White House correspondent, John King. And John is once again joining us live from our Washington bureau -- John.

KING: Well, Wolf, the first half of the speech, the first half, will deal with those domestic concerns, the economy and healthcare. The second half deals with international concerns, primarily the president's efforts to build support among the American people for a possible war within weeks. In doing so, Karen Hughes said the president will discuss some new U.S. intelligence she says makes the case against Saddam Hussein.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KAREN HUGHES, PRESIDENTIAL ADVISER: The president will reference tonight intelligence sources that show us that over a period of time, Saddam has had links with terrorist groups, including members of al Qaeda. He will mention that and I think over the days and weeks ahead, we will be laying that out in greater detail for the American people.

KING: Does laying it out in greater detail include declassifying very sensitive intelligence information? We're told by some officials that the government has evidence that -- even now while the inspectors are in on the ground in Iraq, the government is moving things, concealing things, cheating, if you will. Is that true and how specific can you be to prove it?

HUGHES: There is a significant body of evidence and the president will also reference that tonight that shows that Saddam and members of his security forces are engaged in ongoing deception, sanitizing sites, moving materials, destroying documents in advance of inspectors coming in.

So far from cooperating, the evidence verifies what the U.N. reported yesterday, that Saddam is not cooperating and is actually obstructing inspectors' attempts to find and to verify that he is dismantling his weapons of mass destruction. He's doing no such thing. The president will discuss that tonight.

Again, I think the specific, the nitty-gritty of some of the information that we have will be laid out at a future time, but the president will discuss that in broad terms.

KING: Can you tell us what it is without getting into the nitty- gritty if that's to come later? Are we talking about satellite photographs, intercepted telephone conversations?

HUGHES: Well, it's a variety of different information that all builds to the same conclusion that Saddam is deliberately and consistently trying not only not to -- assist inspectors but to hide and deceive the inspectors about what is truly in his possession.

KING: If that is the case and I assume this information is shared with friendly governments, why do you think it is that there's such skepticism on the Security Council about turning the page now, if you will, and declaring the inspection regime a failure as the administration insists it is?

HUGHES: Well, I think we're in the midst of a process. I think many of our friends and allies on the Security Council were waiting for the inspectors to report, as they did yesterday. As the chief weapons inspector said, he has seen no genuine cooperation from Iraq. You have to remember that the burden is on Saddam Hussein to show he is required by the world to dismantle and disarm.

KING: You mentioned the burden on Saddam Hussein. Is there a burden on the president, if you will? If you look at the polling, there's rising skepticism in the United States about the possibility of going to war. Has the president mentioned that in any of the speech preparations about how he needs to reengage with the American people, to bring them with him?

HUGHES: The president understands that people have questions because he's asked those questions himself. The most profound decision that a commander-in-chief could ever make is to put America's sons and daughters into harm's way. He would never do such a thing without completely thinking through all the questions and without being convinced in his own mind that if Saddam Hussein will not disarm, it is a national security threat to our country, to our safety and that he will lead a coalition, if necessary, to disarm him because he thinks that threat is so great.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KING: More details of that evidence -- that intelligence said to be coming in a week or so primarily through a speech from the Secretary of State Colin Powell. Shortly, the president himself and the excerpts released tonight says, quote, "Almost three months ago the United Nations Security Council gave Saddam Hussein his final chance to disarm. He has shown instead his utter contempt fort United Nations and for his opinion to the world."

So, Wolf, certainly not a declaration of war tonight but an effort by the president to prepare the American people for possible war in the near future.

BLITZER: This sounds to me like the process -- this may be the beginning of a process rather than the end of a process, John. The president speaking -- he's going to be meeting with Tony Blair later in the week, Secretary Powell perhaps next week, releasing some of the declassified information. And then the president might follow up with yet another speech. It doesn't look like war necessarily is eminent. KING: Several weeks at least. The prime minister of Italy also coming in addition to the prime minister of Great Britain, urging diplomatic consultations, an education process, if you will, from the president, pressure on the allies from the secretary of state and others. They hope by laying out what they say is compelling intelligence, they can then go back to the French, back to the Russians and others and say you signed on to the U.N. resolution.

Here's the proof Saddam Hussein is cheating. You must now join us in moving to, quote, "serious consequences" if Saddam Hussein does not change his behavior and change it quickly. But several more weeks, Wolf, to go.

BLITZER: All right, John King. And John will, of course, be with our coverage throughout tonight. John, thanks very much for that report. And this footnote to John's interview with Karen Hughes -- she will be one of several guests sitting with the first lady Laura Bush in the gallery at the U.S. capitol tonight during the State of the Union address.

We have more news coming up. He says he didn't murder his wife. Now, hear what Scott Peterson says about an affair that has him under suspicion. And look closely, do you recognize this child? Police ask you to help solve a crime caught on tape. But first, the answer to today's "News Quiz."

Earlier we asked which president refused to give the State of the Union in person? The answer, Thomas Jefferson. He said the practice was too kingly for a democratic country, so he sent his message to Congress in writing. That's how the State of the Union was delivered until 1913 when Woodrow Wilson gave his speech in person.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: A chilly but beautiful evening here in the nation's capital.

More than a month after his pregnant wife vanished, Scott Peterson is now breaking his silence. In a television interview, Peterson admits he was having an affair before his wife, Laci, disappeared. But he denies any involvement in her disappearance. More now from CNN's David Mattingly in Modesto, California.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Scott Peterson, the center of so many questions in the disappearance of his wife, Laci Peterson, now revealing a short but surprising list of people he claims to have told about his affair, first of all, his wife, Laci.

