Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Wolf Blitzer Reports
Bush, Putin Meet at Camp David
Aired September 26, 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.
JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN GUEST HOST: Happening now avoiding a nuclear confrontation in Iran, why President Bush and President Vladimir Putin are about to be engaged in a high stakes summit.
Stand by for hard news on WOLF BLITZER REPORTS.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WOODRUFF (voice-over): Back from Iraq for now.
SPEC. ADRIAN DUPREE, U.S. ARMY: Just to see the family and stuff, just to decompress and, you know, just psyche myself up for this last leg of the tour.
WOODRUFF: Hunting bin Laden or allowing safe haven? A U.S. ally treads carefully in the war on terror.
PRES. PERVEZ MUSHARRAF, PAKISTAN: For over a century nobody went inside this area.
WOODRUFF: Bus beating, should the driver have stepped in?
And the state has ordered him to get chemotherapy. He says he's cancer free.
PARKER JENSEN: And the state of Utah needs to leave us alone.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WOODRUFF: It is Friday, September 26, 2003. Hello from Washington, I'm Judy Woodruff reporting. Wolf Blitzer is off today.
High stakes diplomacy set to take place between President Bush and Russia's President Vladimir Putin at Camp David in Maryland. Mr. Putin is due to arrive at the presidential retreat at any moment. Crucial issues are on the agenda.
Russian aid to Iran's nuclear program, will it help the Iranians build nuclear weapons? And Mr. Putin, a harsh critic of Mr. Bush's decision to go to war again Iraq, is the Russian leader now ready to help rebuild a new Iraq?
President Bush arrived at Camp David just a short time ago for his talks with President Putin. Joining us now with what Mr. Bush hopes to get out of this meeting our Senior White House Correspondent John King - John. JOHN KING, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Judy, on the issue of Iraq, the president hopes to get perhaps the best news of this contentious week, a commitment from the Russian President Vladimir Putin to help reach agreement on a new Security Council resolution and, perhaps even, ultimately Russian troops down the road on the ground in Iraq. Mr. Putin came to Camp David saying he was very open to a compromise.
A more difficult issue might be Iran. Now that has been the source of a great deal of contention between President Bush and President Putin over the first two years of this administration. In recent weeks and the past few months much more of a meeting of the minds but the administration is concerned because much of Iran's nuclear technology comes from Russia.
Now, the Russians have said all along and the Iranians have insisted all along it is for peaceful electric generation but we are told that Mr. Putin in recent weeks more and more has adopted the hard line Bush administration approach of telling the Iranian government it must open up all of its sites to international inspectors or face the possibility of a sanctions debate in the United Nations Security Council so that certainly will be another issue discussed between these two presidents.
Again, U.S. officials are now saying it appears the leaders are for the most part on the same page but certainly because Iran supplies so much technology and advisers to Iran for its nuclear program, a key source as there could be another showdown with Iran over its nuclear program, perhaps an issue to reach the United Nations Security Council in the weeks ahead - Judy.
WOODRUFF: All right, John King at the White House, President Putin about to meet with President Bush.
Well, there is new violence in the Middle East. Two Israelis, including a baby girl were killed in an attack on a Jewish settlement in the West Bank. Israeli medics say that the gunman, described as a terrorist, was killed and two other Israelis wounded.
This latest attack comes as Israelis began celebrating the Jewish New Year of Rosh Hashana. It also coincided with a new stern call for the Palestinians to crack down on terrorists.
Our Senior U.N. Correspondent Richard Roth joins us with more on that from New York - Richard.
RICHARD ROTH, CNN SR. U.N. CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Judy, the absence of a replacement as Palestinian prime minister seems to be the current hot stumbling block along this Middle East roadmap.
The famed quartet, all the parties on the international scene, the main players, speaking to find some sort of elusive peace agreement or peace map met today at U.N. Headquarters along the confines of the United Nations General Assembly session, Secretary of State Powell of the U.S. there for Washington. At this meeting and afterwards at a press conference, Secretary- General Kofi Annan saying bold steps are now going to be needed because of the most gloomy zone right now in the peace process map. There was criticism for both the Israelis and the Palestinians.
A statement from the quartet acknowledged Israel's right to self defense but said that Israel should stop its settlement activity and there was no marked criticism of any assassination attempts perhaps as the way of keeping the United States involved in the international diplomatic efforts.
One diplomatic source said, noting that there's been no approved successor yet for Mahmoud Abbas, the previous prime minister. "The previous occupant checked out of the hotel and nobody's checked back in. That's what makes this situation so desperate" - Judy, back to you.
WOODRUFF: All right, Richard Roth from his post at the United Nations, thank you Richard.
At the same time, a new development in the spy case involved an Air Force translator at the prison for terror suspects at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. For that we turn to our Senior Pentagon Correspondent Jamie McIntyre - Jamie.
JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN SR. PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, Judy, it now turns out that even before senior airman Ahmed al-Halabi was deployed to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, he fell under the suspicion of military investigators.
Court documents say that in November of last year an investigation was initiated based on reports of suspicious activity while he was stationed at Travis Air Force base and also while deployed to Kuwait and Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, Cuba.
Al-Halabi served as an Arabic language translator at Camp Delta, the prison for Taliban and al Qaeda suspects at Guantanamo from November to July when he was arrested just before he planned to fly to Syria to marry his Syrian fiancee.
Court papers also allege that al-Halabi made statements criticizing U.S. policy regarding the detainees and the Middle East and that he also expressed sympathy for and had unauthorized contact with the detainees. Al-Halabi is accused of providing comfort items to the detainees, as well as trying to smuggle out more than 180 of their messages.
Now his attorneys insist that al-Halabi is a "star performer who was promoted early" but they say because much of the evidence in the case is classified they can't say much more in his defense. They have, however, interestingly put out a call for an expert in psych sociology to help with the defense. We're not sure what that means - Judy.
WOODRUFF: It's a strange case. All right, Jamie McIntyre at the Pentagon thanks. In Iraq, a mortar shell which may have been aimed at a U.S. base hit a market last night in the town of Baquba. Nine Iraqi civilians were killed and at least 15 wounded. Later in the northern city of Kirkuk, an American soldier was killed and two others wounded when their vehicle was ambushed.
They are back from Iraq for the time being at least. Almost 200 U.S. Army troops landed this morning at Baltimore Washington International Airport for two weeks of rest and recuperation. They're the first to get leave under a new policy aimed at giving troops a break. Here's the story of one couple very happy to be reunited.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DUPREE: It felt great just to get out of that whole environment over there. It's dangerous. It's good to be back on some good American soil.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I just started jumping up and down and crying. You'd have thought I won the lottery. You'd have thought I just picked up the winning lottery ticket for megamillions or something. I felt so good.
DUPREE: To see how they actually live over there in comparison with what we're used to over here it's really sad and those people, you know, they really did need our help and, you know, we were glad to give it to them despite the resistance and everything going on over there. You know there's a lot of people over there that still want our help and they still need our help.
I've seen a lot. I've seen a lot. It will definitely make you appreciate where you came from. Baghdad has, you know, an electricity problem and everything so, you know, we went through everything they was going through being in the same town, the same country, so we went. Everything they didn't have we didn't have, you know. At the military post we didn't have it no better.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What are you looking forward to most now that you're home?
DUPREE: The wedding and just spending time with some family. I talked to my grandmother and my aunt and, you know, they were really happy, just to see the family and stuff and just to be compressed and, you know, just psyche myself up for this last leg of the tour and just get it over with and come on home.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WOODRUFF: Can you imagine how much they are looking forward to those two weeks. And we're going to be checking in on Specialist Adrian Dupree during the course of his two-week leave as he reunites with loved ones and says I do before heading back to Iraq.
In the past week, Pakistan has arrested a number of terror suspects tied to al Qaeda but is Pakistan doing all it can in the war against terror, specifically the hunt for Osama bin Laden? Here's CNN National Correspondent Mike Boettcher.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MIKE BOETTCHER, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Pakistan's tribal areas, a remote and forbidding place and the place where Osama bin Laden is believed to be hiding.
The area is called Wazirstan. It's just across the border from Afghanistan in the rugged mountains southwest of Peshawar. Intelligence sources believe bin Laden is being protected by some of the fiercely independent clans that live there. Until now the area has been off limits even to Pakistan's own national army.
