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Tenet, Mueller Hesitant to Intelligence Agency Restructuring

Aired April 14, 2004 - 11:25   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.


DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We are just wrapping up listening in to the second day of George Tenet's testimony. The CIA director before the 9/11 Commission.
Steve Coll of "The Washington Post" is the author of "Ghost Wars: The Secret History of the CIA, Afghanistan and bin Laden from the Soviet Invasion to September 10, 2001." He's joining us from "The Washington Post" offices in Washington, D.C. Thank you for being here with us.

STEVE COLL, "THE WASHINGTON POST": Good morning.

KAGAN: Listening to George Tenet the first day and then this day, he seems to have a concern that the American public and lawmakers are going to forget about the urgency of what needs to take place in this country to keep it safe. Today talking about it's going to take an additional five years he believes, in order to get the intelligence services in the shape and form they need to be.

COLL: Well, Tenet's view is that he's really rebuilding the clandestine services at the CIA over a very long period of time, that they've reached their bottom in the mid-1990s and only after September 11 were they really able to get the resources they needed to build back the capacity that's required.

And so he's trying to remind Congress and appropriators and the public that he's not finished with the work that he's outlined, at least. And he's going to need budgetary and other support for years to come.

KAGAN: Well, and in the sound bite we heard Bob Franken roll before the break, you heard the concern from Chairman Kean saying do we really have five years?

COLL: Well, that's a question that's on a lot of people's minds. And of course, the restructuring and the rebuilding of the CIA is not in itself a panacea. It's only part of a whole array of operational and structural reforms that are under way and are likely to be recommended and pursued as a result of the 9/11 Commission's hearings.

I thought it was very interesting today that there was more future-looking discussion about structural change and the way intelligence is organized, managed and funded than we've heard yet. And it was a useful and provocative discussion, I think.

KAGAN: Well, and it does sound -- this has actually been a theme that we've been hearing. I'm sure we're going to hear more when Robert Mueller testifies this afternoon. This commission basically, I think, saying there have been so many failures anything is really -- can be on the table. And yet when you see these officials testify, they seem somewhat threatened by how these agencies could be chopped up and reorganized.

COLL: No, that's right. And you see them speaking to two different audiences at the same time. On the one hand they're all very involved in the broad questions about structural reform, looking way out into the future. At the same time, they're operating currently inside a bureaucracy where people are very sensitive about stepping on each other's turf.

So when Tenet was asked what he thought about these very specific proposals for change, which would involve him taking authority over very big institution that's are now at the Department of Defense, he declined to answer the question. And he basically said it's because he didn't want to anger his current colleagues at the Department of Defense without involving them in the discussion.

So there's a limit to how sort of fulsome this discussion is going to be in public at least for now.

KAGAN: And I'm sure you'll be listening closely when the FBI Director Robert Mueller testifies, 2:30 p.m. Eastern. What will you be listening to as Mr. Mueller is before this commission?

COLL: Well, Mueller came in rather late in the narrative. He was only appointed director in the summer of 2001, took office in effect around September 11. So he really is looking to the reform issues and especially the reform of information systems at the FBI.

One of the biggest problems at the FBI is that their computer system for many years was just dysfunctional. It was antiquated and poorly organized, and it didn't connect both internally and to other government agencies.

And one of Mueller's big priorities is to fix that. And I suppose he'll be questioned about how much progress he's making and whether his goals are the right ones.

KAGAN: And I just have to ask you real quickly about this idea we keep hearing floated out there, the idea to go after the British model and split up the FBI, where you have a law enforcement branch and a domestic intelligence branch. Like the MI-5.

COLL: MI-5. This is resisted by all of the current leadership of the FBI. It basically involves a tradition in the United States of trying not to separate police functions from -- I mean trying not to create what the FBI officials would call a secret police force.

The advantage of MI-5 is that it creates a culture of specialty and intelligence fusion that is really quite different from the bank robbery-focused law enforcement of the traditional FBI. The FBI's reply is we can achieve those goals inside the current structure, we don't need to move boxes around in order to achieve those goals. But they haven't demonstrated that yet and they're going to continue to face pressure on the issue, I'm sure.