Peterson claims he told her about the relationship in early December. She would have been seven months pregnant at the time. His affair, according to girlfriend, Amber Frey, not more than a couple of weeks old. But he says it was not something that would have caused his marriage to break apart.

SCOTT PETERSON, HUSBAND: I told my wife.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: When?

PETERSON: In early December.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Did it cause a rupture in the marriage?

PETERSON: It was not a positive obviously, you know, inappropriate. But it was not something that we weren't dealing with.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A lot of arguing?

PETERSON: No.

MATTINGLY: Peterson claims he also admitted having the affair to Modesto police on Christmas Eve, the day Laci was reported missing. But Laci's family continues to question Scott's credibility, calling for him to tell all he knows to investigators.

RON GRANTSKI, LACI'S STEPFATHER: He knows who he needs to talk to and that's the police. So he's got one step in the right direction. He needs to make a couple more and maybe we can come to an agreement, a final agreement on this.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MATTINGLY: Meanwhile, here at his Modesto home, Scott Peterson remains in limbo, neither ruled in nor out as a potential suspect. Police were very interested in seeing that interview but so far, Wolf, no comment.

BLITZER: David Mattingly in Modesto. David, thanks very much. We'll continue to follow this story as well.

When we come back, a trip to the store that turned into a nightmare for a 3-year-old boy abandoned on tape. Details of this heart-breaking story immediately when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: About three hours from now the president will be up on Capitol Hill delivering his State of the Union address. CNN of course will have live coverage.

Let's check some other news unfolding around the country. Salt Lake City authorities have a mystery on their hands. It's a terrible mystery. His name is Jacob, believed to be about 3 years old and he was abandoned inside a large discount store. Debbie Worthen of our affiliate, KUTV, has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DEBBIE WORTHEN, KUTV CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The surveillance video at first looks like any other. A man walks into ShopKo holding a little boy's hand. It's 3:10 on Saturday afternoon. Watch as he comes back for a cart. But then just five minutes later at 3:15, he leaves, no cart and no little boy.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He was abandoned in the store here and we have no idea where he's from...

WORTHEN: But this is his picture. Police say his name is Dante or Jacob. They think his mother's name is Janet or Jeanette and she drives a black Jeep.

Jacob talked to social workers about four sisters named Madison, Hayley (ph), Julie and Jenny that don't live with him and a grandfather with whom his used to live named Pedro.

ShopKo customers can't believe it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It gets me thinking what kind of people that to their kids, I guess.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, I don't know how anybody could do that to a kid. They're so innocent and helpless. They just -- you know you just need to take care of them. And you know, if you can't take care of them, find somebody else who can, don't just leave them. That's one of the worst things, I think, you can possibly do.

WORTHEN: The man apparently put the boy in a shopping cart, handed him a toy, then left. Authorities say it was at least 45 minutes before a customer realized the 3-year-old was alone. Investigators are hoping the public can help.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're not sure that he's even from around here. We're hoping that someone will recognize him.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: That report from Debbie Worthen of our affiliate, KUTV, in Salt Lake City. The child, by the way, reportedly says he knows the man who abandoned him but police are not releasing any information. We'll continue to update you on this story as we get more information.

Just about three hours before the president's State of the Union address. Time's running out for your turn to weigh in on our "Web Question of The Day." Is the State of the Union better now than it was one year ago? Log on to cnn.com/wolf to vote. We'll have the results immediately when we come back. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: I want to update you on a breaking story we've been following this hour. A United Airlines plane delayed at Boston's Logan Airport because of a security breach. The Transportation and Security Administration says a passenger found a box cutter type knife in a seat pocket. And our Boston affiliate, WHDH, is now reporting the instrument has a two to four inch blade.

Passengers and crewmembers aboard United Flight 179 have been removed from the plane so they can be re-screened before the plane takes off for San Francisco. We'll follow this story for you and bring you more details as they're available.

Here's how you're weighing in on our "Web Question of The Day." Remember we asked you this: is the State of the Union better now than it was a year ago? Seventeen percent of you say yes, 83 percent of you say no. Remember, this is not a scientific poll.

That's all the time we have for our special edition of WOLF BLITZER REPORTS. Please join me again tomorrow. Among my guests tomorrow, Jerry Springer, the TV talk show host. He's actually considering a run for the U.S. Senate from Ohio. I'll speak to him live.

And tomorrow at noon Eastern on "SHOWDOWN: IRAQ," special coverage from our correspondents around the world with reaction to the president's State of the Union address. I'll be back later tonight along with all my CNN colleagues beginning at 8:45 p.m. Eastern for our coverage of the State of the Union address. Until then, thanks very much for watching. I'm Wolf Blitzer in Washington. "LOU DOBBS MONEYLINE" is up next.

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Reelction in Israel>


Aired January 28, 2003 - 17:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANNOUNCER: Now, a special edition of WOLF BLITZER REPORTS: the State of the Union.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I will rally the American people to some great causes.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): President Bush ready to tell us what we face in the next year, Iraq, terrorism, the economy, health care. But they get the first crack. Democratic presidential candidate Senator John Edwards and former GOP Senator Fred Thompson.

Then, it's your turn to sound off.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I would like to see him do a little more in order to give businesses incentives to hire.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I would hope that he would back off from this military buildup and wait until we have more backing of the allies.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'd like for him to clarify why he thinks we need to go to war now and expose whatever evidence he has to the people.

BLITZER: As one war threatens, another still rages. U.S. troops in Afghanistan fight their biggest battle in almost a year.

Israel votes, but now what?

As the Laci Peterson case grows cold, her husband makes a stunning admission.

