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New Round of 9/11 Commission Hearings Taking Place in New York City

Aired May 18, 2004 - 11:30   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.


DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Back to Tony Randall. CNN has learned the actor has died. He was 84 years old. Best known for his role, five years spent playing Felix Unger in the popular television sitcom "The Odd Couple."
He also was a popular guest on talk shows. On Johnny Carson, on David Letterman. Appeared many times with our Larry King. On one particular night, back March of 2001, he talked with Larry about becoming a father very late in life. Let's listen to that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LARRY KING, CNN HOST: We are getting to that. Tony, your children are like mine, they're 14 months apart. How old now?

TONY RANDALL, ACTOR: My little girl will be 4 in April and my little boy will be 3 in June.

KING: And how old are you?

RANDALL: I'm glad you asked.

KING: Come on, it's an amazing story.

RANDALL: I'm 81. Oh, my word, did I say it?

KING: And you never had children?

RANDALL: Never before, no.

KING: Okay. What is it like? Before we move to "Odd Couple," what is it like I think we even have some film you took at home last night. What is it like at 81? I'm 67 and I've got a 2-year-old and 10-month-old. You're 81.

RANDALL: Yes. Nothing in life is the equal of it. And it's as if this is what I was waiting for all my life.

KING: Are you sprightly? Can you stay with them?

RANDALL: Oh, yeah.

KING: Tell us who this is.

RANDALL: The little girl's playing the violin. The little boy's trying to play his guitar, but he plays it backwards. I took this in the kitchen last night.

KING: Are they both daddy people?

RANDALL: Oh yeah, oh, yeah.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: His children those children you saw there, that is Julia and Jefferson. They are now 7 and 5 years old. Once again, actor Tony Randall has passed away at the age of 84 after a long illness.

We're at 32 minutes past the hour. President Bush and democratic rival John Kerry have tried in recent days to talk about political issues on the home front. We're going to get back to that in a moment.

There are a new round of hearings, 9/11 commission hearings, taking place this week in New York City. Some very emotional testimony expected. And our Jeanne Meserve has more on that today -- Jeanne, hello.

JEANNE MESERVE, CNN HOMELAND SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Daryn, it was one of those mornings that makes you ask over and over what if, what if there had been better communication, what if there had been better coordination, what if there had been better planning?

How many lives might have been saved on 9/11? The commission staff prepared a presentation that took more than an hour. They used some of that still-shocking video of the Twin Towers being hit by aircraft and then coming down.

There also were interviews that were incorporated with some of the survivors that day and with some of the first responders who were involved. The commission specifically asking the audience to refrain from reacting to what they heard today and for the most part they did that.

However, I did run into several family members, of people who died that day, in the hallways. Clearly, one could see that they'd been very upset by some of what they heard today. Amongst the nuggets that were turned up by the staff, one of them had to do with drills. After the World Trade Center was hit by a bombing in 1993, efforts were made to drill more intensively but those drills had gaps.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN FARMER, FORMER N.J. ATTORNEY GENERAL: Civilians were not, however, directed into the stair wells during these drills. Civilians were not provided with information about the configuration of the stair wells and the existence of transfer hallways or smoke doors. Neither full nor partial evacuation drills were held.

Participation in the fire drills that were held moreover varied greatly from tenant to tenant. Civilians were never instructed not to evacuate up. The standard fire drill instructions advised participants in the event of an actual emergency, they would be directed to descend to at least two floors below the fire.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MESERVE: One Port Authority official who testified today who is familiar with the evacuation plans of many buildings in this city said in many high-rise, still civilians are not given any instructions on whether or not they should evacuate to the roof in the case of an emergency.

Another area dealt with at length by the commission had to do with communications. Amongst the story they told, the story of a repeater. This was a device put into the World Trade Center after 1993.

The aim was to improve communications amongst first responders in a high-rise environment. However the fire department tried to turn that on that day and assumed it was not working. In fact, the commission found that repeater was working.

One official testified just a moment ago that another lesson learned from 9/11 is that repeaters like that should be put in every high-rise building in the city. They are not there at this point in time.

Another thing discussed, 911 operators. After the planes hit, many people because communications in the building were so poor, called 911 for instruction. There was no protocol for the 911 operators to get the latest information from the scene so they were advising people to stay in place.