KAGAN: Steven Coll with "The Washington Post." Steve, thank you.

COLL: Thanks a lot.

KAGAN: Once again a reminder, FBI Director Robert Mueller will be testifying before the 9/11 Commission later today, 2:30 p.m. Eastern. You'll see that testimony live right here on CNN.

President Bush is vowing to stay the course in Iraq. How is his policy playing politically? Analysis of the president's speech just ahead.

And one little girl's amazing story of survival after a deadly car accident. A live report from Los Angeles. It's all ahead as CNN LIVE TODAY continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: I'm Daryn Kagan at the CNN Center in Atlanta. Let's check the headlines "At This Hour."

CIA Director George Tenet went before the 9/11 Commission this morning. You saw it live here on CNN. He says the U.S. needs another five years to have the kind of clandestine service the country will need to beat terrorism. FBI Director Robert Mueller testifies this afternoon.

The special U.N. envoy to Iraq says that he is optimistic that a caretaker government can be put together by the June 10 handover date. Lakhdar Brahimi made his comments today against a backdrop of rising violence and a rash of kidnappings. He says it's important that security improves so that January elections can take place.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LAKHDAR BRAHIMI, U.N. ENVOY: Let me emphasize that in these political process in Iraq the elections scheduled to take place in January 2005 are the most important milestone. There is no doubt there is no substitute for the legitimacy that comes from free and fair elections. Therefore, Iraq will have a genuinely representative government only after January 2005.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: The U.N. is working on recommendations that would shape Iraq's government.

The U.S. is working to identify four mutilated bodies that have been uncovered in Iraq. Seven contractors who work for a Halliburton subsidiary are missing after an attack on their fuel convoy last week. There's no confirmation, however the bodies are those of the missing workers. Vice President Dick Cheney is urging Chinese leaders to be more aggressive in their talks with North Korea. An administration official says that Cheney presented Beijing with new details on north Korea's nuclear program. The information came from Pakistani nuclear scientist A.Q. Khan, who had admitted that he's given nuclear technologies to North Korea.

On to President Bush now. The day after his news conference he is focusing on the middle east and its peace today, as reaction comes to his prime-time news conference. Let's bring in White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux at her post this morning. Suzanne, good morning.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn. Well, President Bush spent the hour mostly answering questions about Iraq, making his case to the American people that the war on terror is worth pursuing.

He said that the U.S. would stay the course despite the recent violence we have seen over the last couple of weeks. He said if U.S. -- more U.S. troops are needed that they will indeed be forthcoming. He also said that that June 30 deadline that they are sticking to it to turn power back to the Iraqi people. And finally, once again, saying that he believes that the war is justified.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: No one can predict all the hazards that lie ahead or the costs they will bring. Yet in this conflict there is no safe alternative to resolute action. The consequences of failure in Iraq would be unthinkable.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: Now, President Bush was also asked about September 11 attacks, whether or not he thought he had made any mistakes. Prior to that he said that he could not come up with one, but he did say that the U.S. was not on a war footing at the same time that al Qaeda was at war with the United States.

The President refused to apologize to the families of the victims of 9/11. He said, of course, that he appreciated the sacrifice and he mourned with them, but he also made it very clear that he believes Osama bin Laden was responsible for those attacks -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Suzanne, let's focus on today and the visit of Israeli prime minister Sharon. What's he doing in town?

MALVEAUX: The two leaders are going to meet. This is really a critical time for both leaders. What is expected is the President is going to endorse a plan essentially that calls for Israel to pull out of Gaza and a small portion of the West Bank.

This is really somewhat of a departure from the road map because it calls for reciprocal negotiations and steps for both Palestinians and Israelis. That is President Bush's plan. The administration feels confident that this is going to at least open up the way to some dialogue between Israelis and Palestinians that ultimately will lead to that two state solution -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Suzanne Malveaux at the White House. And for our viewers a reminder, we will have live coverage of the joint news conference from President Bush and prime minister Sharon it is set for a little after at 1:00 p.m. Eastern today.

