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CNN Wolf Blitzer Reports
President Bush's Surprise in Baghdad; Interview With Douglas Brinkley; El Paso Honors Former POWs
Aired November 27, 2003 - 17:30 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.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR, WOLF BLITZER REPORTS: Happening now. Guess who is coming to dinner? President Bush makes a secret trip to Baghdad. It's the first time an American president has ever visited Iraq. Stand by for hard news this holiday on "Wolf Blitzer reports."
ANNOUNCER: Nobody saw this coming. U.S. troops in Iraq get a surprise visit.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Thank you for your service. We're proud of you and America stands solidly behind you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANNOUNCER: Why was there so much secrecy surrounding this historic trip and how did the White House manage to keep it quiet? More U.S. troops are headed to Iraq. We'll tell you who and how many.
And giving thanks, a Texas town honors two former P.O.W.s. We'll talk with Shoshana Johnson and Joseph Hudson about what it was like to be Iraqi prisoners and what it's like to be home.
ANNOUNCER: This is "Wolf Blitzer reports" for Thursday, November 27th, 2003.
BLITZER: Hello and happy Thanksgiving. An extraordinary move under extraordinary secrecy and security. President Bush spent this Thanksgiving with American troops in Iraq. He received a thunderous welcome during a visit that lasted only about 2 1/2 hours. We'll have much more on the president's trip in just a moment.
In Saddam Hussein's hometown of Tikrit, meanwhile, it was business as usual for some American troops who checked cars and patrolled the streets. But many of their comrades in Tikrit and elsewhere were in fact able to chow down some Thanksgiving turkey and most of the trimmings.
President Bush's secret trip to Iraq caught just about everybody in the world by surprise, including almost all of the White House press corps. We have reports on this historic visit. Our White House correspondent Dana Bash is in Crawford, Texas, near the president's ranch and our senior international correspondent Walter Rodgers is in the Iraqi capital. Let's go first to Dana, what an amazing day, Dana. DANA BASH, WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, this trip was under such a cloak of secrecy. The president told reporters on the way back here that he only told his twin daughters who were in Crawford at his ranch for the holiday that he was going just until hours before he left.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BASH (voice-over): It may as well have been dubbed operation Thanksgiving surprise.
PAUL BREMER, U.S. CIVILIAN ADMINISTRATOR IN IRAQ: Let's see if we got anybody more senior here who can read the president's Thanksgiving speech. Is there anybody back there who is more senior than us?
BASH: From behind the curtain, the commander in chief himself telling 600 shocked U.S. troops
BUSH: Thanks for inviting me to dinner.
BASH: President Bush's two hour and 32 minute visit to Baghdad, the first ever for a U.S. president, a tightly held secret even for a White House known for keeping a lid on information. Only a handful of senior staff and Secret Service officials knew. Shortly after a spokeswoman announced Wednesday Mr. Bush would have a quiet holiday at the ranch, approximately 8:30 p.m. Eastern time, the president, hiding under a baseball cap, slipped out of Crawford in an unmarked car, then was flown to Andrews Air Force Base.
At about 11:00 p.m. Eastern time, the president left on a 13-hour journey to Baghdad. Reporters on the plane were warned for security reasons, if word leaked out, the plane would be turned around. At 5:30 p.m. Baghdad time, Air Force One using a secret call sign lands without lights with Mr. Bush in the cockpit. The president's message, one of thanks but also one of resolve.
BUSH: We did not charge hundreds of miles into the heart of Iraq, pay a bitter cost of casualties, defeat a ruthless dictator and liberate 25 million people only to retreat before a band of thugs and assassins.
BASH: At a mess hall named for Bob Hope, he doled out sweet potatoes, smiled for the cameras and shook hands with elated servicemen, telling reporters afterwards their reaction made the risk and secrecy worth while. The president's audience was not just U.S. troops. It was also the Iraqi people.
BUSH: You have an opportunity to seize the moment and rebuild your great country based on human dignity and freedom.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BASH: This may have been a stealth mission but it was far from spur of the moment, the president telling reporters it's been in the works since October. And for those who may call all this a PR stunt, the president insisted it had to be kept under wraps because of his safety and the safety of others. Wolf?
BLITZER: CNN White House correspondent Dana Bash in Crawford. Dana, thank you very much.
Let's go to Baghdad now where senior international correspondent Walter Rodgers is standing by. Walter, what a day in Baghdad.
WALTER RODGERS, SR INTL CORRESPONDENT: Indeed, Wolf. The best kept secret in Iraq remains the whereabouts of Saddam Hussein, but President Bush's visit was a very close second. Everyone was here. Everyone here was stunned by it. Indeed, most people in Iraq never knew that he was here. No reporters knew that he was here until the plane had left, carrying the president back to the United States. The president's mission seemed two-fold. He had two messages. He wanted to reassure the troops that they are loved and appreciated. He said they will stay until the job is finished. He vowed to prevail and he also told the troops that he was very, very proud of them and that the American people were very proud of them because he said they were here defending the American people from danger.
The second part of the president's message was, of course, that addressed to the Iraqi people in which he said the regime of Saddam Hussein is gone forever. Now that may be a bit of hyperbole. No one is expecting Saddam to come back. But his insurgents, his loyalists are roaming this country and conducting a very effective urban warfare, an urban guerilla campaign against U.S. forces and also against the Iraqi people who cooperate with the United States here.
So the Iraqis, while appreciating the president's visit, and they clearly have said they do, especially in the context of saying that he's going to stay with them and makes the commitment to come here, they also know -- they hear the booms in the night around here, the mortars that fall, the Kalashnikovs that were going off, just a short while ago, you could hear them where I was standing. The Iraqi people are probably keeping their heads down politically which is what they had to do during the Saddam Hussein regime, waiting to see which way this shakes out -- Wolf?
BLITZER: Walter Rodgers in Baghdad for us. Walter, thank you very much.
Let's get some perspective now. Joining me from Tucson, Arizona, with his take on President Bush's surprise visit to Baghdad, CNN military analyst, retired U.S. Air Force Major General Donald Shepperd. General Shepperd, thanks very much for joining us. To the 600 troops who were at the Bob Hope hangar over there at the dining hall at Baghdad international airport, members of the U.S. Army's 101st airborne division, members of the 101st the 82nd airborne division, excuse me, the 1st armored division, how big of a deal is this for them?
MAJ. GEN. DONALD SHEPPERD (RET.), U.S. AIR FORCE: A very big deal, Wolf. These people were not expecting it. They were totally surprised as was all of America and the world community. This is a great lift in the morale for the troops there and a great message to them of the president's concern and his steadfastness and belief in what they're doing. Wolf.
BLITZER: Now flying into Baghdad international airport at night, even with Air Force One, with the lights off, as we just heard, that could still be extremely dangerous. How dangerous is it?
SHEPPERD: Well, the risk is really minimal when you go in at night from heat-seeking missiles. The night itself is a very good defense against heat-seeking missiles because they can't see what to aim at. The other thing is that the airplane itself of course is equipped with the latest technology in decoying infrared heat-seeking missiles and so that part is not so dangerous.
The danger of course was that the message could have gotten scrambled. If the president had had to turn around and couldn't get in because of the security situation or if the airplane or he had been attacked on the ground by mortars or rockets, it would have been a big negative and a big boost for the bad guys over there Wolf.
So the fact that this was done in secrecy, the physical danger, minimal, but the risk was that the message intended to be sent to the Iraqis, to the troops, to the American public, to the world community would have gotten scrambled.
BLITZER: And knowing the Secret Service as you and I know them, they would not have approved this unless they were 100 percent sure of the safety that the president of the United States would be safe and secure.
SHEPPERD: I can tell you that they were not 100 percent sure and I suspect that their heart took a few beats when this was announced to them. Not all of the Secret Service of course knew about this and if you've ever been involved in a presidential visit, as you have, you know the preparation that goes into that. And so they didn't have a lot of time to do this and they had great concerns. So Im sure their heart skipped a few beats, Wolf.