They were not telling people that evacuating to the roof was simply not possible under the current conditions. So a lot of talk about not only communications, but also about coordination. There was talk about rivalry between the police department and the fire department and the fact that there was no unified command structure to deal with rivalries between those two agencies. One Port Authority official however testified that he didn't see how any amount of planning could have prepared first responders for what happened on 9/11.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALAN REISS, FMR PORT AUTHORITY OFFICIAL: No building or fire safety code can cover every potential terrorist act, some we can't even imagine today. I've been told the energy from one of the planes hitting the towers is equal to the energy released by a tactical nuclear weapon.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MESERVE: The 9/11 commission says the point of the hearing today is not to find fault but to find solutions, to determine what preparedness steps had been taken since 9/11 and which steps remain to be taken. We've heard about a few of them that haven't been taken. There's a lot more testimony to come -- Daryn.

KAGAN: And you will be listening in for us. Jeanne Meserve in New York City, thank you for that.

All right we've heard from President Bush and democratic rival John Kerry, they've been trying in recent days to bring some of the discussion the political discussion to the home front. But in the past 24 hours that subject has come right back to the conflict in Iraq. "INSIDE POLITICS" anchor Judy Woodruff has our campaign update. She's in Washington D.C. -- Hi, Judy.

JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: Hi there Daryn. This morning, President Bush did again try to link the U.S. mission in Iraq to the broader war on terror.

As part of his bid to win greater support for Jewish voters. Bush got a warm welcome and numerous rounds of applause during his remarks here in Washington to a powerful pro Israel lobbying group. He told the American Israel Public Affairs Committee that freedom in Iraq will bring greater security to that region and the world.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: In time, Iraq will be a free and democratic nation at the heart of the Middle East. This will send a message, a powerful message, from Damascus to Tehran, that democracy can bring hope to lives in every culture.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WOODRUFF: Iraq and the economy continue to be top themes for democrat John Kerry. He is in Oregon today, where he is expected to criticize the President's handling of the rise of gasoline prices. At a Portland rally yesterday, Kerry made an incorrect reference to the Iraqi prisoner abuse scandal and the effect on the war effort.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The American flag is waving over there. It's standing over here. Strong, as we are as a nation. But I'll tell you this, and you know it in your hearts and you know it in your guts and Americans increasingly feel this all across our land, as people feel it all across this planet. We cannot we cannot possibly prevail in Iraq if we give up our values in the process.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WOODRUFF: John Kerry in Oregon.

Well, Arnold Schwarzenegger apparently is not amused by a bobble head doll bearing his likeness. The California governor's film production company is suing the Ohio firm that makes the doll.

Schwarzenegger's lawyer tells "The New York Times" the governor's name, voice and likeness are not in the public domain. The company has come out with a series of political dolls. But its two biggest sellers are likenesses of Anna Nicole Smith and Jesus Christ. As the average price of regular gasoline tops $2 a gallon for the first time, we'll focus this afternoon on the political effect in key swing states. What do these rising prices at the pump mean in the race for the White House? We'll take a look when I go "Inside Politics." at 3:30 P.M. Eastern, 12:30 Pacific. For now, let's go back to Daryn in Atlanta.

KAGAN: All right look forward to seeing you later today. Judy Woodruff, from Washington, Judy thank you for that.

President Bush has made immigration an election year hot button issue he is proposing granting legal status to illegals who holding down job in the U.S. That's the issue our political analyst Carlos Watson tackles. This in his new series American Pulse. He is live in New York. Carlos, good morning.

CARLOS WATSON, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Good morning. How you doing?

KAGAN: Good, you traveled to Arizona this week, I understand.

WATSON: We did. Arizona, critical state in the southwest. A lot of democrats say if Al Gore had won the same 20 states he did win in 2000, plus Arizona's 10 electoral votes, he would have been president.

So a lot of focus there. A lot of talk as John Kerry talks about his vice presidential running mate. A lot of focus on Arizona and the Southwest. We went there to talk to some Hispanic voters. What you'll see next is an interesting set of comments on immigration.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WATSON: Immigration. We're here in Arizona, a border state. Any thoughts on immigration here?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think it's a big political issue here. I mean we're seeing millions of dollars being spend on protecting the border and it doesn't resolve it.

WATSON: You're saying it's not working.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're seeing more is more death in the desert, people crossing, pumping more money and more enforcement don't (ph) you know, building the high fences and walls and stuff that's not the solution.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There is an article about you know Arizona's 13 most wanted and they're almost all nationals from the other side you know. They've come across and committed these crimes and can walk right back across and nobody can do anything about it. They can't extradite them back. The ties between the two countries are what needs to be made stronger, not the walls around it.