President Bush set out to assure the American people about the Iraq mission in his primetime news conference. Mission accomplished. Our political analyst Carlos Watson joining us from New York this morning. Carlos, good morning. Good to have you here with us.

CARLOS WATSON, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Good morning. Good to see you.

KAGAN: Let's just talk about seeing the President in prime time. A rare occurrence for this President.

WATSON: Very rare. Only the third time in his almost four years. The first time was shortly after 9/11. The second time was shortly before we went to war. And this was the third one.

Part of what was significant, Daryn, here is that I think there was not only a policy imperative as he talked about the difficulties that are going on in Iraq as we speak but there also was a political imperative. I think the President is seeing some real momentum shift.

March was a relatively good month for him politically. He took over the lead in many polls from John Kerry. April has not been very good for the President. And so I think there are both policy and political reasons for his third prime-time press conference.

KAGAN: A couple themes running through the news conference last night. I think I counted no fewer than four different reporters trying to get to the President to either say he's sorry about what happened with 9/11 or that he's committed mistakes in his presidency. The President wouldn't budge on either issue. I want to listen to a sound bite and then talk to you about those issues.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BUSH: I don't plan on losing my job. I plan on telling the American people that I've got a plan to win the war on terror, and I believe they'll stay with me. They understand the stakes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: The President being asked what if the decisions that he's made in terms of going to war in Iraq, if that's going to cost him his job. The President very consistent, unwavering in his determination, consistent in his character, and that's how he tends to carry himself.

Carlos, critics would say it would help and it would be nice, it would be compassionate to the families to say sorry. But there are those that say that this president is doing exactly as he should and shouldn't be showing any kind of weakness.

WATSON: I think you're right. I think the critics are evenly I think the critics and supporters are relatively clearly divided on this. The supporters of the President would say this is a difficult time, he is a wartime president, and he's got to send a signal not only to the families and not only to Americans but to Iraqis and to the rest of the world that he's confident, he's optimistic that while this is a difficult time ultimately this will be resolved in a positive way.

And obviously, critics would say this captures as well as anything a president who they see as arrogant at times, unwilling to admit when he's wrong, and I think we'll see ultimately if the president loses I think this will be one of the moments that historians and political scientists point to as that kind of captured everything.

The same way that Al Gore's sighs during the debate in 2000 or the same way that the president's father 1992 during debates looked as his watch. Those moments seem to capture something bigger. I think if the President ultimately loses down the road, and that's a long way from now as to whether or not that happens, I think people will look back at that moment.

KAGAN: Meanwhile, also plays right into the hands of people who are critics of the media, as people like to refer to, lumping the media all into one. That when you see four reporters use a news conference that they're just beating up and being disrespectful to the President.

WATSON: I think there's that sense. And I think another piece that I think you're likely to start to see some backlash fairly soon. I think you're right. Against the media. I think what people want to know as much as anything is not only what happened in the past but I think you'll start to see more questions about how safe are we today and going forward in the future.

These commission hearings, not to mention what's happening in Fallujah and Madrid, I think have made people very unsettled that there could be not just an October surprise and a negative surprise here in the states but there could be something that could happen during the summer.

So I think, you know, all of this is creating a situation where people do want specifics from the President. But I think they are going to be hesitant if they feel that the media is focusing on yesterday instead of tomorrow.

KAGAN: Carlos Watson, a member of our CNN media. Thanks for coming in this morning.

WATSON: Good to see you.

KAGAN: Appreciate it.

And while we're talking to Carlos getting word out of Baghdad, breaking news now, the Sheraton hotel in Baghdad once again being hit by some sort of explosion. I believe this is the same hotel that was hit on Friday by a large mortar. No reports of injuries this time. We will be checking in with our Baghdad bureau and get more on the explosion at the Sheraton hotel in Baghdad just ahead.