BLITZER: When you land the plane in darkness with the lights off, flying into Baghdad international airport, you're a pilot, you understand the risks. Forget about shoulder-fired surface-to-air missiles or anything along those lines. What about just landing a plane in darkness?
SHEPPERD: It's all training. There is really several aspects of it, three main ones. One is have you to have night vision goggles to enable to you see in the dark and we have those. The other is you have to have night compatible cockpits so that the lights in the cockpit which come on don't drown out the goggles and then third, and most important, you have to have training. So these troops are well trained, although, yes, it's more risky to fly and land at night. Its not risky any more. We do it routinely in fixed wing and helicopters all the time, Wolf.
BLITZER: The bottom line is this was wise for the president to do it from your perspective?
SHEPPERD: I think it was. There were definitely some calculated risk. If the wrong things had happened, it would have been a big negative but I think it was very, very smart. I think that he's carrying the message to the troops and the American people that he is going to stay. Now the troops and the American people need to stay with him and this is just part of a long train of that. It's going to be a rough neighborhood until we leave, Wolf and I think we'll be shot at as we're getting on the boats on the way out.
BLITZER: General Don Shepperd, our military analyst, thanks very much for that.
And here is your turn to weigh in on this important story. Our web question of the day is this. Was President Bush's visit to Baghdad worth the risk? You can vote right now, cnn.com/Wolf. We'll have the results later in this broadcast.
Also, later this hour, we will rebroadcast in its entirety the president's address to the troops in Iraq.
More U.S. troops will be heading for Iraq, most of them to replace Americans who are there right now. The Pentagon has approved mobilization of 17,000 Army, Navy and Air Force National Guard and reserve troops for "Operation Iraqi Freedom." In addition, as many as 3,000 Marines will be deployed and almost 8,000 troops are on alert for possible deployment.
Meanwhile, fence mending going on right now in Najaf. The leader of Iraq's governing council went to that Muslim holy city to visit the top Shiite cleric, Ayatollah Ali Al Sistani (ph). And the two had what the Ayatollah's spokesman is calling, quote, a good meeting. Ayatollah Ali Sistani is critical of the coalition's transition plan. He wants direct elections by Iraq's grass roots voters and a role for Islam in the new Iraqi government.
More violence, meanwhile, in Iraq today but no casualties. A rocket propelled grenade hit the Italian embassy in Baghdad causing minor damage on the building's second floor. No one was in the embassy at the time. On the outskirts of Baghdad, a roadside bomb blasted two contractors' trucks and a U.S. military truck. The trucks went up in flames but the occupants escaped unhurt.
More on President Bush's unexpected visit to Baghdad. I'll talk with two people who were there when he made his surprise entrance. You'll want to see this.
Plus, nerves on edge right now in the U.K. British police arrest a terror suspect with alleged al Qaeda ties.
And severe season. A deadly flu outbreak months before the peak time for infection. What you need to know right now about protecting yourself and your family.
And a hero's welcome and an especially meaningful Thanksgiving. Two former Iraqi P.O.W.s honored for their service and bravery. We'll hear directly from them.
First though, today's news quiz.
ANNOUNCER: Which U.S. president officially proclaimed Thanksgiving to be a national holiday? John Quincy Adams, Abraham Lincoln, Andrew Johnson, Millard Filmore. The answer coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: More now on President Bush's trip to Baghdad. Joining me from Baghdad, Jeff Schaeffer, the AP television reporter and Dave Shott, the White House pool producer who rode on Air Force One over to Baghdad. Thanks to both of you for joining us. Dave, briefly to you, what was it like riding on Air Force one into Baghdad?
DAVE SHOTT, WHITE HOUSE POOL PRODUCER: It was an amazing experience, Wolf. As you know, flying on Air Force One is a privilege in itself but to be able to be on a mission like this in such secrecy and security concerns and everything else, it was quite a trip.
BLITZER: When did you find out, Dave, that were you going to be the White House pool producer for this extraordinary, extraordinary trip?
SHOTT: Our correspondent was notified during the day yesterday while we were at the White House and was told of what was going to happen and we headed out to Andrews Air Force base later that evening where we met the president who flew in from Crawford.
BLITZER: When -- what was the president's mood? Did you get a chance to speak at all to the president aboard Air Force One on the way to Baghdad?
SHOTT: No, we did not. He arrived from Crawford I believe it was just a little before 11:00 p.m. Eastern time. And he went straight to bed. So we did not see the president until we actually hit the ground here in Baghdad. We went out the normal rear stairs. He went out the front steps and we all piled into the vehicles waiting for us on the tarmac and headed to the event site. When he walked out on stage, that was basically the first time anybody had seen him since he left on his trip to Crawford.
BLITZER: Let's bring in Jeff Schafer. Jeff, you work for AP television. You were brought in to this event as well as a pool journalist. How did you get informed what was going on?
JEFF SCHAEFFER, SENIOR PRODUCER, AP TELEVISION: Well, I was brought in as a pool television producer, along with a cameraman and a handful of our journalists and we were strictly there for to cover Ambassador Bremer and Lieutenant General Sanchez having -- and some members of the Iraqi governing council having a Thanksgiving meal with the soldiers, about 600 of them at the Baghdad airport. And it wasn't until at the very last moment that we realized that something was up.
It wasn't clear at all until a group of White House reporters came on to the scene, into the press conference room, and there was a flurry of activity and somebody whispered something about perhaps Dick Cheney being here and we all sort of looked and all of a sudden, there he was. There was the president of the United States, walking on to the podium and the crowd went wild. It was pandemonium.
BLITZER: So what was it like in that room? Take us in that room, Jeff and give us a little bit of the flavor of how those 600 U.S. military personnel reacted.
SCHAEFFER: Well, they were already warmed up by Ambassador Bremer and by Lieutenant General Sanchez. So it was already a very good feeling in the room. But there was some comedic byplay between Ambassador Bremer and Lieutenant General Sanchez just before saying "who should read the speech," who should read the comments of the president of the United States, who is the more senior person.
And then they said, well, maybe that should be somebody who's even more senior than we are and when the president came out, it was almost a surreal experience because the soldiers really had no idea. They did not expect that this was going to happen whatsoever. So when the president came out, there was just an explosive, explosive sense of exhilaration. There was a rise, a standing ovation. They were clapping. The cameras were out, the videos were out and it was really a very explosive moment.
BLITZER: Two excellent journalists who were there at that historic moment. Dave Shott and Jeff Schaeffer, thanks to both of you for joining us. Be safe over there in Baghdad.
A historic holiday surprise indeed. U.S. troops in Baghdad receive a very special Thanksgiving visit from President Bush. We'll replay his entire speech. That's coming up this hour. Our coverage of this secret trip will continue.
Also, deadly outbreak and renewed warnings of a severe flu season. New information on the flu outbreak, information you need to know right now.
And intense search. Volunteers in North Dakota bypassing their holiday plans to try to find a missing 22-year-old student. We'll update you on their efforts. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SOLDIER #1: To my wife, Teresa, and my kids in Ft. Polk, Louisiana, happy Thanksgiving, darling.
SOLDIER #2: To Jane, John, Christine, Ryan, Shawn and Lindsey, I love you all and miss you very much. I hope to be home with you soon about four more months and we'll be in each other's arms.
SOLDIER #3: My name is Larry Parks, corporal, United States Army. Id like to say Happy Thanksgiving to all my family and friends back home in Jersey City, New Jersey. SOLDIER #4: Hi, mom, Orlando, Jamiva (ph), (UNINTELLIGIBLE) in Macomb, Mississippi. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Happy Thanksgiving and happy New Year's, Christmas, everything. Bye.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: U.S. troops sharing some thoughts on this Thanksgiving holiday. Much more coverage of the president's surprise visit to Baghdad. That's coming up, including we'll rebroadcast his remarks to U.S. troops at Baghdad international airport. But first, let's check on another important story unfolding. This month, we reported Federal health authorities feared an early flu outbreak and a severe flu season. It now seems those fears were indeed well-founded. Thousands of cases are reported right now in Colorado, Texas, and Nevada. And in Colorado, children are dying of the flu. Details from our medical correspondent, Elizabeth Cohen.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: This has been a particularly bad flu season and a particularly early one. For example, take the state of Colorado. Usually there in the course of an entire season, four children die of the flu. Already four children have died of the flu in Colorado, unfortunately, and it's only November. Now why is the flu season so bad this year?