MUSHARRAF: For over a century nobody went inside this area. For the first time in our operation against terrorism we debated with the tribal elders and we were allowed entry.
BOETTCHER: That admission by Pakistan's president shows why the hunt for bin Laden is taking a long time but, he adds, the U.S., specifically the CIA, is actively involved in the search providing aerial surveillance and listening devices.
MUSHARRAF: This is CIA here assisting us. Your intelligence organizations are assisting us and they know exactly what is happening on the ground.
BOETTCHER: Earlier this month, the Pakistan military was on the move in the tribal areas using helicopters and all terrain vehicles. Sources say it was an attempt to flush out members of al Qaeda.
For the record, a spokesman would only call it a training exercise and said no U.S. troops were involved. While U.S. officials also say no Americans were involved, opposition politicians disagree.
SHUJA-UL MULK, PAKISTANI NATL. ASSEMBLY (through translator): This was no training exercise. We strongly protest these covert American operations on our soil. It is a violation of our sovereignty and we will stand in their way.
BOETTCHER: Musharraf admits al Qaeda still has support from Pakistanis, including in the tribal areas and there have been reports in the last two weeks of sympathizers inside the military with several officers under investigation or arrest.
PETER BERGEN, CNN TERRORISM ANALYST: While the Pakistani government, much of that government is doing its best to go after al Qaeda, al Qaeda has also found a safe refuge in many places in Pakistan, so it's kind of a mixed picture.
BOETTCHER: Pakistan has captured a number of leading al Qaeda members including 9/11 mastermind Khalid Shaikh Mohammed. President Musharraf says they've also come close to capturing Osama bin Laden and says his country has a new strike force trained by the U.S. to now go after him.
Mike Boettcher, CNN, Tucson.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WOODRUFF: Fascinating story.
Well, medical cure or medical mistake?
JENSEN: And the results are that they didn't find any cancer at all.
WOODRUFF: A family back in the spotlight after questioning the judgment of their son's doctors and...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The bottom line is I got scared and when you get scared you're not thinking.
WOODRUFF: Attacked and ignored, a teen beaten while riding a bus, why the driver didn't come to the victim's aid?
Plus, an unlikely combo, pop fiction and the Bible, a recipe that is leaving readers wanting more. This prolific author fills you in but first our news quiz.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WOODRUFF (voice-over): Who is the world's best selling fiction author, Agatha Christie, Stephen King, J.K. Rowling, Sydney Sheldon, the answer coming up.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WOODRUFF: At least eight people are now dead in a late night fire that swept through a Nashville nursing home and officials say with about 20 victims in serious condition the number could climb.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WOODRUFF (voice-over): One fire official called it the absolutely worst case scenario, a six-alarm fire in the evening at a nursing home that did not have a sprinkler system.
It started about 10:15 local time Thursday night in a second floor patient's room at the NHC Healthcare Center in Nashville. More than 100 firefighters were called in. Most of the patients could not escape on their own and had to be carried down ladders from upper floors.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was kind of nervous, you know what I'm saying, for my great aunt. You know I just wanted to know, you know what I'm saying, if she was OK or whatever. She would have probably needed some help to get out.
WOODRUFF: The nursing home staff drew praise for their response getting many of the elderly residents out themselves. In the words of one official they made the best out of a very bad situation. Still, the conditions made it very difficult to get to people inside and get them out.
CHIEF LEE BERGERON, NASHVILLE FIRE DEPT.: The first hour on the scene at the point or origin or close proximity to point of origin was not very tenable, zero visibility, flames and heat. That's where we had crews actually enter, not subdue the fire and start rescue.
WOODRUFF: The facility was built decades ago. At the time, no sprinklers were required. Today, fire officials were asked if this could have been arson.
BOB POLLARD, STATE FIRE MARSHAL: The investigation today and to this point has determined that there are no indicators that the team inside the scene itself has found that would indicate a set fire.
WOODRUFF: While fire officials sift through the aftermath, one of them must also grieve. A local district fire chief who responded to this fire found out that his own mother was among the dead.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WOODRUFF: We learned that all the victims are women ranging in age from 76 to 96. The home had 116 patients in all.
A Utah case is pitting parents against the state over the best cancer treatment for a 12-year-old boy. CNN's Sean Callebs has that.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Twelve-year-old Parker Jensen, back home roughhousing with friends he has seen little of this year and feeling confident about results his family says they received from cancer testing done in Boise, Idaho.
JENSEN: They didn't find any cancer at all.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They're all negative.
CALLEBS: His father, Barron (ph) Jensen holding documents he says prove his son is cancer free.
DARREN JENSEN, FATHER: It's been six months. The tests are still normal. Why are we still playing this game?
CALLEBS: What is not in dispute back in may Parker had a tumor removed from his mouth that tested positive for Ewings Sarcoma an aggressive form of cancer. Doctors wanted the child to undergo chemotherapy. The Jensens refused citing the potential harmful side effects and seeking the treatment they believe is proper.
A court ordered treatment. While en route to a clinic in Houston, Texas for the treatment, the Jensens went on the lam and have been charged with kidnapping. The Jensens were arrested in Idaho on August 16. Charges are still pending. Members of the Utah Department of Child and Family Services say they haven't seen the Idaho test results or spoken with the doctor and can't comment on the Jensen's claims.
D. JENSEN: We were at the hospital.
CALLEBS: Darren Jensen told KTVX the Idaho doctor still wants the 12-year-old to undergo chemotherapy in an effort to fight any cancer cells that could be in the boy's body. The family doesn't want that.
D. JENSEN: And so, do we want to punish a young boy's body and give him something such invasive as chemotherapy when you're unsure?
CALLEBS: Darren Jensen quit his job. The family is selling their home because of the mounting legal bills. They see this as an issue of family rights.
D. JENSEN: Let me use my resources to care for my family and to get them the treatment, the care that they need instead of fighting you in court.
CALLEBS: And this impassioned plea from Parker.
P. JENSEN: And the state of Utah needs to leave us alone.
CALLEBS: But that is not likely. Under an agreement, the Jensens said they would abide by the decision of the Idaho doctor and the family is making it clear they are willing to fight to treat their son the way they see fit.
Sean Callebs, CNN, Atlanta.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WOODRUFF: Curious story and a lot of questions.
On hold again a judge ruled telemarketers have rights too, is there a disconnect?
In step with Arnold Schwarzenegger, California Republicans trying to unite their march to the governor's mansion.
And, a recall of a different kind, CNN's Ann Kellan shows us why the Segway scooter is suffering a setback.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WOODRUFF: In California, Republicans starting to close ranks in the recall election.
CNN National Correspondent Bob Franken has that and the day's other development from Los Angeles. Bob, if it's California, there must be something going on.
BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, and if it's California we have to use California speak, so we'll talk, say about the Republicans trying to get their act together.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FRANKEN (voice-over): The parade of endorsements continues as Republican party leaders insist that if their march is actually going to make it to the governor's mansion it's going to have to be in lock step with Arnold Schwarzenegger.
So, there was Congressman Darrell Issa, the man who bankrolled the recall drive making the pilgrimage to the Schwarzenegger campaign headquarters in Santa Monica.
REP. DARRELL ISSA (R), CALIFORNIA: And with that I give you with my wholehearted support Mr. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
FRANKEN: First it was former candidate Bill Simon, then most of the California GOP's county chairs endorse it and now Issa.
ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER (R), GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE: When he saw his campaign for governor not progressing the way he expected what did he do? He did a selfless act. He stepped aside for other candidates to be successful.
FRANKEN: Hint, hint, are you listening Tom McClintock? Schwarzenegger and many Republican leaders worry that a split party vote will allow a Democrat to win. McClintock is resisting the pressure to back out, at least so far. In fact, he's produced a TV ad. He doesn't have very much money but he's bought a little television time.
TOM MCCLINTOCK (R), GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE: I will cut spending and balance the budget without raising taxes and that is a promise.
FRANKEN: But Governor Gray Davis who wants to make all of this irrelevant by defeating his recall has apparently decided that the best way to do that is to make it a Gray Davis versus Arnold Schwarzenegger contest. So, he has issued an official challenge to debate, the Schwarzenegger response, it's not going to happen.