Also still to come, a little girl's amazing story of survival following a deadly car accident. Details after the break on CNN LIVE TODAY.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: A 5-year-old California girl is on the mend today 10 days after harrowing days at the bottom of a canyon. The car accident that put her there killed her mother. National correspondent Frank Buckley joining us from Los Angeles with this incredible story -- Frank.

FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It really is an incredible story, Daryn. Not only did this 5-year-old girl survive this 400-foot drop down an embankment in this car, but she also survived 10 days in the elements.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BUCKLEY (voice-over): Workers repairing guardrail found the wreckage first, then the girl. 5-year-old Ruby Bustamante had survived a plunge down a hillside and 10 days in the elements.

POLICEMAN: I couldn't imagine having to survive like that for 10 days without any help and a small child like that. It's amazing that she was able to live that long.

BUCKLEY: A body found near Ruby believed to be that of her mother, Norma Bustamante. When workers got to the two, they found Ruby alive, wandering around the car. They did their best to comfort her.

POLICEMAN: It's a small child, complained of being thirsty and hungry. And the worker gave her some water and an apple. She appeared to be without injury except maybe dehydrated.

BUCKLEY: Ruby spent the night in a hospital, where she's listed in stable condition.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BUCKLEY: And hospital officials tell us that she had a good night. She had a hamburger last night and some apple juice. And family members say that the way that ruby was able to survive those 10 days, her mother had some Gatorade in the car and also some dry noodles and she apparently survived on that -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Frank Buckley in Los Angeles. Frank, thank you.

We have today's "Daily Dose" coming up. Unexpected news about estrogen only therapy and women's health. Dr. Sanjay Gupta has the details when CNN LIVE TODAY continues. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: New study on hormone replacement therapy to tell you about. And women's health as well is the subject of our "Daily Dose." The study focused on estrogen only therapy. Our medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta has the results.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: You've heard for a couple of years now that combination hormone replacement therapy is not safe. And now a large-scale study looking at estrogen only therapy shows no benefit at fighting heart disease or breast cancer.

Pretty conclusively, hormones are not the answer to fighting chronic disease. In fact, this most recent study, published in JAMA, was shut down early because of a 39 percent increased risk of stroke in women taking the estrogen only therapy.

And there was no reduction in heart disease. The only chronic disease estrogen may help with is osteoporosis. Women did have a reduction in fractures when on estrogen replacement therapy. The media attention on hormone replacement therapy has been intense.

Still, according to the American heart association, 63 percent of women are confused and looking for alternatives. To ward off the symptoms of menopause such as hot flashes, sleep disturbances, and mood swings the most promising alternatives may be anti-depressants, which have their own side effects, low-dose progestin, phytoestrogens, which are plant derived estrogens.

And vitamin E, which may nominally work on hot flashes. Unfortunately the studies on these alternatives are scant and they're not widely prescribed. For more chronic problems such as heart disease and breast cancer the alternatives are more obvious. Be aware of elevated cholesterol levels, monitor blood pressure, tight control of diabetes, increased physical activity levels, and of course never smoke.

Bottom line, taking hormones is like a balancing act. There are risks, but in your individual case it might be worth it. Just remember, consult with your physician and opt for the smallest dose for the shortest amount of time. And if you've decided to stop, don't do it abruptly but taper off.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: You can get your daily dose of health news online. Log on to our Web site. You'll find the latest medical news and breakthroughs, a health library, and information on diet and fitness. The address is cnn.com/health.

We are back in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Barry Bonds at bat. Get ready for some splash time again. It is out of there and into the water. The San Francisco Giant hit his 661st home run. That gives him sole possession of third place on baseball's all-time career home run list, passing his godfather, Willie Mays. Up next, Babe Ruth's home run mark of 714.

(WEATHER REPORT)

KAGAN: And that's going to do it for me, Daryn Kagan. I'll be right back here, full two hours I have to work tomorrow, can you believe it, without the commission hearings. Wolf Blitzer takes over now from Washington, D.C.