And, he calls himself Jacob. He's three years old. You won't believe what a store caught on camera.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: You're looking live at the White House only four hours before the president addresses the nation and this year he's facing a triple threat, Iraq, homeland security, and the economy.

Hello, I'm Wolf Blitzer coming to you today only a few blocks away from a very, very busy West Wing. In the coming hours, the president will give what may be the most important speech of his presidency, the president's State of the Union address before a joint session of the U.S. Congress and a global television audience will focus on several issues. The two most crucial are the possibility of war with Iraq and the country's ailing economy.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BUSH: Tonight, I'm going in front of our nation to talk about the great challenges that face our country but no doubt that we'll be able to handle those challenges because we are a great country.

BLITZER (voice-over): By all accounts, President Bush himself faces an enormous challenge in trying to reassure a jittery public worried about a shaky economy and the prospect of war with Iraq.

BUSH: I look forward to giving this speech. It is a moment where I will rally the American people to some great causes and remind them that we'll accomplish those causes together.

BLITZER: The president will not only insist that Iraq continues to violate U.N. resolutions by refusing to give up its weapons of mass destruction, but will go further. Aides say he will make the case directly linking the Iraqi regime of Saddam Hussein to the al Qaeda terror network.

DAN BARTLETT, WHITE HOUSE COMMUNICATIONS DIR.: What we do have to worry about and what we have to focus on are those rogue nations, such as Iraq, acquiring and developing weapons of mass destruction in which they may let those weapons of mass destruction or actively provide those weapons to terrorist organizations such as al Qaeda.

BLITZER: As part of the president's continuing effort to ratchet up the pressure on Iraq, Mr. Bush will consult with key allies in the coming days including Italy's Silvio Berlusconi and Britain's Tony Blair.

The Central Intelligence Agency is currently declassifying information about Iraq's weapons programs that Secretary of State Colin Powell is expected to make public at the United Nations perhaps as early as next week.

That could include a variation of what then U.S. Ambassador Adelaide Stephenson did at the U.N. during the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis when he dramatically released photographic evidence of Russian missiles in Cuba, something the Russians were at that very moment denying.

The Powell presentation could be followed by yet another address to the nation by the president later in February, but tonight, Mr. Bush will have a broader message.

BUSH: I'll talk about our deep desire for peace, peace not only here at home but peace in troubled regions of the world. BLITZER: To underscore that commitment, the president again will have several special guests sitting with the first lady in the gallery. But one seat will remain empty to symbolize what the White House says is the empty place many Americans will always have at their tables and in their lives because of the attacks of 9/11.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: And only within the past few minutes the White House has released excerpts from the president's State of the Union address. For that, let's go to our Senior White House Correspondent John King - John.

JOHN KING, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, good evening to you. Let us focus on Iraq, obviously the subject of most urgency in the president's speech tonight.

We are told the president will mention that the United States does have evidence, as you noted, of links, current links between Saddam Hussein and al Qaeda, also evidence we are told that Saddam Hussein is actively working now to conspire to hide things and deceive the U.N. weapons inspections.

In the excerpts released by the White House, Mr. Bush alludes to that. He will say in the speech tonight: "Twelve years ago, Saddam Hussein faced the prospect of being the last casualty in a war he had started and lost. To spare himself he agreed to disarm of all weapons of mass destruction. For the next 12 years, he systematically violated that agreement.

Almost three months ago, the United Nations Security Council gave Saddam Hussein his final chance to disarm. He has shown instead his utter contempt for the United Nations and for the opinion of the world. Mr. Bush will go on to say the dictator of Iraq is not disarming. To the contrary he is deceiving.

In the excerpts released by the White House, the president also puts in a plug for his tax cut to the Congress tonight, urges the Congress to work with him on a bipartisan basis on healthcare.

But, Wolf, obviously of most immediate concern to the White House is convincing the American people that if the president orders U.S. troops into war in Iraq in the coming weeks that he is following the right course -- Wolf.

BLITZER: All right, John King, thanks very much. John's going to be back later this hour with a special interview with a top adviser to the president, the former White House Counselor Karen Hughes. Thanks, John, very much.

The president's second State of the Union address comes at a time when a majority of Americans say the president is doing a pretty good job. In the latest CNN-"USA Today" Gallup Poll, 60 percent of those questioned say they approve of the way the president is handling his job. Thirty-six percent say they disapprove. But the president gets some mixed reviews on two key aspects of his job. Asked how he's handling world affairs 50 percent said they approved; 45 percent say they disapprove. As for the economy, 46 percent give him a thumbs-up, 49 percent give him a thumbs down.

Joining us now to talk about the president's important speech tonight are two special guests, the Democratic Senator and the Democratic presidential hopeful John Edwards of North Carolina, and the former Republican Senator Fred Thompson of Tennessee. Thanks, Senators, very much for joining us.

Senator Edwards first to you, you've been a hawk as far as Iraq is concerned. What specifically do you think the president has to say tonight to convince a lot of nervous Americans that a war may be necessary?

SEN. JOHN EDWARDS (D), NORTH CAROLINA: Well it's critical, Wolf, that he explain to the American people, and for that matter to the entire world why he believes action is necessary. It's critical number one for the legitimacy of our action. It's very important for the American people to support what we're doing and it's important for the world to perceive our action as legitimate. It's also...

BLITZER: When it comes to Iraq -- excuse me for interrupting.

EDWARDS: Sure.

BLITZER: When it comes to Iraq you basically support his stance.

EDWARDS: Well, I support the notion that Saddam Hussein has to be disarmed. I've said that from the beginning. I still believe that. If in fact he's not voluntarily disarming, and Hans Blix' report yesterday was certain disturbing in that regard, then I think we have to move forward.