Well, part of it is cyclical. Flu seasons come and go. You get some seasons that aren't so bad and then you get some seasons that are bad. Another reason is that there is a strain of the flu this year that's out there among other strains that was not included in the vaccine. So this one strain is not in the vaccine. It's a particularly virulent strain and so it's not offering -- the flu vaccine is not offering complete protection against this one strain.
Another problem and this happens many years, is that people don't always listen to the CDC when CDC officials say get your flu shots. Some of these numbers are quite startling. For example, all people over the age of 50 are supposed to get flu shots. But when you look at the 50 to 64-year-old bracket, only one-third of them actually do get the shot. Also healthcare workers are supposed to get flu shots and less than one-third of them do actually get the shot. This one is a particularly bad statistic. Children with asthma are supposed to get flu shots because if they get the flu, it can be particularly devastating, but only 10 percent of them do.
Now why don't people tend to listen to public health officials when they say get your flu shot? Well, there are several misconceptions about the flu vaccine so were going to try to clear those up. First of all, some people think that the flu vaccine will give them the flu. That is actually not the case. The virus in there is a dead virus. The flu shot will not give you the flu. Also some people think, well, the flu shot is not for me. It's for my grandmother or its for someone with a terrible immune disorder. That's not true. Nearly everyone can benefit from a flu vaccine. There are a few people who are not supposed to get it for a very specific reason. But on the whole, most people will benefit from a vaccine. It takes about 10 days for the vaccine to become effective once you get it. Public health officials say get it now, don't wait. Elizabeth Cohen, CNN, Atlanta.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: An historic trip to Iraq and a welcome surprise for United States troops. Hear the president's special message to the troops in Baghdad. That's coming up next.
Plus, another special visitor for U.S. military personnel overseas, this one in Afghanistan.
And no one can forget these images from the war. But on this Thanksgiving day, these former P.O.W.s are home with their families. We'll speak to Shoshana Johnson and Joseph Hudson.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back to CNN. The president of the United States stuns the world today and shows up in Baghdad. We'll broadcast his remarks to U.S. troops on this Thanksgiving Day.
First, though, a quick check of the latest headlines.
Forty investigators are working through this holiday weekend and volunteers are still searching the frozen plains of North Dakota for Dru Sjodin. The 22-year-old college student went missing last weekend in Grand Forks. A call made Saturday in Minnesota has been traced to her cell phone.
An arrest in Britain in the war on terror. Police in Gloucester arrested a 24-year-old man. Authorities say the man, who is a British citizen of Asian origin, is suspected of having ties to al Qaeda. The neighborhood in Gloucester was evacuated as police searched the man's house for explosives.
President Bush's surprise visit to Iraq upstaged Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York, who is going there tomorrow. Senator Clinton and Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island are in Afghanistan today. Senator Clinton met with U.S. troops of the 10th Mountain Division in Afghanistan, and she said more troops are needed in that country.
President Bush is headed back home at this hour after his unannounced surprise visit to Iraq. The president's decision to join U.S. troops for a Thanksgiving dinner today caught everyone by surprise, including the troops themselves. Here is another look at what happened.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
AMB. PAUL BREMER, CIVIL ADMINISTRATOR: Now General Sanchez, it says here I'm supposed to read the president's Thanksgiving proclamation. But I thought the deal was it was the most senior person who reads it. Is that you, or...
GENERAL RICARDO SANCHEZ : Sir, I don't know. Maybe we ought to get somebody from the back.
BREMER: Well, I wonder -- let's see if we got anybody more senior here who can read the president's Thanksgiving speech. Is there anybody back there who is more senior than us?
(APPLAUSE)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Thank you all. I was just looking for a warm meal somewhere. Thanks for inviting me to dinner.
General Sanchez, thank you, sir, for your kind invitation and your strong leadership. Ambassador Bremer, thank you for your steadfast belief in freedom and peace. I want to thank the members of the Governing Council who are here. We're pleased you're joining us for one of our nation's great holidays, a chance to give thanks to the almighty for the many blessings we received, particularly proud to be with the 1st Armored Division, the 2nd ACR and the 82nd Airborne.
(APPLAUSE)
BUSH: I can't think of a finer group of folks to have Thanksgiving dinner with than you all. We're proud of you.
Today, Americans are gathering with their loved ones to give thanks for the many blessings in our lives. And this year, we're especially thankful for the courage and the sacrifice of those who defend us, the men and women of the United States military.
(APPLAUSE)
BUSH: I bring a message on behalf of America. We thank you for your service. We're proud of you. And America stands solidly behind you.
(APPLAUSE)
BUSH: Together, you and I have taken an oath to defend our country. You're honoring that oath. The United States military is doing a fantastic job.
You are defeating the terrorists here in Iraq so that we don't have to face them in our own country. You're defeating Saddam's henchmen so that the people of Iraq can live in peace and freedom. By helping the Iraqi people become free, you're helping change a troubled and violent part of the world. By helping to build a peaceful and democratic country in the heart of the Middle East, you are defending the American people from danger. And we are grateful.
(APPLAUSE)
BUSH: You're engaged in a difficult mission. Those who attack our coalition forces and kill innocent Iraqis are testing our will. They hope we will run. We did not charge hundreds of miles into the heart of Iraq, pay a bitter cost of casualties, defeat a ruthless dictator and liberate 25 million people only to retreat before a band of thugs and assassins.
(APPLAUSE)
BUSH: We will prevail. We will win because our cause is just. We will win because we will stay on the offensive. And we will win because you're part of the finest military ever assembled. And we will prevail because the Iraqis want their freedom.
(APPLAUSE)
BUSH: Every day you see firsthand the commitment and sacrifice that the Iraqi people are making to secure their own freedom. I have a message for the Iraqi people. You have an opportunity to seize the moment and rebuild your great country based on human dignity and freedom. The regime of Saddam Hussein is gone forever.
(APPLAUSE)
BUSH: The United States and our coalition will help you, help you build a peaceful country so that your children can have a bright future. We'll help you find and bring to justice the people who terrorized you for years and who are still killing innocent Iraqis. We will stay until the job is done.
(APPLAUSE)
BUSH: I'm confident we will succeed because you, the Iraqi people, will show the world that you're not only courageous, but that you can govern yourself wisely and justly. On this Thanksgiving, our nation remembers the men and women of our military, your friends and comrades, who paid the ultimate price for our security and freedom.
We ask for god's blessings on their families, their loved ones and their friends. And we pray for your safety and your strength as you continue to defend America and to spread freedom. Each one of you has answered a great call, participating in a historic moment in world history. You live by a code of honor, service to your nation, for the safety and the security of your fellow citizens.
Our military is full of the finest people on the face of the Earth. I'm proud to be your commander-in-chief. I bring greetings from America. May god bless you all and may god...
(APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: One for the history books. The president speaking earlier today to U.S. troops in Baghdad.
More on the president's surprise visit to Iraq. That's coming up. I'll speak with the historian, Douglas Brinkley.
And from captivity to grand marshals, we'll talk with two former American prisoners of war.
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: More now on the president's stunning Thanksgiving visit with American troops in Baghdad. The president is not the first American president to visit troops in a war zone, but he is the first to set foot in Iraq. Joining us now to talk more about this is the historian, Douglas Brinkley. He's the director of the Eisenhower Center for American Studies in New Orleans.
Doug, thanks very much for joining us. "The Washington Post" on its Web site is reporting that President Franklin Roosevelt made an unannounced visit outside of the country to Yalta in February, 1945. How extraordinary in historic terms is what the president did today?
DOUGLAS BRINKLEY, PRESIDENTIAL HISTORIAN: Well, I think it's very historic. I mean, this is the belly of the beast. This is Baghdad.