WATSON: And so what do you think about this? UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think it's a little unfair. As far as those that do cross over, they have family members that are American citizens. Especially those that are the pregnant women. They come down. They apply for help. And they get it. They're here for nine, ten months, have their baby, everything's free, and they go right back. Here we have women that are actually live hearing that are struggling to get any of that. I do think we do need to spend a little more money on keeping them.

WATSON: Keeping them out?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Right.

WATSON: Anybody else on immigration?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The proposed guest workers, well, if we do anything in that area, I think it will stem the illegal immigration that we're having right now.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't think it's going to be a lot from the Mexican side. A lot of money that's being earned by those people who has come over ends up in Mexico, being sent down to Mexico. This is why this issue of a guest worker program, I think will be the start of a solution.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WATSON: You know, I was, Daryn, I was surprised with this group of five Hispanic voters, two democrats, two republicans, one independent. I think a number of people would have thought they would have been more supportive of certain immigration measures that would allow more people to gain access to the country.

But there was some hesitation. And as you tune in tonight at 8:00 p.m. Eastern on Paula's show, you'll also hear them talk about the economy, talk about the war photos, the Iraqi prisoner abuse photos You'll also hear them sound off on some very interesting ways about what John Kerry could do to win their vote.

KAGAN: OK, real quickly keeping it on John Kerry and the search for a vice presidential candidate. And keeping it in the southwest there was talk about New Mexico governor Bill Richardson. About the last week or so, you don't really hear his name on the short list any more.

WATSON: Things will go back and forth. He certainly has been someone who they think could help not only in New Mexico but potentially in Arizona as well. But they're also talking by the way about the governor of Arizona, Janet Nepolitano. A relatively new governor is being helpful there.

But you are hearing a lot more talk as you've kind of hinted at about some former presidential candidates, Dick Gephardt who they believe can help in the Midwest. John Edwards, who they think can add an economic populous element to the campaign, or even Wesley Clark. You are hearing a lot of the familiar names if you will some of the people who ran in the primary against John Kerry.

KAGAN: And we will hear a lot more from you, Carlos Watson, tonight, 8:00 p.m. Eastern on Paula Zahn's show. Thank you, Carlos.

WATSON: Good to see you.

KAGAN: Katharine Hepburn brought the world of Eleanor of Aquitaine to life on the big screen. Now Glenn Close is reprising the role on the small screen. I'll have a chance to speak with the award- winning actress. About Lion in winter she joins us next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: We're going to have a chance to visit with Glenn Close in just a moment.

First if you've been with us for most of the morning, we've been reporting the news that actor Tony Randall has died at the age of 84 after a very long career, the stage, the movies, and of course as you see there, the video playing of Felix Unger in "The Odd Couple." He played that in the 1970s. 1975 he won an Emmy award, after the series canceled. Long-time much believed in Hollywood.

I understand we have with us on the phone Mickey Rooney -- Mickey.

MICKEY ROONEY, ACTOR: Yes, it's a tough thing to lose Tony. He was a wonderful actor, and a wonderful friend. And I'm sure the show business world will miss him terribly.

KAGAN: Let's talk a little bit about his long career. I think a lot of people look at him and they think of course Felix Unger. But long career in the movies, especially playing in those Doris Day/Rock Hudson movies.

ROONEY: Yes he did. And he was always wonderful, in whatever he did.

KAGAN: He also talked a lot about being the man of strong opinions.

ROONEY: Yes. He let those go unsaid, though. Sometimes he did, and then I think it kind of didn't do him too much good. But he was a man of opinions.

KAGAN: And what will you remember him the most for?

ROONEY: Well, being a wonderful guy, and a wonderful friend, and a wonderful performer. I think the show Business world will be without one of the great guys. "The Odd Couple." I did it with him for a while and it was a pleasure doing it.

KAGAN: You were able to play the opposite what many people assume is the Jack Klugman role.

ROONEY: Right. KAGAN: The Oscar Madison role.

ROONEY: Right.

KAGAN: On stage what was that like, to have him as your foil on stage?

ROONEY: Well, it was wonderful to work with Tony. Because he was so giving. And he loved to laugh. Gave a lot of laughs to whatever he did.