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 April 14, 2004 - 11:25   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We are just wrapping up listening in to the second day of George Tenet's testimony. The CIA director before the 9/11 Commission.
Steve Coll of "The Washington Post" is the author of "Ghost Wars: The Secret History of the CIA, Afghanistan and bin Laden from the Soviet Invasion to September 10, 2001." He's joining us from "The Washington Post" offices in Washington, D.C. Thank you for being here with us.

STEVE COLL, "THE WASHINGTON POST": Good morning.

KAGAN: Listening to George Tenet the first day and then this day, he seems to have a concern that the American public and lawmakers are going to forget about the urgency of what needs to take place in this country to keep it safe. Today talking about it's going to take an additional five years he believes, in order to get the intelligence services in the shape and form they need to be.

COLL: Well, Tenet's view is that he's really rebuilding the clandestine services at the CIA over a very long period of time, that they've reached their bottom in the mid-1990s and only after September 11 were they really able to get the resources they needed to build back the capacity that's required.

And so he's trying to remind Congress and appropriators and the public that he's not finished with the work that he's outlined, at least. And he's going to need budgetary and other support for years to come.

KAGAN: Well, and in the sound bite we heard Bob Franken roll before the break, you heard the concern from Chairman Kean saying do we really have five years?

COLL: Well, that's a question that's on a lot of people's minds. And of course, the restructuring and the rebuilding of the CIA is not in itself a panacea. It's only part of a whole array of operational and structural reforms that are under way and are likely to be recommended and pursued as a result of the 9/11 Commission's hearings.

I thought it was very interesting today that there was more future-looking discussion about structural change and the way intelligence is organized, managed and funded than we've heard yet. And it was a useful and provocative discussion, I think.

KAGAN: Well, and it does sound -- this has actually been a theme that we've been hearing. I'm sure we're going to hear more when Robert Mueller testifies this afternoon. This commission basically, I think, saying there have been so many failures anything is really -- can be on the table. And yet when you see these officials testify, they seem somewhat threatened by how these agencies could be chopped up and reorganized.

COLL: No, that's right. And you see them speaking to two different audiences at the same time. On the one hand they're all very involved in the broad questions about structural reform, looking way out into the future. At the same time, they're operating currently inside a bureaucracy where people are very sensitive about stepping on each other's turf.

So when Tenet was asked what he thought about these very specific proposals for change, which would involve him taking authority over very big institution that's are now at the Department of Defense, he declined to answer the question. And he basically said it's because he didn't want to anger his current colleagues at the Department of Defense without involving them in the discussion.

So there's a limit to how sort of fulsome this discussion is going to be in public at least for now.

KAGAN: And I'm sure you'll be listening closely when the FBI Director Robert Mueller testifies, 2:30 p.m. Eastern. What will you be listening to as Mr. Mueller is before this commission?

COLL: Well, Mueller came in rather late in the narrative. He was only appointed director in the summer of 2001, took office in effect around September 11. So he really is looking to the reform issues and especially the reform of information systems at the FBI.

One of the biggest problems at the FBI is that their computer system for many years was just dysfunctional. It was antiquated and poorly organized, and it didn't connect both internally and to other government agencies.

And one of Mueller's big priorities is to fix that. And I suppose he'll be questioned about how much progress he's making and whether his goals are the right ones.

KAGAN: And I just have to ask you real quickly about this idea we keep hearing floated out there, the idea to go after the British model and split up the FBI, where you have a law enforcement branch and a domestic intelligence branch. Like the MI-5.

COLL: MI-5. This is resisted by all of the current leadership of the FBI. It basically involves a tradition in the United States of trying not to separate police functions from -- I mean trying not to create what the FBI officials would call a secret police force.

The advantage of MI-5 is that it creates a culture of specialty and intelligence fusion that is really quite different from the bank robbery-focused law enforcement of the traditional FBI. The FBI's reply is we can achieve those goals inside the current structure, we don't need to move boxes around in order to achieve those goals. But they haven't demonstrated that yet and they're going to continue to face pressure on the issue, I'm sure.