We've of course have all day been talking about other presidents that have visited places, Lyndon Johnson in 1966 going to Cameron Bay. You have Dwight Eisenhower famously going to Korea. You have Franklin Roosevelt doing diplomacy all over the world during World War II, not just Yalta, but Tehran and Cairo, and on and on. Harry Truman at Pottstown (ph).
But those were summits. Those are conferences. This was a stealth attack. This was a sneaking out in the dead of night into a place which is -- had been deemed unsafe for anybody.
Just weeks ago, Paul wolfowitz was there in a hotel, and a mortar shook the whole hotel. So it's a very unsafe zone. And what President Bush did today by doing this was so that he's willing to put himself at -- in -- at risk, like our troops. And I think he scores big points for it.
BLITZER: How would you compare this visit to Baghdad with what his father did Thanksgiving before the first Gulf War, when he visited U.S. troops in Saudi Arabia?
BRINKLEY: Well, of course there is a similarity, both Middle East countries. But I think in Saudi Arabia at that time, it was considered our great ally then. It was a staging ground for Desert Storm. There was a semblance of safety.
In Baghdad, there -- it's, as you well know -- it's a free fire zone. And the fact that he was able to land and get convoyed to speak to our 600 young men and women of our armed forces there, it's really quite remarkable. And the fact that, in Washington, there was not a single leak, not one person who had any idea about this, and that he was able to play such a straight man all week.
President Bush had been saying, I'm looking forward to my Thanksgiving at Crawford, Texas. I don't think very many or any journalist questioned that that's where he'd be spending his days.
So it's a success. It's sort of a score, score, score for him on all accounts.
BLITZER: And very briefly, Doug, can you remember one time recently when a president of the United States has pulled off such a surprise?
BRINKLEY: I think Nixon's trip to China, if you remember -- I mean, Henry Kissinger had all that surprise shuttle diplomacy and the fact that Nixon finally went. But it wasn't an overnight surprise. Of course it was brought to us on television. But the thought that Nixon would go to China was quite shocking.
A year ago, Wolf, I wrote a piece in "The New York Times" thinking that President Bush should go to Afghanistan to visit our troops there to show that he's not afraid to go somewhere. But security risks have prevented that.
I'm sure most of the Secret Service and many of his advisers weren't against this kind of trip. If it failed, he would have been laughed at. The fact that it's a success gives you and I an opportunity on Thanksgiving to talk about how smart it was.
But it wasn't clear. Anything could have gone wrong. The plane could have had to turn back. There could have been a mine in the road or somebody who caught wind of it and a rocket hitting it, and it would have made the president's efforts look weak. Instead, he comes back to Crawford looking strong.
BLITZER: The presidential historian, Douglas Brinkley, thanks for joining us on Thanksgiving Day.
BRINKLEY: Thanks, as always, Wolf.
BLITZER: They lived through capture and captivity in Iraq. When we come back, we'll hear from former POWs Shoshana Johnson and Joseph Hudson.
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: El Paso, Texas found a special way to give thanks today. Two former prisoners of war in Iraq, Shoshana Johnson and Joseph Hudson, were grand marshals of today's Sun Bowl Parade. My colleague, Carol Lin, spoke with them before the parade began.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Joe, Shoshana, thank you very much for being with us on this holiday. And congratulations for being grand marshals in today's parade.
SPC SHOSHANA JOHNSON, U.S. ARMY: Thank you very much.
CPL. JOSEPH HUDSON, FMR. IRAQI POW: Thank you.
LIN: Joe, I'm just wondering, this must be a very special Thanksgiving, a very special homecoming for you. Do you feel like a hero?
HUDSON: No, I'm not a hero. I'm just doing my job. That's what I signed up to do. That's what I do.
JOHNSON: The same here.
LIN: Shoshana?
JOHNSON: The same here. I feel like a survivor. But I don't feel like I'm a hero.
LIN: You know, you both are survivors. And there are many people in your unit who came under attack and have not been celebrated in a public way. What do you say on their behalf, Shoshana?
JOHNSON: I would say that they'll get their rewards in another way. God doesn't forget the good that you do. I know everyone...
LIN: Joseph?
HUDSON: I just know everybody that was with us that day fought bravely. And their reward will come to them soon in the best way possible.
LIN: Shoshana, how do you feel that your homecoming back here to the United States compares with that of Jessica Lynch's?
JOHNSON: I don't see really a reason to compare it. I mean, I was just surprised that as many people were out there to welcome us home. It was a nice surprise. You know? But when it comes down to it, we were just glad to be home.
LIN: Do you feel like you should be getting as much disability pay as Jessica Lynch? Do you feel that race has played a factor in how you've been treated?
JOHNSON: No, I don't think so. Jessica's injuries are extremely severe, in my opinion. You know?
I think she should have got more. But I'm not a doctor. I just wanted all my medical issues to be addressed. And when I did the formal hearing, it was addressed. So I'm glad that the Army settled things the proper way.
LIN: Joseph, what about you? Do you feel that your story is being properly told?
HUDSON: I don't really like my story to be told. I mean, I'm just a regular soldier. You know? I get paid for what I do.
That's my life. That's what I signed up to do. That's what I'm here to do. LIN: Can you at least share with us, Shoshana, how has your life changed since that experience as being held as a POW in Iraq?
JOHNSON: I appreciate things a lot more. You know, especially today, Thanksgiving. Usually, as a cook, I'd be in the DFAT (ph) complaining about having to work.
Now I get the opportunity to be a grand marshal in my hometown's parade, which is a complete honor to me. Usually, I'd be at home. You know, when I was younger, at home watching it. Now I get to sit as a grand marshal.
LIN: So what are your plans then for the future, Shoshana?
JOHNSON: At this moment, I have about a week or two left in the military. I plan to go back to school and spend as much time with my daughter as possible.
LIN: And what about you, Joseph?
HUDSON: Sixteen more years, at least. Donate my time.
LIN: And would you go back then?
HUDSON: If I was ordered to? You're dang right, I would go right back and do my job over there.
LIN: And how would you feel about it?
HUDSON: It would be a different feeling, but I'll be there. I'll probably do my job like I'm doing right now.
LIN: What advice would you have for other soldiers, national guardsmen who might be going over, Joseph?
HUDSON: There is no such thing as a front line anymore. America's war is fought everywhere.
JOHNSON: Exactly. Be careful and pray. We're behind you 110 percent.
LIN: What are your best hopes for the U.S. troops who are coming back who have seen the violence, who understand perhaps from a perspective that only you two understand?
JOHNSON: I hope that they come home and they have people they can talk to about some of this. Sometimes it's very hard to deal with, and it always helps to sit down and be able to talk to someone.
Fortunately, I come from a military family. I can sit down and speak to them about a lot of things, and they understand where I'm coming from.
LIN: Joseph, do you really think Americans understand and appreciate their troops? HUDSON: There is a lot of people that support troops, but there is a lot of stuff that they don't know what we do. And they need to know that we support and defend this great country. And a lot of people don't appreciate that and don't realize that.
LIN: All right. Well, your story certainly will help. How are you guys going to spend the rest of the day? Joseph?
HUDSON: Waving out of a convertible for this parade. So got to get the -- what's that? The beauty pageant wave going.
LIN: All right. Shoshana, are you going to get a chance to have your own Thanksgiving dinner?
JOHNSON: Oh, yes. I got up early this morning and started baking pies and put the turkey in the oven. So by the time I get home, the turkey should be done and everything is ready to go.
LIN: All right. Well, thank you very much.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: Our thanks to Carol Lin and to those two special guests.
Our hot Web Question of the Day is this: Was President Bush's visit to Baghdad worth the risk? Your votes when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANNOUNCER: Earlier we asked, "which U.S. president officially proclaimed Thanksgiving to be a national holiday?" The answer, Abraham Lincoln. In 1863, President Lincoln set aside the last Thursday in November as a day for national thanksgiving, praise and prayer. but Thanksgiving did not become a legal holiday until 1941 when it was sanctioned by Congress.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: Those are the results of our Web question of the day. You see it there. Please enjoy the rest of your Thanksgiving holiday. The news continues here on CNN.