But what the president has failed to do up until now, Wolf, and it makes it very, very difficult for us, he's failed to adequately make this case. He's failed to make it to the American people. He's failed to make it to the international community.

It's enormously important because, first, for our action whatever it is to be perceived as legitimate at home and abroad, the president has to have effectively made the case.

Second, for us to be successful, both in a military action if there has to be one and the period post Saddam Hussein, we need the help of others. We need the international community to be with us.

BLITZER: So you're saying don't go it alone?

EDWARDS: I'm saying that he has to effectively make the case. He's not done that to date and it's critically important that he do it.

BLITZER: All right, let's bring in Senator Thompson. Senator Thompson you've been away from Washington for the last several weeks since you left the Senate. You've been out in the Heartland. You've also been in Hollywood as we all know. What does the president have to say...

FRED THOMPSON, (R), FORMER U.S. SENATOR: Not Hollywood, Wolf, but I take your point.

BLITZER: All right, you understand what I'm saying. But tell us what you think the president has to do tonight in order to convince a lot of Americans who aren't yet convinced.

THOMPSON: Well, I think that the president should and will go over the history of how we got to where we are. You know we're not here because we're aggressive by nature or because we like to threaten smaller nations.

We're here because of the threat that Saddam Hussein poses. He has attacked his neighbors. He has persisted in developing weapons of mass destruction. He's used it on his own people. He's running a medieval slaughterhouse in Iraq.

If you can believe the recent article in the "New York Times" last Sunday, this is what we're dealing with here and there are two threats. One has to do with the potential of nuclear capability, I think within six months or so. If he's able to buy fissile material on the open market, he can have a nuclear capability. He already has substantial weapons of mass destruction in the form of chemical and biological. We know that he had virtual tons of VX that is unaccounted for.

Also, the United Nations gave him a last clear chance to disarm and he has not taken it. He has done just the contrary, so we've got to ask ourselves whether or not we sit back as a nation and we sit back as a United Nations and allow this to happen.

BLITZER: But, Senator Thompson, what about the point...

THOMPSON: I think unless we did something...

BLITZER: Yes, but what about the point Senator Edwards made that he has to bring the allies, the U.N. essentially, onboard if it comes down to a war?

THOMPSON: Well, there's no question that we need as many allies onboard as possible, but the British are allies. The Australians are allies. The Spanish are allies. The Italians are allies and I could mention many more, some of which are in the Middle East.

I think at the end of the day that we'll have them there, because setting the example for those who would be the enemies of the United States and for all civilized countries of getting right up to the brink and warning that we will take action if he doesn't comply and then backing off away from that would set a terrible example and put us in more danger in the future.

BLITZER: What about, Senator Edwards, the whole notion and the president is going to speak about this we're told tonight rather extensively, the connection between Saddam Hussein's regime and al Qaeda? You said -- or at least you've been on the Intelligence Committee. How strong is that connection based on what you know?

EDWARDS: Well, most of the information that I'm hearing over the last couple of days is new to me, Wolf. I've not heard or seen it before. I don't think it changes things dramatically.

I think the issue about Saddam Hussein -- Fred mentioned some of it -- the issue about Saddam Hussein is he started a war. He lost. He entered into a ceasefire agreement. He agreed to disarm and he is a serious threat to us and that threat has to be taken seriously.

So, it's really important, both tonight and in the weeks to come, for the president to explain what a serious threat he is to the region, to the American people. And secondly for him to explain why it is factually we need to move and we need to move now, because we need as much international support as we can possibly have for us to be successful in this action.

And, I might add it's also critical, and you won't hear the president talk much about this, to the legitimacy, to the credibility of both the U.N. and the international community.

BLITZER: All right, Senator Edwards thanks for joining us. I want to, before we leave, I want to bring back Senator Thompson. A lot of our viewers now love you on "Law & Order." How's it going along? You're back in show business a little bit, Senator.

THOMPSON: Yes. There seem to be as many people in show business talking about these issues as politicians, so I laughingly said the other day I had to get back in show business to get my political views heard but it may not be a joke.

BLITZER: Well, we love watching you on the little screen, the big screen, here in Washington. Good luck to you, Senator Thompson.

THOMPSON: Thank you very much. I appreciate it.

BLITZER: I'm sure you're not leaving Washington for a long time. Senator Edwards, always good to have you, I'm sure you're not going into show business anytime soon.

EDWARDS: I'm going to leave that to Fred. He's doing it well enough.

BLITZER: Thanks to both of you.

We scanned the editorial pages from newspapers around the country. Here's a little bit of what they're saying outside the Washington Beltway.

From the "Houston Chronicle": "If Bush's speech tonight consists of proud boasts of America's righteousness and its willingness to forego a decent respect for the opinions of humankind. If it includes a laundry list of uncompromising domestic proposals designed to please those on the Republican side of the aisle, it will not only fail but deserve to fail."

The "Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel" says this: "President Bush must convince his national audience that his domestic policies and his strategy on Iraq are on the right track. If the apparently unsettled state of the union is any guide, it could be a tough sell."

And the "Detroit Free Press" weighs in with this: "He owes the American public a better explanation than has been offered to date for risking U.S. lives, domestic security, and the stability of the Middle East. If there is 'fresh evidence' linking Hussein to terrorism, as Secretary of State Colin Powell said Monday, let's hear it."

We might hear it indeed later tonight. Here's your chance to weigh in on this story. Our "Web Question of the Day" is this: is the state of the union better now than one year ago? We'll have the results later in this broadcast.