His advisers say Davis has begun his death spiral. Davis was at an event with the latest national Democrat to stand by his side, former Texas Governor Ann Richards. The new Democratic president candidate General Wesley Clark will embellish his party credentials by appearing with Davis next week. That's the Democratic side.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FRANKEN: And, Schwarzenegger is planning a bus caravan in the days leading up to the election hoping that most, if not all, Republicans are onboard and hoping that Tom McClintock doesn't become, Judy, the best friend the Democrats could have - Judy.
WOODRUFF: And, Bob, the Schwarzenegger people don't see a downside in turning down a debate offered by the governor?
FRANKEN: Well, I think they see a downside in letting Governor Gray Davis gain some traction one way or the other by taking on Schwarzenegger. I think the decision is they've done the debate thing. It's time to move on and pretend that Davis is not somebody they need to fool with.
WOODRUFF: Hum all right Bob Franken, a reliable face and voice out on the West Coast, thanks very much.
Calls for help going unanswered, a teen attacked while riding a bus, why the driver didn't step in.
Plus caught on tape homemade terror in a small town.
And new warnings, health officials preparing for another outbreak of SARS.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WOODRUFF: Welcome back to CNN.
On again, off again. A new hangup to the national "do not call" list.
But first, a quick check of the latest headlines.
(NEWSBREAK)
WOODRUFF: Well, if you've been confused over the "do not call" dispute, a second federal judge has now jumped in with another ruling that leaves the registry against unwanted telemarketing up in the air. And to that, the Federal Trade Commission says that it will appeal this judge's ruling.
Joining us in New York to help to -- or at least try to help sort it all out is CNN's Greg Clarkin. Greg, help.
GREG CLARKIN, CNNfn CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Judy. I'll give it a shot.
Late yesterday, the national "do not call" list suffering another legal setback. This is when a judge -- a federal judge in Denver ruled that the "do not call" list does violate the free speech rights of telemarketers.
Now, politicians, pollsters as well as charities can still call, even if your name is on that list. The telemarketers all along have argued that that is a violation of their free speech rights. And a judge agreed.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TIM SEARCY, AMERICAN TELESERVICES ASSOCIATION: They created two classes of speech. Basically, they said it's OK for politicians and charities to call you, but we don't think it's OK for commercial interests to call you. The federal government cannot do that.
(END VIDEO CLIP) CLARKIN: Now, that, again, creates two classes of speech, according to the telemarketers. That is not allowed. The federal government cannot do that, according to them. So they got the judge to side with them.
As for what this means in terms of a practical sense -- well, October 1, this Wednesday, was the date that the "do not call" list was supposed to take effect. There are almost 51 million numbers on that list. And what we're hearing now is that all the parties involved really cannot predict where this goes between now and Wednesday. It is in the courts right now, and the most -- the most major, the biggest, most influential group out there, Direct Marketers Association, Judy, asking their members to respect the list come Wednesday regardless of it's in the courts still or intact. They say, please don't call those people. So at least some of the folks who signed up may be getting some relief -- Judy.
WOODRUFF: All right. What a story. And I'm glad you're there to help us figure out what it all means. Greg, thank you very much.
CLARKIN: Sure.
WOODRUFF: Well, now, here's your turn to weigh in on this story. Our "Web Question of the Day" is this -- "What do you do when a telemarketer calls?" Do you decline? Buy? Or hang up? I'll have the results later in this broadcast. You can vote right now at cnn.com/wolf.
And right now we want to go to some live pictures we're going to show you from Camp David, Maryland. President Bush is greeting Russian President Vladimir Putin. The two men are -- have been scheduled to have this meeting for some time. You can see them together. Again, these pictures from just a few minutes ago. I correct -- correct that. The president and Vladimir Putin spending the weekend together discussing Iraq, Iran, some very, very difficult issues on the agenda for these two leaders this weekend.
We heard John King, our White House reporter, telling us earlier that for the White House these meetings could not be more important. I don't remember a time, in fact, when the Russian president visited with President Bush at Camp David. Again, these pictures being fed in to us just a short time ago.
John, how important is this meeting?
KING: Well, Judy, it's a critical meeting on a number of fronts.
Number one, the president at the end of the week in which he went to the United Nations and appealed for international help in Iraq, has had some nicer rhetoric, but still no firm commitments in terms of reconstruction money, in terms of more international troops on the ground in Iraq. President Putin, who vehemently opposed the war, has come saying he seeks a middle ground. He seeks a compromise. So the president has now a leader with whom he has a very good personal relationship, a very good professional working relationship, who says he wants to help Mr. Bush broker a new Security Council resolution. The question then, of course -- Does a new resolution actually bring more troops and more money? And that remains a big question. But the president believes, at least, he will make some progress this weekend on the issue of bigger international coalition for post-war Iraq.
Iran is another tough issue, a contentious issue between these two presidents for quite some time. Russia supplies most of the nuclear technology that Iran has. This White House says Iran is trying to develop nuclear weapons. Russia says it cannot answer that question. It's a bit more skeptical about the White House allegations. But President Putin of late has joined Mr. Bush in saying to the government in Tehran, You must open up, you must let international inspectors in. So the two leaders want to present a unified front on that. It will be interesting to see if there is any disagreement at all, because that could decide whether or not, or how seriously anyway, the government of Iran takes this international pressure.
They also will discuss, of course, the nuclear showdown with the third country, in what the president calls the axis of evil, North Korea. Russia one of the countries that has worked with the United States in recent weeks to try to convince the North Koreans as well as Iran to back off and to allow international inspectors in to check out its nuclear program.
So a key weekend of diplomacy for the president. But the fact Mr. Putin gets an invite to Camp David shows you that Mr. Bush believes progress will be made and that he has a friend up at the camp this weekend.
WOODRUFF: All right. John King talking to us about that meeting. As we saw, just getting under way. The two leaders, President Bush greeting President Putin just moments ago at Camp David. John, thank you very much.
Well, they were hyped as having the potential to change the way we live. But, for now, those Segway scooters won't be changing anyone's life. All of the units are being recalled for safety reasons.
Our Ann Kellan has the details from CNN Center. Ann, tell us about it.
ANN KELLAN, CNN SCIENCE CORRESPONDENT: Well, actually, this is a voluntary recall. Segway notified the Consumer Products Safety Commission, saying that they had made some upgrades to software after it heard that three people were injured on the Segways and they wanted to improve the safety of them.
So the people who have these Segways -- and we've just been told there are 6,000 that have been sold -- can still ride their Segways. These little software features, they're saying, are just going to make it safer.
Now basically, how -- what was wrong with them or what they found out was wrong is the way the Segway works, it has these gyroscopes on there. And when you lean forward, it speeds up. And then you lean back, it goes backwards. But what happens is when you speed up, a lot of were -- when the power low, were speeding up so much, they basically would run out of power. And what happens when you run out of power with the Segway, which President Bush learned when he got on his Segway and it wasn't powered up, was basically it falls forward.
I'm going to try to turn this off to show you what happens here. It becomes, like, a heavy weight. So what would happen is people would, basically, power forward, run out of power, and then fall off. So they were trying to rectify that. Now they've put new software in. S once it goes forward, if they're running low on power, this thing starts vibrating and telling them, Hey, you better get off. Better stick in, plug it in, and recharge it before you get back on -- Judy.
WOODRUFF: Yes, I've seen people using those, Ann, and it does make you wonder, doesn't it, how they can make it safe enough for everybody?
KELLAN: Yes, that's true.
WOODRUFF: All right. Ann Kellan, thank you very much. Appreciate it.
And coming up, cries for help. Cries ignored. A teen attacked while riding a city bus, but the driver refuses to help.
And, explosion. Police in Florida call them the bombmakers. What two teens allegedly taped that put them at odds with the law.
Plus, he is co-author of the fastest-selling fiction series ever. Best-selling author Jerry Jenkins joins us.
But first, a quick look at some other news making headlines "Around the World."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WOODRUFF (voice-over): Earthquake hits Japan. The world's most powerful quake in more than two years hit northern Japan before dawn, knocking out power and triggering an oil tank fire. More than 400 people were injured, most by broken glass and falling objects. The U.S. Geological Survey says the quake had a magnitude of 8.
Sheep protest. Animal right activists are condemning Australia's plan to send more than 50,000 stranded sheep to Iraq. The animals have been on a ship for almost eight weeks after Saudi Arabia refused to take the sheep because many were infected with scabie mouth disease. About 4,000 of the sheep have already died.