KAGAN: Steven Coll with "The Washington Post." Steve, thank you.

COLL: Thanks a lot.

KAGAN: Once again a reminder, FBI Director Robert Mueller will be testifying before the 9/11 Commission later today, 2:30 p.m. Eastern. You'll see that testimony live right here on CNN.

President Bush is vowing to stay the course in Iraq. How is his policy playing politically? Analysis of the president's speech just ahead.

And one little girl's amazing story of survival after a deadly car accident. A live report from Los Angeles. It's all ahead as CNN LIVE TODAY continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: I'm Daryn Kagan at the CNN Center in Atlanta. Let's check the headlines "At This Hour."

CIA Director George Tenet went before the 9/11 Commission this morning. You saw it live here on CNN. He says the U.S. needs another five years to have the kind of clandestine service the country will need to beat terrorism. FBI Director Robert Mueller testifies this afternoon.

The special U.N. envoy to Iraq says that he is optimistic that a caretaker government can be put together by the June 10 handover date. Lakhdar Brahimi made his comments today against a backdrop of rising violence and a rash of kidnappings. He says it's important that security improves so that January elections can take place.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LAKHDAR BRAHIMI, U.N. ENVOY: Let me emphasize that in these political process in Iraq the elections scheduled to take place in January 2005 are the most important milestone. There is no doubt there is no substitute for the legitimacy that comes from free and fair elections. Therefore, Iraq will have a genuinely representative government only after January 2005.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: The U.N. is working on recommendations that would shape Iraq's government.

The U.S. is working to identify four mutilated bodies that have been uncovered in Iraq. Seven contractors who work for a Halliburton subsidiary are missing after an attack on their fuel convoy last week. There's no confirmation, however the bodies are those of the missing workers. Vice President Dick Cheney is urging Chinese leaders to be more aggressive in their talks with North Korea. An administration official says that Cheney presented Beijing with new details on north Korea's nuclear program. The information came from Pakistani nuclear scientist A.Q. Khan, who had admitted that he's given nuclear technologies to North Korea.

On to President Bush now. The day after his news conference he is focusing on the middle east and its peace today, as reaction comes to his prime-time news conference. Let's bring in White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux at her post this morning. Suzanne, good morning.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn. Well, President Bush spent the hour mostly answering questions about Iraq, making his case to the American people that the war on terror is worth pursuing.

He said that the U.S. would stay the course despite the recent violence we have seen over the last couple of weeks. He said if U.S. -- more U.S. troops are needed that they will indeed be forthcoming. He also said that that June 30 deadline that they are sticking to it to turn power back to the Iraqi people. And finally, once again, saying that he believes that the war is justified.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: No one can predict all the hazards that lie ahead or the costs they will bring. Yet in this conflict there is no safe alternative to resolute action. The consequences of failure in Iraq would be unthinkable.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: Now, President Bush was also asked about September 11 attacks, whether or not he thought he had made any mistakes. Prior to that he said that he could not come up with one, but he did say that the U.S. was not on a war footing at the same time that al Qaeda was at war with the United States.

The President refused to apologize to the families of the victims of 9/11. He said, of course, that he appreciated the sacrifice and he mourned with them, but he also made it very clear that he believes Osama bin Laden was responsible for those attacks -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Suzanne, let's focus on today and the visit of Israeli prime minister Sharon. What's he doing in town?

MALVEAUX: The two leaders are going to meet. This is really a critical time for both leaders. What is expected is the President is going to endorse a plan essentially that calls for Israel to pull out of Gaza and a small portion of the West Bank.

This is really somewhat of a departure from the road map because it calls for reciprocal negotiations and steps for both Palestinians and Israelis. That is President Bush's plan. The administration feels confident that this is going to at least open up the way to some dialogue between Israelis and Palestinians that ultimately will lead to that two state solution -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Suzanne Malveaux at the White House. And for our viewers a reminder, we will have live coverage of the joint news conference from President Bush and prime minister Sharon it is set for a little after at 1:00 p.m. Eastern today.