END
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Douglas Brinkley; El Paso Honors Former POWs>
Aired November 27, 2003 - 17:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR, WOLF BLITZER REPORTS: Happening now. Guess who is coming to dinner? President Bush makes a secret trip to Baghdad. It's the first time an American president has ever visited Iraq. Stand by for hard news this holiday on "Wolf Blitzer reports."
ANNOUNCER: Nobody saw this coming. U.S. troops in Iraq get a surprise visit.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Thank you for your service. We're proud of you and America stands solidly behind you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANNOUNCER: Why was there so much secrecy surrounding this historic trip and how did the White House manage to keep it quiet? More U.S. troops are headed to Iraq. We'll tell you who and how many.
And giving thanks, a Texas town honors two former P.O.W.s. We'll talk with Shoshana Johnson and Joseph Hudson about what it was like to be Iraqi prisoners and what it's like to be home.
ANNOUNCER: This is "Wolf Blitzer reports" for Thursday, November 27th, 2003.
BLITZER: Hello and happy Thanksgiving. An extraordinary move under extraordinary secrecy and security. President Bush spent this Thanksgiving with American troops in Iraq. He received a thunderous welcome during a visit that lasted only about 2 1/2 hours. We'll have much more on the president's trip in just a moment.
In Saddam Hussein's hometown of Tikrit, meanwhile, it was business as usual for some American troops who checked cars and patrolled the streets. But many of their comrades in Tikrit and elsewhere were in fact able to chow down some Thanksgiving turkey and most of the trimmings.
President Bush's secret trip to Iraq caught just about everybody in the world by surprise, including almost all of the White House press corps. We have reports on this historic visit. Our White House correspondent Dana Bash is in Crawford, Texas, near the president's ranch and our senior international correspondent Walter Rodgers is in the Iraqi capital. Let's go first to Dana, what an amazing day, Dana. DANA BASH, WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, this trip was under such a cloak of secrecy. The president told reporters on the way back here that he only told his twin daughters who were in Crawford at his ranch for the holiday that he was going just until hours before he left.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BASH (voice-over): It may as well have been dubbed operation Thanksgiving surprise.
PAUL BREMER, U.S. CIVILIAN ADMINISTRATOR IN IRAQ: Let's see if we got anybody more senior here who can read the president's Thanksgiving speech. Is there anybody back there who is more senior than us?
BASH: From behind the curtain, the commander in chief himself telling 600 shocked U.S. troops
BUSH: Thanks for inviting me to dinner.
BASH: President Bush's two hour and 32 minute visit to Baghdad, the first ever for a U.S. president, a tightly held secret even for a White House known for keeping a lid on information. Only a handful of senior staff and Secret Service officials knew. Shortly after a spokeswoman announced Wednesday Mr. Bush would have a quiet holiday at the ranch, approximately 8:30 p.m. Eastern time, the president, hiding under a baseball cap, slipped out of Crawford in an unmarked car, then was flown to Andrews Air Force Base.
At about 11:00 p.m. Eastern time, the president left on a 13-hour journey to Baghdad. Reporters on the plane were warned for security reasons, if word leaked out, the plane would be turned around. At 5:30 p.m. Baghdad time, Air Force One using a secret call sign lands without lights with Mr. Bush in the cockpit. The president's message, one of thanks but also one of resolve.
BUSH: We did not charge hundreds of miles into the heart of Iraq, pay a bitter cost of casualties, defeat a ruthless dictator and liberate 25 million people only to retreat before a band of thugs and assassins.
BASH: At a mess hall named for Bob Hope, he doled out sweet potatoes, smiled for the cameras and shook hands with elated servicemen, telling reporters afterwards their reaction made the risk and secrecy worth while. The president's audience was not just U.S. troops. It was also the Iraqi people.
BUSH: You have an opportunity to seize the moment and rebuild your great country based on human dignity and freedom.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BASH: This may have been a stealth mission but it was far from spur of the moment, the president telling reporters it's been in the works since October. And for those who may call all this a PR stunt, the president insisted it had to be kept under wraps because of his safety and the safety of others. Wolf?
BLITZER: CNN White House correspondent Dana Bash in Crawford. Dana, thank you very much.
Let's go to Baghdad now where senior international correspondent Walter Rodgers is standing by. Walter, what a day in Baghdad.
WALTER RODGERS, SR INTL CORRESPONDENT: Indeed, Wolf. The best kept secret in Iraq remains the whereabouts of Saddam Hussein, but President Bush's visit was a very close second. Everyone was here. Everyone here was stunned by it. Indeed, most people in Iraq never knew that he was here. No reporters knew that he was here until the plane had left, carrying the president back to the United States. The president's mission seemed two-fold. He had two messages. He wanted to reassure the troops that they are loved and appreciated. He said they will stay until the job is finished. He vowed to prevail and he also told the troops that he was very, very proud of them and that the American people were very proud of them because he said they were here defending the American people from danger.
The second part of the president's message was, of course, that addressed to the Iraqi people in which he said the regime of Saddam Hussein is gone forever. Now that may be a bit of hyperbole. No one is expecting Saddam to come back. But his insurgents, his loyalists are roaming this country and conducting a very effective urban warfare, an urban guerilla campaign against U.S. forces and also against the Iraqi people who cooperate with the United States here.
So the Iraqis, while appreciating the president's visit, and they clearly have said they do, especially in the context of saying that he's going to stay with them and makes the commitment to come here, they also know -- they hear the booms in the night around here, the mortars that fall, the Kalashnikovs that were going off, just a short while ago, you could hear them where I was standing. The Iraqi people are probably keeping their heads down politically which is what they had to do during the Saddam Hussein regime, waiting to see which way this shakes out -- Wolf?
BLITZER: Walter Rodgers in Baghdad for us. Walter, thank you very much.
Let's get some perspective now. Joining me from Tucson, Arizona, with his take on President Bush's surprise visit to Baghdad, CNN military analyst, retired U.S. Air Force Major General Donald Shepperd. General Shepperd, thanks very much for joining us. To the 600 troops who were at the Bob Hope hangar over there at the dining hall at Baghdad international airport, members of the U.S. Army's 101st airborne division, members of the 101st the 82nd airborne division, excuse me, the 1st armored division, how big of a deal is this for them?
MAJ. GEN. DONALD SHEPPERD (RET.), U.S. AIR FORCE: A very big deal, Wolf. These people were not expecting it. They were totally surprised as was all of America and the world community. This is a great lift in the morale for the troops there and a great message to them of the president's concern and his steadfastness and belief in what they're doing. Wolf.
BLITZER: Now flying into Baghdad international airport at night, even with Air Force One, with the lights off, as we just heard, that could still be extremely dangerous. How dangerous is it?
SHEPPERD: Well, the risk is really minimal when you go in at night from heat-seeking missiles. The night itself is a very good defense against heat-seeking missiles because they can't see what to aim at. The other thing is that the airplane itself of course is equipped with the latest technology in decoying infrared heat-seeking missiles and so that part is not so dangerous.
The danger of course was that the message could have gotten scrambled. If the president had had to turn around and couldn't get in because of the security situation or if the airplane or he had been attacked on the ground by mortars or rockets, it would have been a big negative and a big boost for the bad guys over there Wolf.
So the fact that this was done in secrecy, the physical danger, minimal, but the risk was that the message intended to be sent to the Iraqis, to the troops, to the American public, to the world community would have gotten scrambled.
BLITZER: And knowing the Secret Service as you and I know them, they would not have approved this unless they were 100 percent sure of the safety that the president of the United States would be safe and secure.
SHEPPERD: I can tell you that they were not 100 percent sure and I suspect that their heart took a few beats when this was announced to them. Not all of the Secret Service of course knew about this and if you've ever been involved in a presidential visit, as you have, you know the preparation that goes into that. And so they didn't have a lot of time to do this and they had great concerns. So Im sure their heart skipped a few beats, Wolf.
BLITZER: When you land the plane in darkness with the lights off, flying into Baghdad international airport, you're a pilot, you understand the risks. Forget about shoulder-fired surface-to-air missiles or anything along those lines. What about just landing a plane in darkness?