Rocker dies. British rock star Robert Palmer has died of a heart attack in Paris. Palmer was noted for his sharp suits and back-up band of mini skirted models. Many of his hits came in the 1980s including "Simply Irresistible" and "Addicted to Love". Palmer was 54. Giant queen. A new portrait of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II is one of the largest ever painted. At more than 7 feet high and 5 feet wide, the picture is one-third larger than life. It took the artist six months to finish.
Desert rock. Actor turned rocker Bruce Willis belts out rock and roll in the blues for American troops in Iraq. Most in the audience said they didn't know that Willis was a singer but they like what had they heard.
That's our look "Around the World."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WOODRUFF: A worst nightmare comes true in Florida. A teenage boy is attacked and beaten on a bus. His cries for help ignored. CNN national correspondent Susan Candiotti is in Miami with the story -- Susan.
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Judy. This is the bus stop where police say that attack occurred. We have visual evidence, proof of what happened here, because of cameras that were installed on county buses about five years ago. Police say no other passengers were on a Miami Dade county bus when a 15-year-old victim jumped on board to try and escape his attackers.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CANDIOTTI (voice-over): A surveillance camera shows a teenager being pommeled last month. Out of camera range, the bus driver doesn't interfere, even when he asks for help. Authorities say part- time driver Barrett Wilson hired last May did not have to get involved but could have.
DET. JUAN DEL CASTILLO, MIAMI-DADE POLICE: Even if, legally, you don't have to do something, I think, morally, you should do something.
(voice-over): Transit officials say Wilson was obligated to call for help by hitting a panic button or using his radio. Instead, authorities say, he waited 15 or 20 minutes to use his cell phone.
CLINTON FORBES, MIAMI-DADE TRANSIT: We are extremely troubled by it. It is an isolated incident. It is one operator out of 1500 and we will not tolerate this behavior.
(voice-over): The driver was asked, why?
BARRETT WILSON, BUS DRIVER: The only thing I can do is offer my sincere apologies. And the bottom line is I got scared. When you get scared, you're not thinking.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CANDIOTTI: Now, just last week that bus driver was fired for not following proper procedure. Police have caught one of the five attackers. Judy, they're looking for the rest.
WOODRUFF: Such a disturbing story. All right. Susan Candiotti in Miami. Thank you very much.
Also in Florida, two young men caught on tape allegedly setting off homemade bombs. CNN affiliate WKMG says the 20 year old and 17 year old videotaped themselves blowing up vending machines, dumpsters and mail boxes. They were arrested by police in Okala this week and each boy faces four felony charges.
Saluting the troops in a special way. A bird's eye view ahead.
And his writing put him at the top of the best-selling list. Topping John Grisham and selling more than 35 million books. Hear from Christian fiction author Jerry Jenkins when we return.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WOODRUFF (voice-over): Earlier we asked, "Who is the world's best-selling fiction author? The answer -- Agatha Christie. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Christie's 78 crime novels have sold an estimated 2 billion copies in 44 languages.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WOODRUFF: Well, that's Agatha Christie. But we'll tell you about somebody else. He's the co-author of the fast-selling fiction series ever, the "Left Behind" books, about the end days leading up to the battle of Armageddon.
His new book is called "Soon." Best-selling author Jerry Jenkins spoke with Wolf last night.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Jerry Jenkins, thanks very much for joining us, and welcome to our program.
Very briefly, why do you believe your books, these "Left Behind" books, have been such a huge success?
JERRY JENKINS, AUTHOR, "SOON": Well, I like to think it's the great writing. But I have to say I know better than that.
I think that whether people would call it that or not, there -- there is a God hunger on the part of society. People by books by the pope, the dalai lama, the inner healing gurus, the eastern mystics. And they hear about fiction based on Bible prophecy and I think it intrigues them. The fact they're so successful, I think, is gratifying because that means the fiction is working at some elemental level too.
BLITZER: Is this a new phenomenon? For example, these Christian book, these -- the fiction that you're writing right now, that's been around for a long time. But it seems so much powerful, so much more successful right now. Am I wrong?
JENKINS: No. You're right. And I'm -- we're not quite sure why. I think there are a lot of good Christian authors and there are people trying to get an evangelical view -- point of view across. But something astounding works with the "Left Behind" series and I wish we could package it. I mean, we obviously we have, but we don't know we were doing that. We thought that it might cross over because Christians would give it to their friends or something like that. But for these to be so successful in the general market is a surprise. And, you know, we would just like to think that something is happening correctly here.
BLITZER: Are you preaching to the converted? In other words, are only real Christians, born-again Christians reading your books or are others reading it as well?
JENKINS: We're hearing from a lot of people who tell us they've actually have become believers through reading these. And as you may know, "The New York Times" Best-Seller List doesn't even count books sold through Christian book stores. So for the last five of the titles to debut No. 1 tells us that they're really working in the general market.
Now I realize that a lot of Christian readers also buy in general markets. But we're getting letters from a lot of cross-over readers. So for some reason, it's reaching the entire market.
BLITZER: And what's the basic message you hope the readers of these books, including your newest book, the basic message they'll walk away with is it.
JENKINS: Well, for "Left Behind," we believe this is actually going to happen someday. We believe the Bible prophecized these events and that we want people to ready.
For my new book, "Soon," I'm -- this is something I hope won't happen. I've set it 35 years after the end of World War III and religion has been outlawed. It's sort of a warning, in my mind, for Christians to be careful and not do something that makes us lose our freedom to share our faith. And, you know, I'm -- i's not something I've been told will happen. I'm just -- it's something that I can see coming if we're not careful.
BLITZER: Jerry Jenkins. He's the author of the new book "Soon." It's a best-selling book by everyone's standards. Congratulations and good luck.
JENKINS: Thank you very much.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WOODRUFF: Evidently quite a phenomenon.
Our "Web Question of the Day" is this -- "What do you do when a telemarketer calls?" Decline? Buy? Or hang up? Vote now at cnn.com slash wolf. The results for you when we come back. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WOODRUFF: Now, we want to show you our "Picture of the Day." Digital Globe captured this satellite shot of a cornfield on the outskirts of Corona, California. A special tribute to U.S. troops snapped from above.
Well, will he or won't he? Secretary of State Colin Powell has told friends and associates that he would serve only one tern. So there's speculation as to whether or not he would stick around if President Bush is re-elected.
Last night, Powell was a guest on "Late Night with David Letterman," who tried unsuccessfully to pin him down.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: I have enjoyed my job enormously and I will serve it at the pleasure of the president.
How long do you want to do this?
DAVID LETTERMAN, "LATE SHOW": Well, then, I would infer that you will be secretary of state if he wins another term?
POWELL: Oh, I'll be secretary of state for as long as I serve at his pleasure.
LETTERMAN: I see. And you're still in his pleasure? You haven't incurred his displeasure, have you?
POWELL: Not so far today. But it's early.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WOODRUFF: Got to give Letterman credit for trying.
Well, now, here is how you are weighing in on our "Web Question of the Day." Remember, we've been asking you: "What do you do when a telemarketer calls?" Look at this -- 31 percent of you say you decline; 1 percent say buy. while 69 percent of you say you hang up. What happened to manners? Well, as we always tell you, this is not, of course, a scientific poll. You can find the exact vote tally and continue to vote, by the way, on our Web site. It is cnn.com/wolf.
Let's hear from you and read some of your e-mail.
Eileen is writing, "Telemarketers may have a right to free speech. But I have a right to privacy in my home. Besides, I pay the phone bill every month, so I should have a say. If they'd like to take on this cost, they can call me anytime they want."
And from Dave, "The argument over the 'do not call' list is ridiculous. Receiving telephone calls is your choice. Getting caller I.D., not answering, or taking out the phone are options that do not affect free speech and prevent you from dealing with telemarketers." That's just two of the e-mails we received.
And a reminder, you can always watch WOLF BLITZER REPORTS weekdays at this time, 5:00 Eastern. Wolf will be back right here on Monday.
And don't forget to catch Wolf on "LATE EDITION" on Sunday. Among -- I'm actually filling in for him this Sunday. And among the guests, Secretary of State Colin Powell. That is Sunday. We'll ask him that question again, maybe. Noon Eastern on CNN.