Vote at cnn.com/wolf. While you're there, I'd like to hear from you. Send me your comments. We might read some of them on the air each day at the end of this program. That's also, of course, where you can read my daily online column, cnn.com/wolf.

And, please join me and my CNN colleagues for our special coverage of the State of the Union address. That begins at 8:45 p.m. Eastern, 5:45 p.m. Pacific. President Bush is scheduled to begin his remarks at 9:01 Eastern, 6:01 Pacific.

(INTERRUPTED BY BREAKING NEWS)

BLITZER: When we come back, he led the Persian Gulf War. Now, Norman Schwarzkopf is weighing in on the possibility of a second war. You might be surprised by what he has to say.

Plus, Scott Peterson's secret. Learn what he says about what he shared with his pregnant wife before she went missing.

Also, the camera never lies and this video is heartbreaking. A 3-year-old's traumatic trip to the store.

And what do you want to hear in the president's State of the Union address tonight? We'll go coast-to-coast to find out, but first today's "News Quiz."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): Which president refused to give a State of the Union address in person? Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, Franklin Roosevelt, Richard Nixon? The answer coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Welcome back. We have more now on the showdown with Iraq. A day after U.N. inspectors reported that Baghdad is not coming clean Iraq insists it's cooperating fully but it's also getting ready for war. President Saddam Hussein warned his generals to look out for traitors, and Iraq's Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz warns his country will inflict great losses on any attackers.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TARIQ AZIZ, IRAQI DEP. PRIME MINISTER: We are preparing ourselves in all areas to face this aggression, but we still hope, we still hope that it will not happen because it's bad for us of course, it's bad for the region, and it's bad for the world.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Saying the United States and its allies underestimated the brutality of Saddam Hussein, former President George Bush is defending his decision not to send U.S. troops into Baghdad during the first Persian Gulf War. In a speech last night, the former president also defended his son against allegations he's too eager to attack Iraq.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE H.W. BUSH, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I must confess that the voices of outrage that say this president wants war really get to me. No president wants war.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: He was "Stormin' Norman" when he commanded U.S. forces in the Persian Gulf War but he's "Skeptical Norman" right now. Retired General Norman Schwarzkopf tells the "Washington Post" he hasn't seen enough evidence yet to convince him that a new war is warranted. He says he still thinks U.N. inspections are the right course to follow and he says comments from the Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld make him a bit, quote, "nervous."

Just how soon could a war begin? CNN Pentagon Correspondent Barbara Starr looks at issues driving the timetable.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Near Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, more military equipment being loaded for the Persian Gulf. Already there, the troops onboard the assault ship Nassau not sure when they may see action.

CMDR. TERRY O'BRIEN, USS NASSAU: We're ready and I think right now we're at the peak of our readiness to do anything that we're called on to do.

STARR: If Saddam made a sudden move, 400 warplanes and 92,000 troops already in the region could swing into action immediately. But being ready for all out war is still weeks away, the timetable driven on several fronts. President Bush may agree to let inspectors continue their work in Iraq before deciding on a war option. That could be an advantage for U.S. troops. MICHAEL O'HANLON, BROOKINGS INSTITUTION: Right now there is certainly a good case for giving the Pentagon more time. They don't have anything close to all their forces in place.

STARR: One hundred and fifty thousand to 200,000 troops would be needed, more than double the current force in the region. That could take another month. More than 100 warplanes still to be deployed, including B-2 bombers and F-117 Stealth fighters.

The Hajj, the annual Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca runs through mid February, war unlikely until it is over.

The moon, on March 3 there will be a new moon, one of the darkest times. The U.S. military wants to use its advantage of fighting at night.

And hot weather will rapidly approach by the end of March. The bulk of the action needs to be over by April before heat makes fighting more difficult.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

STARR: Wolf, the military will be ready to offer President Bush the option of war with Iraq by mid February or perhaps the end of that month. But if there is a delay in that decision that could give the president more time to build crucial international support -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Barbara Starr, at the Pentagon thanks, Barbara, very much.

Opponents of a war against Iraq are debuting a new commercial tonight coinciding with the president's State of the Union address. It's sponsored by a group called True Majority and features the actress Susan Sarandon along with a former U.S. ambassador to Iraq.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SUSAN SARANDON, ACTRESS, ACTIVIST: Before our kids start coming home from Iraq in body bags and women and children start dying in Baghdad, I need to know, what did Iraq do to us?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The answer is nothing. Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11, nothing to do with al Qaeda. Its neighbors don't think it's a threat. Invading Iraq would increase terrorism not reduce it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Meanwhile, Israelis went to the polls today in part to decide the future of the Middle East conflict.

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I'm Christiane Amanpour in Tel Aviv. The winner was never in doubt. It's the incumbent Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, but the future is in question. Will it calm the Palestinian conflict which inflames so many emotions in the Middle East, especially now as the U.S. president contemplates war in Iraq. BLITZER: We'll have Christiane's report. That's coming up.

Also, child abandonment caught on tape. Do you recognize this child? Police ask the public for help. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Turning now to a pair of major international stories. It's the biggest battle in Afghanistan since last spring's Operation Anaconda. Hundreds of U.S. and coalition troops, backed by warplanes and attack helicopters, have been fighting for two days against rebels holed up in the mountain caves near the Pakistani border. The U.S. military says at least 18 rebel fighters have been killed. No allied casualties are reported.

Israelis went to the polls today and gave Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and his Likud Party a clear victory, but now what? Mr. Sharon must put together a ruling coalition. That's not necessarily always all that easy.

Let's go live to CNN's Christiane Amanpour for all the details in Tel Aviv -- Christiane.