SHEPPERD: It's all training. There is really several aspects of it, three main ones. One is have you to have night vision goggles to enable to you see in the dark and we have those. The other is you have to have night compatible cockpits so that the lights in the cockpit which come on don't drown out the goggles and then third, and most important, you have to have training. So these troops are well trained, although, yes, it's more risky to fly and land at night. Its not risky any more. We do it routinely in fixed wing and helicopters all the time, Wolf.
BLITZER: The bottom line is this was wise for the president to do it from your perspective?
SHEPPERD: I think it was. There were definitely some calculated risk. If the wrong things had happened, it would have been a big negative but I think it was very, very smart. I think that he's carrying the message to the troops and the American people that he is going to stay. Now the troops and the American people need to stay with him and this is just part of a long train of that. It's going to be a rough neighborhood until we leave, Wolf and I think we'll be shot at as we're getting on the boats on the way out.
BLITZER: General Don Shepperd, our military analyst, thanks very much for that.
And here is your turn to weigh in on this important story. Our web question of the day is this. Was President Bush's visit to Baghdad worth the risk? You can vote right now, cnn.com/Wolf. We'll have the results later in this broadcast.
Also, later this hour, we will rebroadcast in its entirety the president's address to the troops in Iraq.
More U.S. troops will be heading for Iraq, most of them to replace Americans who are there right now. The Pentagon has approved mobilization of 17,000 Army, Navy and Air Force National Guard and reserve troops for "Operation Iraqi Freedom." In addition, as many as 3,000 Marines will be deployed and almost 8,000 troops are on alert for possible deployment.
Meanwhile, fence mending going on right now in Najaf. The leader of Iraq's governing council went to that Muslim holy city to visit the top Shiite cleric, Ayatollah Ali Al Sistani (ph). And the two had what the Ayatollah's spokesman is calling, quote, a good meeting. Ayatollah Ali Sistani is critical of the coalition's transition plan. He wants direct elections by Iraq's grass roots voters and a role for Islam in the new Iraqi government.
More violence, meanwhile, in Iraq today but no casualties. A rocket propelled grenade hit the Italian embassy in Baghdad causing minor damage on the building's second floor. No one was in the embassy at the time. On the outskirts of Baghdad, a roadside bomb blasted two contractors' trucks and a U.S. military truck. The trucks went up in flames but the occupants escaped unhurt.
More on President Bush's unexpected visit to Baghdad. I'll talk with two people who were there when he made his surprise entrance. You'll want to see this.
Plus, nerves on edge right now in the U.K. British police arrest a terror suspect with alleged al Qaeda ties.
And severe season. A deadly flu outbreak months before the peak time for infection. What you need to know right now about protecting yourself and your family.
And a hero's welcome and an especially meaningful Thanksgiving. Two former Iraqi P.O.W.s honored for their service and bravery. We'll hear directly from them.
First though, today's news quiz.
ANNOUNCER: Which U.S. president officially proclaimed Thanksgiving to be a national holiday? John Quincy Adams, Abraham Lincoln, Andrew Johnson, Millard Filmore. The answer coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: More now on President Bush's trip to Baghdad. Joining me from Baghdad, Jeff Schaeffer, the AP television reporter and Dave Shott, the White House pool producer who rode on Air Force One over to Baghdad. Thanks to both of you for joining us. Dave, briefly to you, what was it like riding on Air Force one into Baghdad?
DAVE SHOTT, WHITE HOUSE POOL PRODUCER: It was an amazing experience, Wolf. As you know, flying on Air Force One is a privilege in itself but to be able to be on a mission like this in such secrecy and security concerns and everything else, it was quite a trip.
BLITZER: When did you find out, Dave, that were you going to be the White House pool producer for this extraordinary, extraordinary trip?
SHOTT: Our correspondent was notified during the day yesterday while we were at the White House and was told of what was going to happen and we headed out to Andrews Air Force base later that evening where we met the president who flew in from Crawford.
BLITZER: When -- what was the president's mood? Did you get a chance to speak at all to the president aboard Air Force One on the way to Baghdad?
SHOTT: No, we did not. He arrived from Crawford I believe it was just a little before 11:00 p.m. Eastern time. And he went straight to bed. So we did not see the president until we actually hit the ground here in Baghdad. We went out the normal rear stairs. He went out the front steps and we all piled into the vehicles waiting for us on the tarmac and headed to the event site. When he walked out on stage, that was basically the first time anybody had seen him since he left on his trip to Crawford.
BLITZER: Let's bring in Jeff Schafer. Jeff, you work for AP television. You were brought in to this event as well as a pool journalist. How did you get informed what was going on?
JEFF SCHAEFFER, SENIOR PRODUCER, AP TELEVISION: Well, I was brought in as a pool television producer, along with a cameraman and a handful of our journalists and we were strictly there for to cover Ambassador Bremer and Lieutenant General Sanchez having -- and some members of the Iraqi governing council having a Thanksgiving meal with the soldiers, about 600 of them at the Baghdad airport. And it wasn't until at the very last moment that we realized that something was up.
It wasn't clear at all until a group of White House reporters came on to the scene, into the press conference room, and there was a flurry of activity and somebody whispered something about perhaps Dick Cheney being here and we all sort of looked and all of a sudden, there he was. There was the president of the United States, walking on to the podium and the crowd went wild. It was pandemonium.
BLITZER: So what was it like in that room? Take us in that room, Jeff and give us a little bit of the flavor of how those 600 U.S. military personnel reacted.
SCHAEFFER: Well, they were already warmed up by Ambassador Bremer and by Lieutenant General Sanchez. So it was already a very good feeling in the room. But there was some comedic byplay between Ambassador Bremer and Lieutenant General Sanchez just before saying "who should read the speech," who should read the comments of the president of the United States, who is the more senior person.
And then they said, well, maybe that should be somebody who's even more senior than we are and when the president came out, it was almost a surreal experience because the soldiers really had no idea. They did not expect that this was going to happen whatsoever. So when the president came out, there was just an explosive, explosive sense of exhilaration. There was a rise, a standing ovation. They were clapping. The cameras were out, the videos were out and it was really a very explosive moment.
BLITZER: Two excellent journalists who were there at that historic moment. Dave Shott and Jeff Schaeffer, thanks to both of you for joining us. Be safe over there in Baghdad.
A historic holiday surprise indeed. U.S. troops in Baghdad receive a very special Thanksgiving visit from President Bush. We'll replay his entire speech. That's coming up this hour. Our coverage of this secret trip will continue.
Also, deadly outbreak and renewed warnings of a severe flu season. New information on the flu outbreak, information you need to know right now.
And intense search. Volunteers in North Dakota bypassing their holiday plans to try to find a missing 22-year-old student. We'll update you on their efforts. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SOLDIER #1: To my wife, Teresa, and my kids in Ft. Polk, Louisiana, happy Thanksgiving, darling.
SOLDIER #2: To Jane, John, Christine, Ryan, Shawn and Lindsey, I love you all and miss you very much. I hope to be home with you soon about four more months and we'll be in each other's arms.
SOLDIER #3: My name is Larry Parks, corporal, United States Army. Id like to say Happy Thanksgiving to all my family and friends back home in Jersey City, New Jersey. SOLDIER #4: Hi, mom, Orlando, Jamiva (ph), (UNINTELLIGIBLE) in Macomb, Mississippi. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Happy Thanksgiving and happy New Year's, Christmas, everything. Bye.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: U.S. troops sharing some thoughts on this Thanksgiving holiday. Much more coverage of the president's surprise visit to Baghdad. That's coming up, including we'll rebroadcast his remarks to U.S. troops at Baghdad international airport. But first, let's check on another important story unfolding. This month, we reported Federal health authorities feared an early flu outbreak and a severe flu season. It now seems those fears were indeed well-founded. Thousands of cases are reported right now in Colorado, Texas, and Nevada. And in Colorado, children are dying of the flu. Details from our medical correspondent, Elizabeth Cohen.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: This has been a particularly bad flu season and a particularly early one. For example, take the state of Colorado. Usually there in the course of an entire season, four children die of the flu. Already four children have died of the flu in Colorado, unfortunately, and it's only November. Now why is the flu season so bad this year?