KAGAN: That he did. Mickey thanks for calling in today, we appreciate it.

ROONEY: Well, it's all right. I might as well tell you that my wife and I Jan are going to be in Hollywood at the Roosevelt hotel next month.

KAGAN: Thank you so much.

ROONEY: Me and my wife Jan.

KAGAN: Appreciate it. Mickey Rooney, talking about Tony Randall, died last night in New York City at the age of 84 after a long illness. His wife by his side he leaves behind two young children.

Now, time to talk with Glenn Close. The actress stars as Queen Eleanor, the estranged wife of Henry the Second in twelfth century England the film's premier is Sunday on Showtime on cable. Glenn close, joining us at time Warner Center in New York this morning. Glenn, good morning thanks for being with us.

GLENN CLOSE, ACTRESS: Thank you.

KAGAN: Want to get to it talk to you in a moment. First, let's look at a quick clip from the movie.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PATRICK STEWART, ACTOR: Just give me a little piece.

CLOSE: How about eternal peace? Now, there's a thought.

STEWART: I'll never let you loose. You led too many civil wars against me.

CLOSE: I damn well won the last one.

STEWART: There are moments when I miss you.

CLOSE: Many?

STEWART: Do you doubt it?

CLOSE: Thank god. I was afraid this wouldn't hurt. STEWART: Fight me, you lose.

CLOSE: IS this supposed to be torture? Will you boil and stretch me, which, or am I...

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: Sparks flying on the screen there. Of course that's Patrick Stewart playing King Henry the second. Glenn, I got to tell you, I've got a bone of contention to pick with you.

CLOSE: Yes.

KAGAN: They gave me the DVD last night to watch the show so I'd be familiar with it. I was going to put it in, watch a couple minutes. I got so sucked in by your performance; I stayed up way past my bedtime.

So that is my problem I have with you this morning. It's an excellent performance. People need to get past the whole historical reference. If you can just explain that this is a family drama that makes "The Sopranos" look almost like a normal functioning family.

CLOSE: That's right. I know it's one of the, first of all, it's one of the great great screenplays, ever written. And it's really like "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" for me it has a lot of the kind of elements that "Dangerous Liaisons" had.

These two people who are a match for each other that they will find no other person to match them as well and they have this great love affair. And they have this great problem it's a love-hate. It's just monumental. Very, very witty.

KAGAN: It's very clear from the beginning you're not exactly a candidate in this role as mother of the year. In the first minute you've slugged your son, you're tossed in prison for ten years at least, because as you heard Patrick Stewart saying, inciting civil war against your own husband. Not exactly warm and fuzzy stuff.

CLOSE: Eleanor of Aquitaine, in the 12th century, they were like the power couple of the 12th century. She was the richest woman in the world. She brought the Aquitaine money to their marriage.

They went on to they had six children. Richard the lion heart, who went on the third crusade, was one of them. John, King John, famous from the Robin Hood legend, was the other one.

Probably one of the worst kings in English history. And they were larger than life. This story is very, very accessible because it's such brilliant writing. And I think people will forget that they're wearing robes of the middle ages. It's basically a very dramatic funny, witty family drama about people who happens to be king and queen and princes.

KAGAN: As it kind of comes to a climax here, three of the sons are up for being king and it's this is the time when Henry's trying to decide you also would like to get your 2 cents, your character would like to get 2 cents about who will be the next king of England and what that sets in motion.

CLOSE: Yes.

KAGAN: The different personalities of each of the sons, very specific.

CLOSE: I wanted Richard, Richard was my candidate. He wanted John because he raised John. And poor Jeffrey falls in between. He tries desperately to stay in the play.

KAGAN: The old middle child syndrome.

CLOSE: Right. It was probably one of the joyous experiences of my career. Not only was it a great piece of writing but it was an extraordinary company of actors. So I'm very, very proud of it.

KAGAN: Well, especially you're verbal sparring with Patrick Stewart. Did you feel like you met your match?

CLOSE: Yes. Definitely.

KAGAN: In the king?

Definitely. There are some scenes the scene at the end, in the bedroom is a 17-page scene, which is rare for movies. And it goes from just the whole emotional spectrum. It's thrilling to have that kind of material to flex your creative muscle and Patrick was spectacular partner in that.

KAGAN: Well with fair warning, people should make time for a later bedtime on Sunday this Sunday on Showtime. What time will the movie be on?