Until then, thanks for joining us.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired September 26, 2003 - 17:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN GUEST HOST: Happening now avoiding a nuclear confrontation in Iran, why President Bush and President Vladimir Putin are about to be engaged in a high stakes summit.
Stand by for hard news on WOLF BLITZER REPORTS.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WOODRUFF (voice-over): Back from Iraq for now.
SPEC. ADRIAN DUPREE, U.S. ARMY: Just to see the family and stuff, just to decompress and, you know, just psyche myself up for this last leg of the tour.
WOODRUFF: Hunting bin Laden or allowing safe haven? A U.S. ally treads carefully in the war on terror.
PRES. PERVEZ MUSHARRAF, PAKISTAN: For over a century nobody went inside this area.
WOODRUFF: Bus beating, should the driver have stepped in?
And the state has ordered him to get chemotherapy. He says he's cancer free.
PARKER JENSEN: And the state of Utah needs to leave us alone.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WOODRUFF: It is Friday, September 26, 2003. Hello from Washington, I'm Judy Woodruff reporting. Wolf Blitzer is off today.
High stakes diplomacy set to take place between President Bush and Russia's President Vladimir Putin at Camp David in Maryland. Mr. Putin is due to arrive at the presidential retreat at any moment. Crucial issues are on the agenda.
Russian aid to Iran's nuclear program, will it help the Iranians build nuclear weapons? And Mr. Putin, a harsh critic of Mr. Bush's decision to go to war again Iraq, is the Russian leader now ready to help rebuild a new Iraq?
President Bush arrived at Camp David just a short time ago for his talks with President Putin. Joining us now with what Mr. Bush hopes to get out of this meeting our Senior White House Correspondent John King - John. JOHN KING, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Judy, on the issue of Iraq, the president hopes to get perhaps the best news of this contentious week, a commitment from the Russian President Vladimir Putin to help reach agreement on a new Security Council resolution and, perhaps even, ultimately Russian troops down the road on the ground in Iraq. Mr. Putin came to Camp David saying he was very open to a compromise.
A more difficult issue might be Iran. Now that has been the source of a great deal of contention between President Bush and President Putin over the first two years of this administration. In recent weeks and the past few months much more of a meeting of the minds but the administration is concerned because much of Iran's nuclear technology comes from Russia.
Now, the Russians have said all along and the Iranians have insisted all along it is for peaceful electric generation but we are told that Mr. Putin in recent weeks more and more has adopted the hard line Bush administration approach of telling the Iranian government it must open up all of its sites to international inspectors or face the possibility of a sanctions debate in the United Nations Security Council so that certainly will be another issue discussed between these two presidents.
Again, U.S. officials are now saying it appears the leaders are for the most part on the same page but certainly because Iran supplies so much technology and advisers to Iran for its nuclear program, a key source as there could be another showdown with Iran over its nuclear program, perhaps an issue to reach the United Nations Security Council in the weeks ahead - Judy.
WOODRUFF: All right, John King at the White House, President Putin about to meet with President Bush.
Well, there is new violence in the Middle East. Two Israelis, including a baby girl were killed in an attack on a Jewish settlement in the West Bank. Israeli medics say that the gunman, described as a terrorist, was killed and two other Israelis wounded.
This latest attack comes as Israelis began celebrating the Jewish New Year of Rosh Hashana. It also coincided with a new stern call for the Palestinians to crack down on terrorists.
Our Senior U.N. Correspondent Richard Roth joins us with more on that from New York - Richard.
RICHARD ROTH, CNN SR. U.N. CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Judy, the absence of a replacement as Palestinian prime minister seems to be the current hot stumbling block along this Middle East roadmap.
The famed quartet, all the parties on the international scene, the main players, speaking to find some sort of elusive peace agreement or peace map met today at U.N. Headquarters along the confines of the United Nations General Assembly session, Secretary of State Powell of the U.S. there for Washington. At this meeting and afterwards at a press conference, Secretary- General Kofi Annan saying bold steps are now going to be needed because of the most gloomy zone right now in the peace process map. There was criticism for both the Israelis and the Palestinians.
A statement from the quartet acknowledged Israel's right to self defense but said that Israel should stop its settlement activity and there was no marked criticism of any assassination attempts perhaps as the way of keeping the United States involved in the international diplomatic efforts.
One diplomatic source said, noting that there's been no approved successor yet for Mahmoud Abbas, the previous prime minister. "The previous occupant checked out of the hotel and nobody's checked back in. That's what makes this situation so desperate" - Judy, back to you.
WOODRUFF: All right, Richard Roth from his post at the United Nations, thank you Richard.
At the same time, a new development in the spy case involved an Air Force translator at the prison for terror suspects at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. For that we turn to our Senior Pentagon Correspondent Jamie McIntyre - Jamie.
JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN SR. PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, Judy, it now turns out that even before senior airman Ahmed al-Halabi was deployed to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, he fell under the suspicion of military investigators.
Court documents say that in November of last year an investigation was initiated based on reports of suspicious activity while he was stationed at Travis Air Force base and also while deployed to Kuwait and Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, Cuba.
Al-Halabi served as an Arabic language translator at Camp Delta, the prison for Taliban and al Qaeda suspects at Guantanamo from November to July when he was arrested just before he planned to fly to Syria to marry his Syrian fiancee.
Court papers also allege that al-Halabi made statements criticizing U.S. policy regarding the detainees and the Middle East and that he also expressed sympathy for and had unauthorized contact with the detainees. Al-Halabi is accused of providing comfort items to the detainees, as well as trying to smuggle out more than 180 of their messages.
Now his attorneys insist that al-Halabi is a "star performer who was promoted early" but they say because much of the evidence in the case is classified they can't say much more in his defense. They have, however, interestingly put out a call for an expert in psych sociology to help with the defense. We're not sure what that means - Judy.
WOODRUFF: It's a strange case. All right, Jamie McIntyre at the Pentagon thanks. In Iraq, a mortar shell which may have been aimed at a U.S. base hit a market last night in the town of Baquba. Nine Iraqi civilians were killed and at least 15 wounded. Later in the northern city of Kirkuk, an American soldier was killed and two others wounded when their vehicle was ambushed.
They are back from Iraq for the time being at least. Almost 200 U.S. Army troops landed this morning at Baltimore Washington International Airport for two weeks of rest and recuperation. They're the first to get leave under a new policy aimed at giving troops a break. Here's the story of one couple very happy to be reunited.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DUPREE: It felt great just to get out of that whole environment over there. It's dangerous. It's good to be back on some good American soil.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I just started jumping up and down and crying. You'd have thought I won the lottery. You'd have thought I just picked up the winning lottery ticket for megamillions or something. I felt so good.
DUPREE: To see how they actually live over there in comparison with what we're used to over here it's really sad and those people, you know, they really did need our help and, you know, we were glad to give it to them despite the resistance and everything going on over there. You know there's a lot of people over there that still want our help and they still need our help.
I've seen a lot. I've seen a lot. It will definitely make you appreciate where you came from. Baghdad has, you know, an electricity problem and everything so, you know, we went through everything they was going through being in the same town, the same country, so we went. Everything they didn't have we didn't have, you know. At the military post we didn't have it no better.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What are you looking forward to most now that you're home?
DUPREE: The wedding and just spending time with some family. I talked to my grandmother and my aunt and, you know, they were really happy, just to see the family and stuff and just to be compressed and, you know, just psyche myself up for this last leg of the tour and just get it over with and come on home.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WOODRUFF: Can you imagine how much they are looking forward to those two weeks. And we're going to be checking in on Specialist Adrian Dupree during the course of his two-week leave as he reunites with loved ones and says I do before heading back to Iraq.
In the past week, Pakistan has arrested a number of terror suspects tied to al Qaeda but is Pakistan doing all it can in the war against terror, specifically the hunt for Osama bin Laden? Here's CNN National Correspondent Mike Boettcher.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MIKE BOETTCHER, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Pakistan's tribal areas, a remote and forbidding place and the place where Osama bin Laden is believed to be hiding.
The area is called Wazirstan. It's just across the border from Afghanistan in the rugged mountains southwest of Peshawar. Intelligence sources believe bin Laden is being protected by some of the fiercely independent clans that live there. Until now the area has been off limits even to Pakistan's own national army.