AMANPOUR: Well, Wolf, you know they say that all politics is local. Perhaps that is not true here in Israel where really politics have a massive international implication and no more so than at this time while the U.S. is contemplating war in this region.

You know the situation with the Palestinians is inflaming all sorts of passions in the Islamic and Arab world and the question is will Ariel Sharon's victory be able to allay that or come to some kind of negotiated settlement?

Well, it depends on what kind of coalition he's able to put together. His victory was never in doubt. In fact, he has won many more seats in fact than were even predicted according to exit polls, somewhere in the region between 33 and 36.

Labor, the historic opposition, has gone down to its worst defeat ever. According to the exit polls it's got even less than 20 seats, the worst showing for Labor since the founding of the state.

A surprise party that came really from the shadows, Shinui, it means change and it campaigned on a fiercely secular platform. That may help influence any kind of coalition.

But most people are saying that Ariel Sharon may have to go into coalition with the right wing religious party. They say he doesn't want to do that because he knows that this country wants a national unity government, except that the Labor candidate Amram Mitzvah has said that he will not join a national unity government.

So the question really is in these next few weeks that Ariel Sharon has to put together a government, just what kind of government it will be and how it will affect Israel's relations with the United States at this particularly critical time and not only with the Palestinians but also with the rest of the world -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Christiane Amanpour in Tel Aviv. Thanks, Christiane, very much.

The economy, health care, a possible war in Iraq and terrorism. We go across America to find out what you want the president to say just about three and a half hours from now.

Plus, she's seen the speech and given her opinion. Now one of the president's most trusted advisors gives us a sneak peak of the State of the Union.

And, a man under suspicion. Scott Peterson, on his secret affair that apparently wasn't all that secret. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Welcome back to this special edition of WOLF BLITZER REPORTS. Coming up, we'll go coast to coast to find out what you want to hear from the president in tonight's State of the Union address.

(NEWSBREAK)

BLITZER: When President Bush delivers his State of the Union message, his topics are expected to include a possible war with Iraq, the war on terror, the U.S. economy and health care. With the address only three and a half hours away or so, CNN correspondents in Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York and Miami have been talking to people about what they want to hear. We have a sampling starting with CNN national correspondent, Gary Tuchman, in Atlanta.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GARY TUCHMAN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I'm Gary Tuchman in Atlanta, Georgia at the Varsity Restaurant, a landmark in this town, a place where people from all walks of life come for some of the best chili dogs on the planet. But we've come here today to ask a question -- during the State of the Union address tonight, what would you like President Bush to say about the possibility of war with Iraq?

Your name, sir?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Russ.

TUCHMAN: Russ, what would you like to hear the president say?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I would hope that he would back off from this military buildup and wait until we have more backing of the allies.

TUCHMAN: Next to you is a gentleman by the name of?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mark (ph).

TUCHMAN: Mark, what would you like to hear President Bush say?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'd like for him to clarify why he thinks we need to go now and expose whatever evidence he has to the people.

TUCHMAN: Thank you, Mark. Your name, ma'am?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My name is Kathy.

TUCHMAN: Kathy, what would you like to hear President Bush say tonight during the State of the Union address?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'd like to hear him say that he is going to rethink what seems to be a predetermined commitment, especially to go in without the support of our allies. It reminds me too much of Vietnam.

TUCHMAN: The gentlemen next to you is named?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Bill.

TUCHMAN: Bill, you were telling me before you favor this possibility of action in Iraq.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, no one wants war and I'm certainly no exception. But I believe that it's inevitable and I think that it needs to be done.

TUCHMAN: And you want the president to say that?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

TUCHMAN: Thank you for talking with us.

There's a lot more for us on the table tonight for the president of the United States. With more, we go to my colleague, Charles Feldman, in Los Angeles.

CHARLES FELDMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Charles Feldman in Los Angeles where we asked people what they wanted to hear from President Bush tonight concerning the war on terror.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That he's more interested in Osama bin Laden and the war on terrorism than he is in Iraq and the war against Saddam Hussein. That's what I'm interested in hearing.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The representatives that are actually involved with the war on terror actually have less bureaucracy.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I just feel like the direction he's going is so sort of like being a marshal, you know, that it's just so distressing.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think just that we need some assurances that it's still on focus.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I want to hear real talk about the war on terrorism and not more talk about spurious links between the war on terrorism and a war on Iraq.

FELDMAN: That's what some people are saying. I'm Charles Feldman in Los Angeles. Now here's Greg Clarkin in New York.

GREG CLARKIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Greg Clarkin on Wall Street. Well, first and foremost on the minds of many Americans is the fragile state of the economy. Over the last year, unemployment has risen. There are now 8.6 million Americans out of work. And households have taken on more credit card debt.

We've also seen personal bankruptcies soaring. So against that backdrop of a weak economy, many Americans want to hear some talk about the economy from President Bush in his State of the Union address.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I would like to see him do a little more in order to give businesses incentive to hire people again, to not lay so many people off.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm working at a messenger service, you know, and I'm kind of struggling myself, you know, because I'm making ends meet, you know. And I think it should be more work, you know. He should concentrate on bringing more jobs to the area.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Certainly, some -- I think some decision on what's going to happen with Iraq. I think that's what's causing a lot of volatility right now. And then beyond that, I suppose some encouragement, I think, and a kind of a message maybe to other countries that we know what we're doing.

CLARKIN: Now, despite all the negative news, there are bright spots. Inflation is almost nonexistent and mortgage rates remain at historic lows. The housing market is still extremely hot.

Greg Clarkin, CNN Financial News, New York.

JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN MIAMI BUREAU CHIEF: I'm John Zarrella. Healthcare, it's a hugely important issue. Here's what people in Miami are saying.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The cost of prescription drugs and the coverage that we have on that is an issue that has to be addressed and especially for the elderly who have a limited income and can't afford drugs that they actually need to survive.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Luckily we are able to sustain insurance for ourselves, but we know other people who are in less advantageous positions and they themselves cannot afford to have home care.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I would like to have a little help with prescriptions. I spend pretty close to $4,000 a year just for prescriptions.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If the president expects to get elected in '04, he definitely has to do something for the senior citizens.

ZARRELLA: One question on nearly everyone's mind -- how it's possible the most powerful nation in the world can't ensure healthcare for all its citizens. Back to you, Wolf.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Thanks very much, John Zarrella, and all our correspondents around the country.

President Bush rehearsed his State of the Union message over the weekend with the former White House counselor, Karen Hughes, who remains a very close advisor. Today, she discussed the speech and what the president will have to say about Iraq with our senior White House correspondent, John King. And John is once again joining us live from our Washington bureau -- John.

KING: Well, Wolf, the first half of the speech, the first half, will deal with those domestic concerns, the economy and healthcare. The second half deals with international concerns, primarily the president's efforts to build support among the American people for a possible war within weeks. In doing so, Karen Hughes said the president will discuss some new U.S. intelligence she says makes the case against Saddam Hussein.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KAREN HUGHES, PRESIDENTIAL ADVISER: The president will reference tonight intelligence sources that show us that over a period of time, Saddam has had links with terrorist groups, including members of al Qaeda. He will mention that and I think over the days and weeks ahead, we will be laying that out in greater detail for the American people.

KING: Does laying it out in greater detail include declassifying very sensitive intelligence information? We're told by some officials that the government has evidence that -- even now while the inspectors are in on the ground in Iraq, the government is moving things, concealing things, cheating, if you will. Is that true and how specific can you be to prove it?

HUGHES: There is a significant body of evidence and the president will also reference that tonight that shows that Saddam and members of his security forces are engaged in ongoing deception, sanitizing sites, moving materials, destroying documents in advance of inspectors coming in.

So far from cooperating, the evidence verifies what the U.N. reported yesterday, that Saddam is not cooperating and is actually obstructing inspectors' attempts to find and to verify that he is dismantling his weapons of mass destruction. He's doing no such thing. The president will discuss that tonight.

Again, I think the specific, the nitty-gritty of some of the information that we have will be laid out at a future time, but the president will discuss that in broad terms.

KING: Can you tell us what it is without getting into the nitty- gritty if that's to come later? Are we talking about satellite photographs, intercepted telephone conversations?

HUGHES: Well, it's a variety of different information that all builds to the same conclusion that Saddam is deliberately and consistently trying not only not to -- assist inspectors but to hide and deceive the inspectors about what is truly in his possession.

KING: If that is the case and I assume this information is shared with friendly governments, why do you think it is that there's such skepticism on the Security Council about turning the page now, if you will, and declaring the inspection regime a failure as the administration insists it is?

HUGHES: Well, I think we're in the midst of a process. I think many of our friends and allies on the Security Council were waiting for the inspectors to report, as they did yesterday. As the chief weapons inspector said, he has seen no genuine cooperation from Iraq. You have to remember that the burden is on Saddam Hussein to show he is required by the world to dismantle and disarm.

KING: You mentioned the burden on Saddam Hussein. Is there a burden on the president, if you will? If you look at the polling, there's rising skepticism in the United States about the possibility of going to war. Has the president mentioned that in any of the speech preparations about how he needs to reengage with the American people, to bring them with him?

HUGHES: The president understands that people have questions because he's asked those questions himself. The most profound decision that a commander-in-chief could ever make is to put America's sons and daughters into harm's way. He would never do such a thing without completely thinking through all the questions and without being convinced in his own mind that if Saddam Hussein will not disarm, it is a national security threat to our country, to our safety and that he will lead a coalition, if necessary, to disarm him because he thinks that threat is so great.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KING: More details of that evidence -- that intelligence said to be coming in a week or so primarily through a speech from the Secretary of State Colin Powell. Shortly, the president himself and the excerpts released tonight says, quote, "Almost three months ago the United Nations Security Council gave Saddam Hussein his final chance to disarm. He has shown instead his utter contempt fort United Nations and for his opinion to the world."

So, Wolf, certainly not a declaration of war tonight but an effort by the president to prepare the American people for possible war in the near future.

BLITZER: This sounds to me like the process -- this may be the beginning of a process rather than the end of a process, John. The president speaking -- he's going to be meeting with Tony Blair later in the week, Secretary Powell perhaps next week, releasing some of the declassified information. And then the president might follow up with yet another speech. It doesn't look like war necessarily is eminent. KING: Several weeks at least. The prime minister of Italy also coming in addition to the prime minister of Great Britain, urging diplomatic consultations, an education process, if you will, from the president, pressure on the allies from the secretary of state and others. They hope by laying out what they say is compelling intelligence, they can then go back to the French, back to the Russians and others and say you signed on to the U.N. resolution.

Here's the proof Saddam Hussein is cheating. You must now join us in moving to, quote, "serious consequences" if Saddam Hussein does not change his behavior and change it quickly. But several more weeks, Wolf, to go.

BLITZER: All right, John King. And John will, of course, be with our coverage throughout tonight. John, thanks very much for that report. And this footnote to John's interview with Karen Hughes -- she will be one of several guests sitting with the first lady Laura Bush in the gallery at the U.S. capitol tonight during the State of the Union address.