CLOSE: 7:30.

KAGAN: Well 7:30 there you go. You can fit it in. Thank you so much. Glenn Close, thank you for stopping by, appreciate it.

CLOSE: Thanks.

KAGAN: We'll get a quick break in here. And we'll be back after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: And that's going to do it for me. I'm Daryn Kagan. I'll see you right back in this seat tomorrow morning. Right now, Wolf Blitzer is going to take over at the top of the hour from Washington, D.C. You have a great day.

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 May 18, 2004 - 11:30   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Back to Tony Randall. CNN has learned the actor has died. He was 84 years old. Best known for his role, five years spent playing Felix Unger in the popular television sitcom "The Odd Couple."
He also was a popular guest on talk shows. On Johnny Carson, on David Letterman. Appeared many times with our Larry King. On one particular night, back March of 2001, he talked with Larry about becoming a father very late in life. Let's listen to that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LARRY KING, CNN HOST: We are getting to that. Tony, your children are like mine, they're 14 months apart. How old now?

TONY RANDALL, ACTOR: My little girl will be 4 in April and my little boy will be 3 in June.

KING: And how old are you?

RANDALL: I'm glad you asked.

KING: Come on, it's an amazing story.

RANDALL: I'm 81. Oh, my word, did I say it?

KING: And you never had children?

RANDALL: Never before, no.

KING: Okay. What is it like? Before we move to "Odd Couple," what is it like I think we even have some film you took at home last night. What is it like at 81? I'm 67 and I've got a 2-year-old and 10-month-old. You're 81.

RANDALL: Yes. Nothing in life is the equal of it. And it's as if this is what I was waiting for all my life.

KING: Are you sprightly? Can you stay with them?

RANDALL: Oh, yeah.

KING: Tell us who this is.

RANDALL: The little girl's playing the violin. The little boy's trying to play his guitar, but he plays it backwards. I took this in the kitchen last night.

KING: Are they both daddy people?

RANDALL: Oh yeah, oh, yeah.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: His children those children you saw there, that is Julia and Jefferson. They are now 7 and 5 years old. Once again, actor Tony Randall has passed away at the age of 84 after a long illness.

We're at 32 minutes past the hour. President Bush and democratic rival John Kerry have tried in recent days to talk about political issues on the home front. We're going to get back to that in a moment.

There are a new round of hearings, 9/11 commission hearings, taking place this week in New York City. Some very emotional testimony expected. And our Jeanne Meserve has more on that today -- Jeanne, hello.

JEANNE MESERVE, CNN HOMELAND SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Daryn, it was one of those mornings that makes you ask over and over what if, what if there had been better communication, what if there had been better coordination, what if there had been better planning?

How many lives might have been saved on 9/11? The commission staff prepared a presentation that took more than an hour. They used some of that still-shocking video of the Twin Towers being hit by aircraft and then coming down.

There also were interviews that were incorporated with some of the survivors that day and with some of the first responders who were involved. The commission specifically asking the audience to refrain from reacting to what they heard today and for the most part they did that.

However, I did run into several family members, of people who died that day, in the hallways. Clearly, one could see that they'd been very upset by some of what they heard today. Amongst the nuggets that were turned up by the staff, one of them had to do with drills. After the World Trade Center was hit by a bombing in 1993, efforts were made to drill more intensively but those drills had gaps.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN FARMER, FORMER N.J. ATTORNEY GENERAL: Civilians were not, however, directed into the stair wells during these drills. Civilians were not provided with information about the configuration of the stair wells and the existence of transfer hallways or smoke doors. Neither full nor partial evacuation drills were held.

Participation in the fire drills that were held moreover varied greatly from tenant to tenant. Civilians were never instructed not to evacuate up. The standard fire drill instructions advised participants in the event of an actual emergency, they would be directed to descend to at least two floors below the fire.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MESERVE: One Port Authority official who testified today who is familiar with the evacuation plans of many buildings in this city said in many high-rise, still civilians are not given any instructions on whether or not they should evacuate to the roof in the case of an emergency.

Another area dealt with at length by the commission had to do with communications. Amongst the story they told, the story of a repeater. This was a device put into the World Trade Center after 1993.

The aim was to improve communications amongst first responders in a high-rise environment. However the fire department tried to turn that on that day and assumed it was not working. In fact, the commission found that repeater was working.