MUSHARRAF: For over a century nobody went inside this area. For the first time in our operation against terrorism we debated with the tribal elders and we were allowed entry.
BOETTCHER: That admission by Pakistan's president shows why the hunt for bin Laden is taking a long time but, he adds, the U.S., specifically the CIA, is actively involved in the search providing aerial surveillance and listening devices.
MUSHARRAF: This is CIA here assisting us. Your intelligence organizations are assisting us and they know exactly what is happening on the ground.
BOETTCHER: Earlier this month, the Pakistan military was on the move in the tribal areas using helicopters and all terrain vehicles. Sources say it was an attempt to flush out members of al Qaeda.
For the record, a spokesman would only call it a training exercise and said no U.S. troops were involved. While U.S. officials also say no Americans were involved, opposition politicians disagree.
SHUJA-UL MULK, PAKISTANI NATL. ASSEMBLY (through translator): This was no training exercise. We strongly protest these covert American operations on our soil. It is a violation of our sovereignty and we will stand in their way.
BOETTCHER: Musharraf admits al Qaeda still has support from Pakistanis, including in the tribal areas and there have been reports in the last two weeks of sympathizers inside the military with several officers under investigation or arrest.
PETER BERGEN, CNN TERRORISM ANALYST: While the Pakistani government, much of that government is doing its best to go after al Qaeda, al Qaeda has also found a safe refuge in many places in Pakistan, so it's kind of a mixed picture.
BOETTCHER: Pakistan has captured a number of leading al Qaeda members including 9/11 mastermind Khalid Shaikh Mohammed. President Musharraf says they've also come close to capturing Osama bin Laden and says his country has a new strike force trained by the U.S. to now go after him.
Mike Boettcher, CNN, Tucson.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WOODRUFF: Fascinating story.
Well, medical cure or medical mistake?
JENSEN: And the results are that they didn't find any cancer at all.
WOODRUFF: A family back in the spotlight after questioning the judgment of their son's doctors and...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The bottom line is I got scared and when you get scared you're not thinking.
WOODRUFF: Attacked and ignored, a teen beaten while riding a bus, why the driver didn't come to the victim's aid?
Plus, an unlikely combo, pop fiction and the Bible, a recipe that is leaving readers wanting more. This prolific author fills you in but first our news quiz.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WOODRUFF (voice-over): Who is the world's best selling fiction author, Agatha Christie, Stephen King, J.K. Rowling, Sydney Sheldon, the answer coming up.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WOODRUFF: At least eight people are now dead in a late night fire that swept through a Nashville nursing home and officials say with about 20 victims in serious condition the number could climb.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WOODRUFF (voice-over): One fire official called it the absolutely worst case scenario, a six-alarm fire in the evening at a nursing home that did not have a sprinkler system.
It started about 10:15 local time Thursday night in a second floor patient's room at the NHC Healthcare Center in Nashville. More than 100 firefighters were called in. Most of the patients could not escape on their own and had to be carried down ladders from upper floors.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was kind of nervous, you know what I'm saying, for my great aunt. You know I just wanted to know, you know what I'm saying, if she was OK or whatever. She would have probably needed some help to get out.
WOODRUFF: The nursing home staff drew praise for their response getting many of the elderly residents out themselves. In the words of one official they made the best out of a very bad situation. Still, the conditions made it very difficult to get to people inside and get them out.
CHIEF LEE BERGERON, NASHVILLE FIRE DEPT.: The first hour on the scene at the point or origin or close proximity to point of origin was not very tenable, zero visibility, flames and heat. That's where we had crews actually enter, not subdue the fire and start rescue.
WOODRUFF: The facility was built decades ago. At the time, no sprinklers were required. Today, fire officials were asked if this could have been arson.
BOB POLLARD, STATE FIRE MARSHAL: The investigation today and to this point has determined that there are no indicators that the team inside the scene itself has found that would indicate a set fire.
WOODRUFF: While fire officials sift through the aftermath, one of them must also grieve. A local district fire chief who responded to this fire found out that his own mother was among the dead.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WOODRUFF: We learned that all the victims are women ranging in age from 76 to 96. The home had 116 patients in all.
A Utah case is pitting parents against the state over the best cancer treatment for a 12-year-old boy. CNN's Sean Callebs has that.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Twelve-year-old Parker Jensen, back home roughhousing with friends he has seen little of this year and feeling confident about results his family says they received from cancer testing done in Boise, Idaho.
JENSEN: They didn't find any cancer at all.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They're all negative.
CALLEBS: His father, Barron (ph) Jensen holding documents he says prove his son is cancer free.
DARREN JENSEN, FATHER: It's been six months. The tests are still normal. Why are we still playing this game?
CALLEBS: What is not in dispute back in may Parker had a tumor removed from his mouth that tested positive for Ewings Sarcoma an aggressive form of cancer. Doctors wanted the child to undergo chemotherapy. The Jensens refused citing the potential harmful side effects and seeking the treatment they believe is proper.
A court ordered treatment. While en route to a clinic in Houston, Texas for the treatment, the Jensens went on the lam and have been charged with kidnapping. The Jensens were arrested in Idaho on August 16. Charges are still pending. Members of the Utah Department of Child and Family Services say they haven't seen the Idaho test results or spoken with the doctor and can't comment on the Jensen's claims.
D. JENSEN: We were at the hospital.
CALLEBS: Darren Jensen told KTVX the Idaho doctor still wants the 12-year-old to undergo chemotherapy in an effort to fight any cancer cells that could be in the boy's body. The family doesn't want that.
D. JENSEN: And so, do we want to punish a young boy's body and give him something such invasive as chemotherapy when you're unsure?
CALLEBS: Darren Jensen quit his job. The family is selling their home because of the mounting legal bills. They see this as an issue of family rights.
D. JENSEN: Let me use my resources to care for my family and to get them the treatment, the care that they need instead of fighting you in court.
CALLEBS: And this impassioned plea from Parker.
P. JENSEN: And the state of Utah needs to leave us alone.
CALLEBS: But that is not likely. Under an agreement, the Jensens said they would abide by the decision of the Idaho doctor and the family is making it clear they are willing to fight to treat their son the way they see fit.
Sean Callebs, CNN, Atlanta.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WOODRUFF: Curious story and a lot of questions.
On hold again a judge ruled telemarketers have rights too, is there a disconnect?
In step with Arnold Schwarzenegger, California Republicans trying to unite their march to the governor's mansion.
And, a recall of a different kind, CNN's Ann Kellan shows us why the Segway scooter is suffering a setback.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WOODRUFF: In California, Republicans starting to close ranks in the recall election.
CNN National Correspondent Bob Franken has that and the day's other development from Los Angeles. Bob, if it's California, there must be something going on.
BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, and if it's California we have to use California speak, so we'll talk, say about the Republicans trying to get their act together.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FRANKEN (voice-over): The parade of endorsements continues as Republican party leaders insist that if their march is actually going to make it to the governor's mansion it's going to have to be in lock step with Arnold Schwarzenegger.
So, there was Congressman Darrell Issa, the man who bankrolled the recall drive making the pilgrimage to the Schwarzenegger campaign headquarters in Santa Monica.
REP. DARRELL ISSA (R), CALIFORNIA: And with that I give you with my wholehearted support Mr. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
FRANKEN: First it was former candidate Bill Simon, then most of the California GOP's county chairs endorse it and now Issa.
ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER (R), GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE: When he saw his campaign for governor not progressing the way he expected what did he do? He did a selfless act. He stepped aside for other candidates to be successful.
FRANKEN: Hint, hint, are you listening Tom McClintock? Schwarzenegger and many Republican leaders worry that a split party vote will allow a Democrat to win. McClintock is resisting the pressure to back out, at least so far. In fact, he's produced a TV ad. He doesn't have very much money but he's bought a little television time.
TOM MCCLINTOCK (R), GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE: I will cut spending and balance the budget without raising taxes and that is a promise.
FRANKEN: But Governor Gray Davis who wants to make all of this irrelevant by defeating his recall has apparently decided that the best way to do that is to make it a Gray Davis versus Arnold Schwarzenegger contest. So, he has issued an official challenge to debate, the Schwarzenegger response, it's not going to happen.