President Bush set out to assure the American people about the Iraq mission in his primetime news conference. Mission accomplished. Our political analyst Carlos Watson joining us from New York this morning. Carlos, good morning. Good to have you here with us.

CARLOS WATSON, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Good morning. Good to see you.

KAGAN: Let's just talk about seeing the President in prime time. A rare occurrence for this President.

WATSON: Very rare. Only the third time in his almost four years. The first time was shortly after 9/11. The second time was shortly before we went to war. And this was the third one.

Part of what was significant, Daryn, here is that I think there was not only a policy imperative as he talked about the difficulties that are going on in Iraq as we speak but there also was a political imperative. I think the President is seeing some real momentum shift.

March was a relatively good month for him politically. He took over the lead in many polls from John Kerry. April has not been very good for the President. And so I think there are both policy and political reasons for his third prime-time press conference.

KAGAN: A couple themes running through the news conference last night. I think I counted no fewer than four different reporters trying to get to the President to either say he's sorry about what happened with 9/11 or that he's committed mistakes in his presidency. The President wouldn't budge on either issue. I want to listen to a sound bite and then talk to you about those issues.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BUSH: I don't plan on losing my job. I plan on telling the American people that I've got a plan to win the war on terror, and I believe they'll stay with me. They understand the stakes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: The President being asked what if the decisions that he's made in terms of going to war in Iraq, if that's going to cost him his job. The President very consistent, unwavering in his determination, consistent in his character, and that's how he tends to carry himself.

Carlos, critics would say it would help and it would be nice, it would be compassionate to the families to say sorry. But there are those that say that this president is doing exactly as he should and shouldn't be showing any kind of weakness.

WATSON: I think you're right. I think the critics are evenly I think the critics and supporters are relatively clearly divided on this. The supporters of the President would say this is a difficult time, he is a wartime president, and he's got to send a signal not only to the families and not only to Americans but to Iraqis and to the rest of the world that he's confident, he's optimistic that while this is a difficult time ultimately this will be resolved in a positive way.

And obviously, critics would say this captures as well as anything a president who they see as arrogant at times, unwilling to admit when he's wrong, and I think we'll see ultimately if the president loses I think this will be one of the moments that historians and political scientists point to as that kind of captured everything.

The same way that Al Gore's sighs during the debate in 2000 or the same way that the president's father 1992 during debates looked as his watch. Those moments seem to capture something bigger. I think if the President ultimately loses down the road, and that's a long way from now as to whether or not that happens, I think people will look back at that moment.

KAGAN: Meanwhile, also plays right into the hands of people who are critics of the media, as people like to refer to, lumping the media all into one. That when you see four reporters use a news conference that they're just beating up and being disrespectful to the President.

WATSON: I think there's that sense. And I think another piece that I think you're likely to start to see some backlash fairly soon. I think you're right. Against the media. I think what people want to know as much as anything is not only what happened in the past but I think you'll start to see more questions about how safe are we today and going forward in the future.

These commission hearings, not to mention what's happening in Fallujah and Madrid, I think have made people very unsettled that there could be not just an October surprise and a negative surprise here in the states but there could be something that could happen during the summer.

So I think, you know, all of this is creating a situation where people do want specifics from the President. But I think they are going to be hesitant if they feel that the media is focusing on yesterday instead of tomorrow.

KAGAN: Carlos Watson, a member of our CNN media. Thanks for coming in this morning.

WATSON: Good to see you.

KAGAN: Appreciate it.

And while we're talking to Carlos getting word out of Baghdad, breaking news now, the Sheraton hotel in Baghdad once again being hit by some sort of explosion. I believe this is the same hotel that was hit on Friday by a large mortar. No reports of injuries this time. We will be checking in with our Baghdad bureau and get more on the explosion at the Sheraton hotel in Baghdad just ahead.