One official testified just a moment ago that another lesson learned from 9/11 is that repeaters like that should be put in every high-rise building in the city. They are not there at this point in time.

Another thing discussed, 911 operators. After the planes hit, many people because communications in the building were so poor, called 911 for instruction. There was no protocol for the 911 operators to get the latest information from the scene so they were advising people to stay in place.

They were not telling people that evacuating to the roof was simply not possible under the current conditions. So a lot of talk about not only communications, but also about coordination. There was talk about rivalry between the police department and the fire department and the fact that there was no unified command structure to deal with rivalries between those two agencies. One Port Authority official however testified that he didn't see how any amount of planning could have prepared first responders for what happened on 9/11.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALAN REISS, FMR PORT AUTHORITY OFFICIAL: No building or fire safety code can cover every potential terrorist act, some we can't even imagine today. I've been told the energy from one of the planes hitting the towers is equal to the energy released by a tactical nuclear weapon.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MESERVE: The 9/11 commission says the point of the hearing today is not to find fault but to find solutions, to determine what preparedness steps had been taken since 9/11 and which steps remain to be taken. We've heard about a few of them that haven't been taken. There's a lot more testimony to come -- Daryn.

KAGAN: And you will be listening in for us. Jeanne Meserve in New York City, thank you for that.

All right we've heard from President Bush and democratic rival John Kerry, they've been trying in recent days to bring some of the discussion the political discussion to the home front. But in the past 24 hours that subject has come right back to the conflict in Iraq. "INSIDE POLITICS" anchor Judy Woodruff has our campaign update. She's in Washington D.C. -- Hi, Judy.

JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: Hi there Daryn. This morning, President Bush did again try to link the U.S. mission in Iraq to the broader war on terror.

As part of his bid to win greater support for Jewish voters. Bush got a warm welcome and numerous rounds of applause during his remarks here in Washington to a powerful pro Israel lobbying group. He told the American Israel Public Affairs Committee that freedom in Iraq will bring greater security to that region and the world.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: In time, Iraq will be a free and democratic nation at the heart of the Middle East. This will send a message, a powerful message, from Damascus to Tehran, that democracy can bring hope to lives in every culture.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WOODRUFF: Iraq and the economy continue to be top themes for democrat John Kerry. He is in Oregon today, where he is expected to criticize the President's handling of the rise of gasoline prices. At a Portland rally yesterday, Kerry made an incorrect reference to the Iraqi prisoner abuse scandal and the effect on the war effort.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The American flag is waving over there. It's standing over here. Strong, as we are as a nation. But I'll tell you this, and you know it in your hearts and you know it in your guts and Americans increasingly feel this all across our land, as people feel it all across this planet. We cannot we cannot possibly prevail in Iraq if we give up our values in the process.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WOODRUFF: John Kerry in Oregon.

Well, Arnold Schwarzenegger apparently is not amused by a bobble head doll bearing his likeness. The California governor's film production company is suing the Ohio firm that makes the doll.

Schwarzenegger's lawyer tells "The New York Times" the governor's name, voice and likeness are not in the public domain. The company has come out with a series of political dolls. But its two biggest sellers are likenesses of Anna Nicole Smith and Jesus Christ. As the average price of regular gasoline tops $2 a gallon for the first time, we'll focus this afternoon on the political effect in key swing states. What do these rising prices at the pump mean in the race for the White House? We'll take a look when I go "Inside Politics." at 3:30 P.M. Eastern, 12:30 Pacific. For now, let's go back to Daryn in Atlanta.

KAGAN: All right look forward to seeing you later today. Judy Woodruff, from Washington, Judy thank you for that.

President Bush has made immigration an election year hot button issue he is proposing granting legal status to illegals who holding down job in the U.S. That's the issue our political analyst Carlos Watson tackles. This in his new series American Pulse. He is live in New York. Carlos, good morning.

CARLOS WATSON, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Good morning. How you doing?

KAGAN: Good, you traveled to Arizona this week, I understand.

WATSON: We did. Arizona, critical state in the southwest. A lot of democrats say if Al Gore had won the same 20 states he did win in 2000, plus Arizona's 10 electoral votes, he would have been president.

So a lot of focus there. A lot of talk as John Kerry talks about his vice presidential running mate. A lot of focus on Arizona and the Southwest. We went there to talk to some Hispanic voters. What you'll see next is an interesting set of comments on immigration.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WATSON: Immigration. We're here in Arizona, a border state. Any thoughts on immigration here?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think it's a big political issue here. I mean we're seeing millions of dollars being spend on protecting the border and it doesn't resolve it.