Well, part of it is cyclical. Flu seasons come and go. You get some seasons that aren't so bad and then you get some seasons that are bad. Another reason is that there is a strain of the flu this year that's out there among other strains that was not included in the vaccine. So this one strain is not in the vaccine. It's a particularly virulent strain and so it's not offering -- the flu vaccine is not offering complete protection against this one strain.
Another problem and this happens many years, is that people don't always listen to the CDC when CDC officials say get your flu shots. Some of these numbers are quite startling. For example, all people over the age of 50 are supposed to get flu shots. But when you look at the 50 to 64-year-old bracket, only one-third of them actually do get the shot. Also healthcare workers are supposed to get flu shots and less than one-third of them do actually get the shot. This one is a particularly bad statistic. Children with asthma are supposed to get flu shots because if they get the flu, it can be particularly devastating, but only 10 percent of them do.
Now why don't people tend to listen to public health officials when they say get your flu shot? Well, there are several misconceptions about the flu vaccine so were going to try to clear those up. First of all, some people think that the flu vaccine will give them the flu. That is actually not the case. The virus in there is a dead virus. The flu shot will not give you the flu. Also some people think, well, the flu shot is not for me. It's for my grandmother or its for someone with a terrible immune disorder. That's not true. Nearly everyone can benefit from a flu vaccine. There are a few people who are not supposed to get it for a very specific reason. But on the whole, most people will benefit from a vaccine. It takes about 10 days for the vaccine to become effective once you get it. Public health officials say get it now, don't wait. Elizabeth Cohen, CNN, Atlanta.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: An historic trip to Iraq and a welcome surprise for United States troops. Hear the president's special message to the troops in Baghdad. That's coming up next.
Plus, another special visitor for U.S. military personnel overseas, this one in Afghanistan.
And no one can forget these images from the war. But on this Thanksgiving day, these former P.O.W.s are home with their families. We'll speak to Shoshana Johnson and Joseph Hudson.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back to CNN. The president of the United States stuns the world today and shows up in Baghdad. We'll broadcast his remarks to U.S. troops on this Thanksgiving Day.
First, though, a quick check of the latest headlines.
Forty investigators are working through this holiday weekend and volunteers are still searching the frozen plains of North Dakota for Dru Sjodin. The 22-year-old college student went missing last weekend in Grand Forks. A call made Saturday in Minnesota has been traced to her cell phone.
An arrest in Britain in the war on terror. Police in Gloucester arrested a 24-year-old man. Authorities say the man, who is a British citizen of Asian origin, is suspected of having ties to al Qaeda. The neighborhood in Gloucester was evacuated as police searched the man's house for explosives.
President Bush's surprise visit to Iraq upstaged Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York, who is going there tomorrow. Senator Clinton and Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island are in Afghanistan today. Senator Clinton met with U.S. troops of the 10th Mountain Division in Afghanistan, and she said more troops are needed in that country.
President Bush is headed back home at this hour after his unannounced surprise visit to Iraq. The president's decision to join U.S. troops for a Thanksgiving dinner today caught everyone by surprise, including the troops themselves. Here is another look at what happened.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
AMB. PAUL BREMER, CIVIL ADMINISTRATOR: Now General Sanchez, it says here I'm supposed to read the president's Thanksgiving proclamation. But I thought the deal was it was the most senior person who reads it. Is that you, or...
GENERAL RICARDO SANCHEZ : Sir, I don't know. Maybe we ought to get somebody from the back.
BREMER: Well, I wonder -- let's see if we got anybody more senior here who can read the president's Thanksgiving speech. Is there anybody back there who is more senior than us?
(APPLAUSE)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Thank you all. I was just looking for a warm meal somewhere. Thanks for inviting me to dinner.
General Sanchez, thank you, sir, for your kind invitation and your strong leadership. Ambassador Bremer, thank you for your steadfast belief in freedom and peace. I want to thank the members of the Governing Council who are here. We're pleased you're joining us for one of our nation's great holidays, a chance to give thanks to the almighty for the many blessings we received, particularly proud to be with the 1st Armored Division, the 2nd ACR and the 82nd Airborne.
(APPLAUSE)
BUSH: I can't think of a finer group of folks to have Thanksgiving dinner with than you all. We're proud of you.
Today, Americans are gathering with their loved ones to give thanks for the many blessings in our lives. And this year, we're especially thankful for the courage and the sacrifice of those who defend us, the men and women of the United States military.
(APPLAUSE)
BUSH: I bring a message on behalf of America. We thank you for your service. We're proud of you. And America stands solidly behind you.
(APPLAUSE)
BUSH: Together, you and I have taken an oath to defend our country. You're honoring that oath. The United States military is doing a fantastic job.
You are defeating the terrorists here in Iraq so that we don't have to face them in our own country. You're defeating Saddam's henchmen so that the people of Iraq can live in peace and freedom. By helping the Iraqi people become free, you're helping change a troubled and violent part of the world. By helping to build a peaceful and democratic country in the heart of the Middle East, you are defending the American people from danger. And we are grateful.
(APPLAUSE)
BUSH: You're engaged in a difficult mission. Those who attack our coalition forces and kill innocent Iraqis are testing our will. They hope we will run. We did not charge hundreds of miles into the heart of Iraq, pay a bitter cost of casualties, defeat a ruthless dictator and liberate 25 million people only to retreat before a band of thugs and assassins.
(APPLAUSE)
BUSH: We will prevail. We will win because our cause is just. We will win because we will stay on the offensive. And we will win because you're part of the finest military ever assembled. And we will prevail because the Iraqis want their freedom.
(APPLAUSE)
BUSH: Every day you see firsthand the commitment and sacrifice that the Iraqi people are making to secure their own freedom. I have a message for the Iraqi people. You have an opportunity to seize the moment and rebuild your great country based on human dignity and freedom. The regime of Saddam Hussein is gone forever.
(APPLAUSE)
BUSH: The United States and our coalition will help you, help you build a peaceful country so that your children can have a bright future. We'll help you find and bring to justice the people who terrorized you for years and who are still killing innocent Iraqis. We will stay until the job is done.
(APPLAUSE)
BUSH: I'm confident we will succeed because you, the Iraqi people, will show the world that you're not only courageous, but that you can govern yourself wisely and justly. On this Thanksgiving, our nation remembers the men and women of our military, your friends and comrades, who paid the ultimate price for our security and freedom.
We ask for god's blessings on their families, their loved ones and their friends. And we pray for your safety and your strength as you continue to defend America and to spread freedom. Each one of you has answered a great call, participating in a historic moment in world history. You live by a code of honor, service to your nation, for the safety and the security of your fellow citizens.
Our military is full of the finest people on the face of the Earth. I'm proud to be your commander-in-chief. I bring greetings from America. May god bless you all and may god...
(APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: One for the history books. The president speaking earlier today to U.S. troops in Baghdad.
More on the president's surprise visit to Iraq. That's coming up. I'll speak with the historian, Douglas Brinkley.
And from captivity to grand marshals, we'll talk with two former American prisoners of war.
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: More now on the president's stunning Thanksgiving visit with American troops in Baghdad. The president is not the first American president to visit troops in a war zone, but he is the first to set foot in Iraq. Joining us now to talk more about this is the historian, Douglas Brinkley. He's the director of the Eisenhower Center for American Studies in New Orleans.
Doug, thanks very much for joining us. "The Washington Post" on its Web site is reporting that President Franklin Roosevelt made an unannounced visit outside of the country to Yalta in February, 1945. How extraordinary in historic terms is what the president did today?
DOUGLAS BRINKLEY, PRESIDENTIAL HISTORIAN: Well, I think it's very historic. I mean, this is the belly of the beast. This is Baghdad.