We have more news coming up. He says he didn't murder his wife. Now, hear what Scott Peterson says about an affair that has him under suspicion. And look closely, do you recognize this child? Police ask you to help solve a crime caught on tape. But first, the answer to today's "News Quiz."

Earlier we asked which president refused to give the State of the Union in person? The answer, Thomas Jefferson. He said the practice was too kingly for a democratic country, so he sent his message to Congress in writing. That's how the State of the Union was delivered until 1913 when Woodrow Wilson gave his speech in person.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: A chilly but beautiful evening here in the nation's capital.

More than a month after his pregnant wife vanished, Scott Peterson is now breaking his silence. In a television interview, Peterson admits he was having an affair before his wife, Laci, disappeared. But he denies any involvement in her disappearance. More now from CNN's David Mattingly in Modesto, California.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Scott Peterson, the center of so many questions in the disappearance of his wife, Laci Peterson, now revealing a short but surprising list of people he claims to have told about his affair, first of all, his wife, Laci.

Peterson claims he told her about the relationship in early December. She would have been seven months pregnant at the time. His affair, according to girlfriend, Amber Frey, not more than a couple of weeks old. But he says it was not something that would have caused his marriage to break apart.

SCOTT PETERSON, HUSBAND: I told my wife.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: When?

PETERSON: In early December.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Did it cause a rupture in the marriage?

PETERSON: It was not a positive obviously, you know, inappropriate. But it was not something that we weren't dealing with.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A lot of arguing?

PETERSON: No.

MATTINGLY: Peterson claims he also admitted having the affair to Modesto police on Christmas Eve, the day Laci was reported missing. But Laci's family continues to question Scott's credibility, calling for him to tell all he knows to investigators.

RON GRANTSKI, LACI'S STEPFATHER: He knows who he needs to talk to and that's the police. So he's got one step in the right direction. He needs to make a couple more and maybe we can come to an agreement, a final agreement on this.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MATTINGLY: Meanwhile, here at his Modesto home, Scott Peterson remains in limbo, neither ruled in nor out as a potential suspect. Police were very interested in seeing that interview but so far, Wolf, no comment.

BLITZER: David Mattingly in Modesto. David, thanks very much. We'll continue to follow this story as well.

When we come back, a trip to the store that turned into a nightmare for a 3-year-old boy abandoned on tape. Details of this heart-breaking story immediately when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: About three hours from now the president will be up on Capitol Hill delivering his State of the Union address. CNN of course will have live coverage.

Let's check some other news unfolding around the country. Salt Lake City authorities have a mystery on their hands. It's a terrible mystery. His name is Jacob, believed to be about 3 years old and he was abandoned inside a large discount store. Debbie Worthen of our affiliate, KUTV, has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DEBBIE WORTHEN, KUTV CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The surveillance video at first looks like any other. A man walks into ShopKo holding a little boy's hand. It's 3:10 on Saturday afternoon. Watch as he comes back for a cart. But then just five minutes later at 3:15, he leaves, no cart and no little boy.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He was abandoned in the store here and we have no idea where he's from...

WORTHEN: But this is his picture. Police say his name is Dante or Jacob. They think his mother's name is Janet or Jeanette and she drives a black Jeep.

Jacob talked to social workers about four sisters named Madison, Hayley (ph), Julie and Jenny that don't live with him and a grandfather with whom his used to live named Pedro.

ShopKo customers can't believe it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It gets me thinking what kind of people that to their kids, I guess.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, I don't know how anybody could do that to a kid. They're so innocent and helpless. They just -- you know you just need to take care of them. And you know, if you can't take care of them, find somebody else who can, don't just leave them. That's one of the worst things, I think, you can possibly do.

WORTHEN: The man apparently put the boy in a shopping cart, handed him a toy, then left. Authorities say it was at least 45 minutes before a customer realized the 3-year-old was alone. Investigators are hoping the public can help.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're not sure that he's even from around here. We're hoping that someone will recognize him.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: That report from Debbie Worthen of our affiliate, KUTV, in Salt Lake City. The child, by the way, reportedly says he knows the man who abandoned him but police are not releasing any information. We'll continue to update you on this story as we get more information.

Just about three hours before the president's State of the Union address. Time's running out for your turn to weigh in on our "Web Question of The Day." Is the State of the Union better now than it was one year ago? Log on to cnn.com/wolf to vote. We'll have the results immediately when we come back. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: I want to update you on a breaking story we've been following this hour. A United Airlines plane delayed at Boston's Logan Airport because of a security breach. The Transportation and Security Administration says a passenger found a box cutter type knife in a seat pocket. And our Boston affiliate, WHDH, is now reporting the instrument has a two to four inch blade.

Passengers and crewmembers aboard United Flight 179 have been removed from the plane so they can be re-screened before the plane takes off for San Francisco. We'll follow this story for you and bring you more details as they're available.

Here's how you're weighing in on our "Web Question of The Day." Remember we asked you this: is the State of the Union better now than it was a year ago? Seventeen percent of you say yes, 83 percent of you say no. Remember, this is not a scientific poll.

That's all the time we have for our special edition of WOLF BLITZER REPORTS. Please join me again tomorrow. Among my guests tomorrow, Jerry Springer, the TV talk show host. He's actually considering a run for the U.S. Senate from Ohio. I'll speak to him live.

And tomorrow at noon Eastern on "SHOWDOWN: IRAQ," special coverage from our correspondents around the world with reaction to the president's State of the Union address. I'll be back later tonight along with all my CNN colleagues beginning at 8:45 p.m. Eastern for our coverage of the State of the Union address. Until then, thanks very much for watching. I'm Wolf Blitzer in Washington. "LOU DOBBS MONEYLINE" is up next.

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