Also still to come, a little girl's amazing story of survival following a deadly car accident. Details after the break on CNN LIVE TODAY.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: A 5-year-old California girl is on the mend today 10 days after harrowing days at the bottom of a canyon. The car accident that put her there killed her mother. National correspondent Frank Buckley joining us from Los Angeles with this incredible story -- Frank.

FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It really is an incredible story, Daryn. Not only did this 5-year-old girl survive this 400-foot drop down an embankment in this car, but she also survived 10 days in the elements.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BUCKLEY (voice-over): Workers repairing guardrail found the wreckage first, then the girl. 5-year-old Ruby Bustamante had survived a plunge down a hillside and 10 days in the elements.

POLICEMAN: I couldn't imagine having to survive like that for 10 days without any help and a small child like that. It's amazing that she was able to live that long.

BUCKLEY: A body found near Ruby believed to be that of her mother, Norma Bustamante. When workers got to the two, they found Ruby alive, wandering around the car. They did their best to comfort her.

POLICEMAN: It's a small child, complained of being thirsty and hungry. And the worker gave her some water and an apple. She appeared to be without injury except maybe dehydrated.

BUCKLEY: Ruby spent the night in a hospital, where she's listed in stable condition.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BUCKLEY: And hospital officials tell us that she had a good night. She had a hamburger last night and some apple juice. And family members say that the way that ruby was able to survive those 10 days, her mother had some Gatorade in the car and also some dry noodles and she apparently survived on that -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Frank Buckley in Los Angeles. Frank, thank you.

We have today's "Daily Dose" coming up. Unexpected news about estrogen only therapy and women's health. Dr. Sanjay Gupta has the details when CNN LIVE TODAY continues. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: New study on hormone replacement therapy to tell you about. And women's health as well is the subject of our "Daily Dose." The study focused on estrogen only therapy. Our medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta has the results.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: You've heard for a couple of years now that combination hormone replacement therapy is not safe. And now a large-scale study looking at estrogen only therapy shows no benefit at fighting heart disease or breast cancer.

Pretty conclusively, hormones are not the answer to fighting chronic disease. In fact, this most recent study, published in JAMA, was shut down early because of a 39 percent increased risk of stroke in women taking the estrogen only therapy.

And there was no reduction in heart disease. The only chronic disease estrogen may help with is osteoporosis. Women did have a reduction in fractures when on estrogen replacement therapy. The media attention on hormone replacement therapy has been intense.

Still, according to the American heart association, 63 percent of women are confused and looking for alternatives. To ward off the symptoms of menopause such as hot flashes, sleep disturbances, and mood swings the most promising alternatives may be anti-depressants, which have their own side effects, low-dose progestin, phytoestrogens, which are plant derived estrogens.

And vitamin E, which may nominally work on hot flashes. Unfortunately the studies on these alternatives are scant and they're not widely prescribed. For more chronic problems such as heart disease and breast cancer the alternatives are more obvious. Be aware of elevated cholesterol levels, monitor blood pressure, tight control of diabetes, increased physical activity levels, and of course never smoke.

Bottom line, taking hormones is like a balancing act. There are risks, but in your individual case it might be worth it. Just remember, consult with your physician and opt for the smallest dose for the shortest amount of time. And if you've decided to stop, don't do it abruptly but taper off.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: You can get your daily dose of health news online. Log on to our Web site. You'll find the latest medical news and breakthroughs, a health library, and information on diet and fitness. The address is cnn.com/health.

We are back in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Barry Bonds at bat. Get ready for some splash time again. It is out of there and into the water. The San Francisco Giant hit his 661st home run. That gives him sole possession of third place on baseball's all-time career home run list, passing his godfather, Willie Mays. Up next, Babe Ruth's home run mark of 714.

(WEATHER REPORT)

KAGAN: And that's going to do it for me, Daryn Kagan. I'll be right back here, full two hours I have to work tomorrow, can you believe it, without the commission hearings. Wolf Blitzer takes over now from Washington, D.C.

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