We've of course have all day been talking about other presidents that have visited places, Lyndon Johnson in 1966 going to Cameron Bay. You have Dwight Eisenhower famously going to Korea. You have Franklin Roosevelt doing diplomacy all over the world during World War II, not just Yalta, but Tehran and Cairo, and on and on. Harry Truman at Pottstown (ph).
But those were summits. Those are conferences. This was a stealth attack. This was a sneaking out in the dead of night into a place which is -- had been deemed unsafe for anybody.
Just weeks ago, Paul wolfowitz was there in a hotel, and a mortar shook the whole hotel. So it's a very unsafe zone. And what President Bush did today by doing this was so that he's willing to put himself at -- in -- at risk, like our troops. And I think he scores big points for it.
BLITZER: How would you compare this visit to Baghdad with what his father did Thanksgiving before the first Gulf War, when he visited U.S. troops in Saudi Arabia?
BRINKLEY: Well, of course there is a similarity, both Middle East countries. But I think in Saudi Arabia at that time, it was considered our great ally then. It was a staging ground for Desert Storm. There was a semblance of safety.
In Baghdad, there -- it's, as you well know -- it's a free fire zone. And the fact that he was able to land and get convoyed to speak to our 600 young men and women of our armed forces there, it's really quite remarkable. And the fact that, in Washington, there was not a single leak, not one person who had any idea about this, and that he was able to play such a straight man all week.
President Bush had been saying, I'm looking forward to my Thanksgiving at Crawford, Texas. I don't think very many or any journalist questioned that that's where he'd be spending his days.
So it's a success. It's sort of a score, score, score for him on all accounts.
BLITZER: And very briefly, Doug, can you remember one time recently when a president of the United States has pulled off such a surprise?
BRINKLEY: I think Nixon's trip to China, if you remember -- I mean, Henry Kissinger had all that surprise shuttle diplomacy and the fact that Nixon finally went. But it wasn't an overnight surprise. Of course it was brought to us on television. But the thought that Nixon would go to China was quite shocking.
A year ago, Wolf, I wrote a piece in "The New York Times" thinking that President Bush should go to Afghanistan to visit our troops there to show that he's not afraid to go somewhere. But security risks have prevented that.
I'm sure most of the Secret Service and many of his advisers weren't against this kind of trip. If it failed, he would have been laughed at. The fact that it's a success gives you and I an opportunity on Thanksgiving to talk about how smart it was.
But it wasn't clear. Anything could have gone wrong. The plane could have had to turn back. There could have been a mine in the road or somebody who caught wind of it and a rocket hitting it, and it would have made the president's efforts look weak. Instead, he comes back to Crawford looking strong.
BLITZER: The presidential historian, Douglas Brinkley, thanks for joining us on Thanksgiving Day.
BRINKLEY: Thanks, as always, Wolf.
BLITZER: They lived through capture and captivity in Iraq. When we come back, we'll hear from former POWs Shoshana Johnson and Joseph Hudson.
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: El Paso, Texas found a special way to give thanks today. Two former prisoners of war in Iraq, Shoshana Johnson and Joseph Hudson, were grand marshals of today's Sun Bowl Parade. My colleague, Carol Lin, spoke with them before the parade began.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Joe, Shoshana, thank you very much for being with us on this holiday. And congratulations for being grand marshals in today's parade.
SPC SHOSHANA JOHNSON, U.S. ARMY: Thank you very much.
CPL. JOSEPH HUDSON, FMR. IRAQI POW: Thank you.
LIN: Joe, I'm just wondering, this must be a very special Thanksgiving, a very special homecoming for you. Do you feel like a hero?
HUDSON: No, I'm not a hero. I'm just doing my job. That's what I signed up to do. That's what I do.
JOHNSON: The same here.
LIN: Shoshana?
JOHNSON: The same here. I feel like a survivor. But I don't feel like I'm a hero.
LIN: You know, you both are survivors. And there are many people in your unit who came under attack and have not been celebrated in a public way. What do you say on their behalf, Shoshana?
JOHNSON: I would say that they'll get their rewards in another way. God doesn't forget the good that you do. I know everyone...
LIN: Joseph?
HUDSON: I just know everybody that was with us that day fought bravely. And their reward will come to them soon in the best way possible.
LIN: Shoshana, how do you feel that your homecoming back here to the United States compares with that of Jessica Lynch's?
JOHNSON: I don't see really a reason to compare it. I mean, I was just surprised that as many people were out there to welcome us home. It was a nice surprise. You know? But when it comes down to it, we were just glad to be home.
LIN: Do you feel like you should be getting as much disability pay as Jessica Lynch? Do you feel that race has played a factor in how you've been treated?
JOHNSON: No, I don't think so. Jessica's injuries are extremely severe, in my opinion. You know?
I think she should have got more. But I'm not a doctor. I just wanted all my medical issues to be addressed. And when I did the formal hearing, it was addressed. So I'm glad that the Army settled things the proper way.
LIN: Joseph, what about you? Do you feel that your story is being properly told?
HUDSON: I don't really like my story to be told. I mean, I'm just a regular soldier. You know? I get paid for what I do.
That's my life. That's what I signed up to do. That's what I'm here to do. LIN: Can you at least share with us, Shoshana, how has your life changed since that experience as being held as a POW in Iraq?
JOHNSON: I appreciate things a lot more. You know, especially today, Thanksgiving. Usually, as a cook, I'd be in the DFAT (ph) complaining about having to work.
Now I get the opportunity to be a grand marshal in my hometown's parade, which is a complete honor to me. Usually, I'd be at home. You know, when I was younger, at home watching it. Now I get to sit as a grand marshal.
LIN: So what are your plans then for the future, Shoshana?
JOHNSON: At this moment, I have about a week or two left in the military. I plan to go back to school and spend as much time with my daughter as possible.
LIN: And what about you, Joseph?
HUDSON: Sixteen more years, at least. Donate my time.
LIN: And would you go back then?
HUDSON: If I was ordered to? You're dang right, I would go right back and do my job over there.
LIN: And how would you feel about it?
HUDSON: It would be a different feeling, but I'll be there. I'll probably do my job like I'm doing right now.
LIN: What advice would you have for other soldiers, national guardsmen who might be going over, Joseph?
HUDSON: There is no such thing as a front line anymore. America's war is fought everywhere.
JOHNSON: Exactly. Be careful and pray. We're behind you 110 percent.
LIN: What are your best hopes for the U.S. troops who are coming back who have seen the violence, who understand perhaps from a perspective that only you two understand?
JOHNSON: I hope that they come home and they have people they can talk to about some of this. Sometimes it's very hard to deal with, and it always helps to sit down and be able to talk to someone.
Fortunately, I come from a military family. I can sit down and speak to them about a lot of things, and they understand where I'm coming from.
LIN: Joseph, do you really think Americans understand and appreciate their troops? HUDSON: There is a lot of people that support troops, but there is a lot of stuff that they don't know what we do. And they need to know that we support and defend this great country. And a lot of people don't appreciate that and don't realize that.
LIN: All right. Well, your story certainly will help. How are you guys going to spend the rest of the day? Joseph?
HUDSON: Waving out of a convertible for this parade. So got to get the -- what's that? The beauty pageant wave going.
LIN: All right. Shoshana, are you going to get a chance to have your own Thanksgiving dinner?
JOHNSON: Oh, yes. I got up early this morning and started baking pies and put the turkey in the oven. So by the time I get home, the turkey should be done and everything is ready to go.
LIN: All right. Well, thank you very much.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: Our thanks to Carol Lin and to those two special guests.
Our hot Web Question of the Day is this: Was President Bush's visit to Baghdad worth the risk? Your votes when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANNOUNCER: Earlier we asked, "which U.S. president officially proclaimed Thanksgiving to be a national holiday?" The answer, Abraham Lincoln. In 1863, President Lincoln set aside the last Thursday in November as a day for national thanksgiving, praise and prayer. but Thanksgiving did not become a legal holiday until 1941 when it was sanctioned by Congress.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: Those are the results of our Web question of the day. You see it there. Please enjoy the rest of your Thanksgiving holiday. The news continues here on CNN.
END
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Douglas Brinkley; El Paso Honors Former POWs>