His advisers say Davis has begun his death spiral. Davis was at an event with the latest national Democrat to stand by his side, former Texas Governor Ann Richards. The new Democratic president candidate General Wesley Clark will embellish his party credentials by appearing with Davis next week. That's the Democratic side.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FRANKEN: And, Schwarzenegger is planning a bus caravan in the days leading up to the election hoping that most, if not all, Republicans are onboard and hoping that Tom McClintock doesn't become, Judy, the best friend the Democrats could have - Judy.
WOODRUFF: And, Bob, the Schwarzenegger people don't see a downside in turning down a debate offered by the governor?
FRANKEN: Well, I think they see a downside in letting Governor Gray Davis gain some traction one way or the other by taking on Schwarzenegger. I think the decision is they've done the debate thing. It's time to move on and pretend that Davis is not somebody they need to fool with.
WOODRUFF: Hum all right Bob Franken, a reliable face and voice out on the West Coast, thanks very much.
Calls for help going unanswered, a teen attacked while riding a bus, why the driver didn't step in.
Plus caught on tape homemade terror in a small town.
And new warnings, health officials preparing for another outbreak of SARS.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WOODRUFF: Welcome back to CNN.
On again, off again. A new hangup to the national "do not call" list.
But first, a quick check of the latest headlines.
(NEWSBREAK)
WOODRUFF: Well, if you've been confused over the "do not call" dispute, a second federal judge has now jumped in with another ruling that leaves the registry against unwanted telemarketing up in the air. And to that, the Federal Trade Commission says that it will appeal this judge's ruling.
Joining us in New York to help to -- or at least try to help sort it all out is CNN's Greg Clarkin. Greg, help.
GREG CLARKIN, CNNfn CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Judy. I'll give it a shot.
Late yesterday, the national "do not call" list suffering another legal setback. This is when a judge -- a federal judge in Denver ruled that the "do not call" list does violate the free speech rights of telemarketers.
Now, politicians, pollsters as well as charities can still call, even if your name is on that list. The telemarketers all along have argued that that is a violation of their free speech rights. And a judge agreed.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TIM SEARCY, AMERICAN TELESERVICES ASSOCIATION: They created two classes of speech. Basically, they said it's OK for politicians and charities to call you, but we don't think it's OK for commercial interests to call you. The federal government cannot do that.
(END VIDEO CLIP) CLARKIN: Now, that, again, creates two classes of speech, according to the telemarketers. That is not allowed. The federal government cannot do that, according to them. So they got the judge to side with them.
As for what this means in terms of a practical sense -- well, October 1, this Wednesday, was the date that the "do not call" list was supposed to take effect. There are almost 51 million numbers on that list. And what we're hearing now is that all the parties involved really cannot predict where this goes between now and Wednesday. It is in the courts right now, and the most -- the most major, the biggest, most influential group out there, Direct Marketers Association, Judy, asking their members to respect the list come Wednesday regardless of it's in the courts still or intact. They say, please don't call those people. So at least some of the folks who signed up may be getting some relief -- Judy.
WOODRUFF: All right. What a story. And I'm glad you're there to help us figure out what it all means. Greg, thank you very much.
CLARKIN: Sure.
WOODRUFF: Well, now, here's your turn to weigh in on this story. Our "Web Question of the Day" is this -- "What do you do when a telemarketer calls?" Do you decline? Buy? Or hang up? I'll have the results later in this broadcast. You can vote right now at cnn.com/wolf.
And right now we want to go to some live pictures we're going to show you from Camp David, Maryland. President Bush is greeting Russian President Vladimir Putin. The two men are -- have been scheduled to have this meeting for some time. You can see them together. Again, these pictures from just a few minutes ago. I correct -- correct that. The president and Vladimir Putin spending the weekend together discussing Iraq, Iran, some very, very difficult issues on the agenda for these two leaders this weekend.
We heard John King, our White House reporter, telling us earlier that for the White House these meetings could not be more important. I don't remember a time, in fact, when the Russian president visited with President Bush at Camp David. Again, these pictures being fed in to us just a short time ago.
John, how important is this meeting?
KING: Well, Judy, it's a critical meeting on a number of fronts.
Number one, the president at the end of the week in which he went to the United Nations and appealed for international help in Iraq, has had some nicer rhetoric, but still no firm commitments in terms of reconstruction money, in terms of more international troops on the ground in Iraq. President Putin, who vehemently opposed the war, has come saying he seeks a middle ground. He seeks a compromise. So the president has now a leader with whom he has a very good personal relationship, a very good professional working relationship, who says he wants to help Mr. Bush broker a new Security Council resolution. The question then, of course -- Does a new resolution actually bring more troops and more money? And that remains a big question. But the president believes, at least, he will make some progress this weekend on the issue of bigger international coalition for post-war Iraq.
Iran is another tough issue, a contentious issue between these two presidents for quite some time. Russia supplies most of the nuclear technology that Iran has. This White House says Iran is trying to develop nuclear weapons. Russia says it cannot answer that question. It's a bit more skeptical about the White House allegations. But President Putin of late has joined Mr. Bush in saying to the government in Tehran, You must open up, you must let international inspectors in. So the two leaders want to present a unified front on that. It will be interesting to see if there is any disagreement at all, because that could decide whether or not, or how seriously anyway, the government of Iran takes this international pressure.
They also will discuss, of course, the nuclear showdown with the third country, in what the president calls the axis of evil, North Korea. Russia one of the countries that has worked with the United States in recent weeks to try to convince the North Koreans as well as Iran to back off and to allow international inspectors in to check out its nuclear program.
So a key weekend of diplomacy for the president. But the fact Mr. Putin gets an invite to Camp David shows you that Mr. Bush believes progress will be made and that he has a friend up at the camp this weekend.
WOODRUFF: All right. John King talking to us about that meeting. As we saw, just getting under way. The two leaders, President Bush greeting President Putin just moments ago at Camp David. John, thank you very much.
Well, they were hyped as having the potential to change the way we live. But, for now, those Segway scooters won't be changing anyone's life. All of the units are being recalled for safety reasons.
Our Ann Kellan has the details from CNN Center. Ann, tell us about it.
ANN KELLAN, CNN SCIENCE CORRESPONDENT: Well, actually, this is a voluntary recall. Segway notified the Consumer Products Safety Commission, saying that they had made some upgrades to software after it heard that three people were injured on the Segways and they wanted to improve the safety of them.
So the people who have these Segways -- and we've just been told there are 6,000 that have been sold -- can still ride their Segways. These little software features, they're saying, are just going to make it safer.
Now basically, how -- what was wrong with them or what they found out was wrong is the way the Segway works, it has these gyroscopes on there. And when you lean forward, it speeds up. And then you lean back, it goes backwards. But what happens is when you speed up, a lot of were -- when the power low, were speeding up so much, they basically would run out of power. And what happens when you run out of power with the Segway, which President Bush learned when he got on his Segway and it wasn't powered up, was basically it falls forward.
I'm going to try to turn this off to show you what happens here. It becomes, like, a heavy weight. So what would happen is people would, basically, power forward, run out of power, and then fall off. So they were trying to rectify that. Now they've put new software in. S once it goes forward, if they're running low on power, this thing starts vibrating and telling them, Hey, you better get off. Better stick in, plug it in, and recharge it before you get back on -- Judy.
WOODRUFF: Yes, I've seen people using those, Ann, and it does make you wonder, doesn't it, how they can make it safe enough for everybody?
KELLAN: Yes, that's true.
WOODRUFF: All right. Ann Kellan, thank you very much. Appreciate it.
And coming up, cries for help. Cries ignored. A teen attacked while riding a city bus, but the driver refuses to help.
And, explosion. Police in Florida call them the bombmakers. What two teens allegedly taped that put them at odds with the law.
Plus, he is co-author of the fastest-selling fiction series ever. Best-selling author Jerry Jenkins joins us.
But first, a quick look at some other news making headlines "Around the World."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WOODRUFF (voice-over): Earthquake hits Japan. The world's most powerful quake in more than two years hit northern Japan before dawn, knocking out power and triggering an oil tank fire. More than 400 people were injured, most by broken glass and falling objects. The U.S. Geological Survey says the quake had a magnitude of 8.
Sheep protest. Animal right activists are condemning Australia's plan to send more than 50,000 stranded sheep to Iraq. The animals have been on a ship for almost eight weeks after Saudi Arabia refused to take the sheep because many were infected with scabie mouth disease. About 4,000 of the sheep have already died.
Rocker dies. British rock star Robert Palmer has died of a heart attack in Paris. Palmer was noted for his sharp suits and back-up band of mini skirted models. Many of his hits came in the 1980s including "Simply Irresistible" and "Addicted to Love". Palmer was 54. Giant queen. A new portrait of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II is one of the largest ever painted. At more than 7 feet high and 5 feet wide, the picture is one-third larger than life. It took the artist six months to finish.
Desert rock. Actor turned rocker Bruce Willis belts out rock and roll in the blues for American troops in Iraq. Most in the audience said they didn't know that Willis was a singer but they like what had they heard.
That's our look "Around the World."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WOODRUFF: A worst nightmare comes true in Florida. A teenage boy is attacked and beaten on a bus. His cries for help ignored. CNN national correspondent Susan Candiotti is in Miami with the story -- Susan.
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Judy. This is the bus stop where police say that attack occurred. We have visual evidence, proof of what happened here, because of cameras that were installed on county buses about five years ago. Police say no other passengers were on a Miami Dade county bus when a 15-year-old victim jumped on board to try and escape his attackers.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CANDIOTTI (voice-over): A surveillance camera shows a teenager being pommeled last month. Out of camera range, the bus driver doesn't interfere, even when he asks for help. Authorities say part- time driver Barrett Wilson hired last May did not have to get involved but could have.
DET. JUAN DEL CASTILLO, MIAMI-DADE POLICE: Even if, legally, you don't have to do something, I think, morally, you should do something.
(voice-over): Transit officials say Wilson was obligated to call for help by hitting a panic button or using his radio. Instead, authorities say, he waited 15 or 20 minutes to use his cell phone.
CLINTON FORBES, MIAMI-DADE TRANSIT: We are extremely troubled by it. It is an isolated incident. It is one operator out of 1500 and we will not tolerate this behavior.
(voice-over): The driver was asked, why?
BARRETT WILSON, BUS DRIVER: The only thing I can do is offer my sincere apologies. And the bottom line is I got scared. When you get scared, you're not thinking.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CANDIOTTI: Now, just last week that bus driver was fired for not following proper procedure. Police have caught one of the five attackers. Judy, they're looking for the rest.
WOODRUFF: Such a disturbing story. All right. Susan Candiotti in Miami. Thank you very much.
Also in Florida, two young men caught on tape allegedly setting off homemade bombs. CNN affiliate WKMG says the 20 year old and 17 year old videotaped themselves blowing up vending machines, dumpsters and mail boxes. They were arrested by police in Okala this week and each boy faces four felony charges.
Saluting the troops in a special way. A bird's eye view ahead.
And his writing put him at the top of the best-selling list. Topping John Grisham and selling more than 35 million books. Hear from Christian fiction author Jerry Jenkins when we return.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WOODRUFF (voice-over): Earlier we asked, "Who is the world's best-selling fiction author? The answer -- Agatha Christie. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Christie's 78 crime novels have sold an estimated 2 billion copies in 44 languages.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WOODRUFF: Well, that's Agatha Christie. But we'll tell you about somebody else. He's the co-author of the fast-selling fiction series ever, the "Left Behind" books, about the end days leading up to the battle of Armageddon.
His new book is called "Soon." Best-selling author Jerry Jenkins spoke with Wolf last night.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Jerry Jenkins, thanks very much for joining us, and welcome to our program.
Very briefly, why do you believe your books, these "Left Behind" books, have been such a huge success?
JERRY JENKINS, AUTHOR, "SOON": Well, I like to think it's the great writing. But I have to say I know better than that.
I think that whether people would call it that or not, there -- there is a God hunger on the part of society. People by books by the pope, the dalai lama, the inner healing gurus, the eastern mystics. And they hear about fiction based on Bible prophecy and I think it intrigues them. The fact they're so successful, I think, is gratifying because that means the fiction is working at some elemental level too.
BLITZER: Is this a new phenomenon? For example, these Christian book, these -- the fiction that you're writing right now, that's been around for a long time. But it seems so much powerful, so much more successful right now. Am I wrong?
JENKINS: No. You're right. And I'm -- we're not quite sure why. I think there are a lot of good Christian authors and there are people trying to get an evangelical view -- point of view across. But something astounding works with the "Left Behind" series and I wish we could package it. I mean, we obviously we have, but we don't know we were doing that. We thought that it might cross over because Christians would give it to their friends or something like that. But for these to be so successful in the general market is a surprise. And, you know, we would just like to think that something is happening correctly here.
BLITZER: Are you preaching to the converted? In other words, are only real Christians, born-again Christians reading your books or are others reading it as well?
JENKINS: We're hearing from a lot of people who tell us they've actually have become believers through reading these. And as you may know, "The New York Times" Best-Seller List doesn't even count books sold through Christian book stores. So for the last five of the titles to debut No. 1 tells us that they're really working in the general market.
Now I realize that a lot of Christian readers also buy in general markets. But we're getting letters from a lot of cross-over readers. So for some reason, it's reaching the entire market.
BLITZER: And what's the basic message you hope the readers of these books, including your newest book, the basic message they'll walk away with is it.
JENKINS: Well, for "Left Behind," we believe this is actually going to happen someday. We believe the Bible prophecized these events and that we want people to ready.
For my new book, "Soon," I'm -- this is something I hope won't happen. I've set it 35 years after the end of World War III and religion has been outlawed. It's sort of a warning, in my mind, for Christians to be careful and not do something that makes us lose our freedom to share our faith. And, you know, I'm -- i's not something I've been told will happen. I'm just -- it's something that I can see coming if we're not careful.
BLITZER: Jerry Jenkins. He's the author of the new book "Soon." It's a best-selling book by everyone's standards. Congratulations and good luck.
JENKINS: Thank you very much.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WOODRUFF: Evidently quite a phenomenon.
Our "Web Question of the Day" is this -- "What do you do when a telemarketer calls?" Decline? Buy? Or hang up? Vote now at cnn.com slash wolf. The results for you when we come back. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WOODRUFF: Now, we want to show you our "Picture of the Day." Digital Globe captured this satellite shot of a cornfield on the outskirts of Corona, California. A special tribute to U.S. troops snapped from above.
Well, will he or won't he? Secretary of State Colin Powell has told friends and associates that he would serve only one tern. So there's speculation as to whether or not he would stick around if President Bush is re-elected.
Last night, Powell was a guest on "Late Night with David Letterman," who tried unsuccessfully to pin him down.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: I have enjoyed my job enormously and I will serve it at the pleasure of the president.
How long do you want to do this?
DAVID LETTERMAN, "LATE SHOW": Well, then, I would infer that you will be secretary of state if he wins another term?
POWELL: Oh, I'll be secretary of state for as long as I serve at his pleasure.
LETTERMAN: I see. And you're still in his pleasure? You haven't incurred his displeasure, have you?
POWELL: Not so far today. But it's early.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WOODRUFF: Got to give Letterman credit for trying.
Well, now, here is how you are weighing in on our "Web Question of the Day." Remember, we've been asking you: "What do you do when a telemarketer calls?" Look at this -- 31 percent of you say you decline; 1 percent say buy. while 69 percent of you say you hang up. What happened to manners? Well, as we always tell you, this is not, of course, a scientific poll. You can find the exact vote tally and continue to vote, by the way, on our Web site. It is cnn.com/wolf.
Let's hear from you and read some of your e-mail.
Eileen is writing, "Telemarketers may have a right to free speech. But I have a right to privacy in my home. Besides, I pay the phone bill every month, so I should have a say. If they'd like to take on this cost, they can call me anytime they want."
And from Dave, "The argument over the 'do not call' list is ridiculous. Receiving telephone calls is your choice. Getting caller I.D., not answering, or taking out the phone are options that do not affect free speech and prevent you from dealing with telemarketers." That's just two of the e-mails we received.
And a reminder, you can always watch WOLF BLITZER REPORTS weekdays at this time, 5:00 Eastern. Wolf will be back right here on Monday.
And don't forget to catch Wolf on "LATE EDITION" on Sunday. Among -- I'm actually filling in for him this Sunday. And among the guests, Secretary of State Colin Powell. That is Sunday. We'll ask him that question again, maybe. Noon Eastern on CNN.
Until then, thanks for joining us.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