WATSON: You're saying it's not working.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're seeing more is more death in the desert, people crossing, pumping more money and more enforcement don't (ph) you know, building the high fences and walls and stuff that's not the solution.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There is an article about you know Arizona's 13 most wanted and they're almost all nationals from the other side you know. They've come across and committed these crimes and can walk right back across and nobody can do anything about it. They can't extradite them back. The ties between the two countries are what needs to be made stronger, not the walls around it.

WATSON: And so what do you think about this? UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think it's a little unfair. As far as those that do cross over, they have family members that are American citizens. Especially those that are the pregnant women. They come down. They apply for help. And they get it. They're here for nine, ten months, have their baby, everything's free, and they go right back. Here we have women that are actually live hearing that are struggling to get any of that. I do think we do need to spend a little more money on keeping them.

WATSON: Keeping them out?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Right.

WATSON: Anybody else on immigration?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The proposed guest workers, well, if we do anything in that area, I think it will stem the illegal immigration that we're having right now.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't think it's going to be a lot from the Mexican side. A lot of money that's being earned by those people who has come over ends up in Mexico, being sent down to Mexico. This is why this issue of a guest worker program, I think will be the start of a solution.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WATSON: You know, I was, Daryn, I was surprised with this group of five Hispanic voters, two democrats, two republicans, one independent. I think a number of people would have thought they would have been more supportive of certain immigration measures that would allow more people to gain access to the country.

But there was some hesitation. And as you tune in tonight at 8:00 p.m. Eastern on Paula's show, you'll also hear them talk about the economy, talk about the war photos, the Iraqi prisoner abuse photos You'll also hear them sound off on some very interesting ways about what John Kerry could do to win their vote.

KAGAN: OK, real quickly keeping it on John Kerry and the search for a vice presidential candidate. And keeping it in the southwest there was talk about New Mexico governor Bill Richardson. About the last week or so, you don't really hear his name on the short list any more.

WATSON: Things will go back and forth. He certainly has been someone who they think could help not only in New Mexico but potentially in Arizona as well. But they're also talking by the way about the governor of Arizona, Janet Nepolitano. A relatively new governor is being helpful there.

But you are hearing a lot more talk as you've kind of hinted at about some former presidential candidates, Dick Gephardt who they believe can help in the Midwest. John Edwards, who they think can add an economic populous element to the campaign, or even Wesley Clark. You are hearing a lot of the familiar names if you will some of the people who ran in the primary against John Kerry.

KAGAN: And we will hear a lot more from you, Carlos Watson, tonight, 8:00 p.m. Eastern on Paula Zahn's show. Thank you, Carlos.

WATSON: Good to see you.

KAGAN: Katharine Hepburn brought the world of Eleanor of Aquitaine to life on the big screen. Now Glenn Close is reprising the role on the small screen. I'll have a chance to speak with the award- winning actress. About Lion in winter she joins us next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: We're going to have a chance to visit with Glenn Close in just a moment.

First if you've been with us for most of the morning, we've been reporting the news that actor Tony Randall has died at the age of 84 after a very long career, the stage, the movies, and of course as you see there, the video playing of Felix Unger in "The Odd Couple." He played that in the 1970s. 1975 he won an Emmy award, after the series canceled. Long-time much believed in Hollywood.

I understand we have with us on the phone Mickey Rooney -- Mickey.

MICKEY ROONEY, ACTOR: Yes, it's a tough thing to lose Tony. He was a wonderful actor, and a wonderful friend. And I'm sure the show business world will miss him terribly.

KAGAN: Let's talk a little bit about his long career. I think a lot of people look at him and they think of course Felix Unger. But long career in the movies, especially playing in those Doris Day/Rock Hudson movies.

ROONEY: Yes he did. And he was always wonderful, in whatever he did.

KAGAN: He also talked a lot about being the man of strong opinions.

ROONEY: Yes. He let those go unsaid, though. Sometimes he did, and then I think it kind of didn't do him too much good. But he was a man of opinions.

KAGAN: And what will you remember him the most for?

ROONEY: Well, being a wonderful guy, and a wonderful friend, and a wonderful performer. I think the show Business world will be without one of the great guys. "The Odd Couple." I did it with him for a while and it was a pleasure doing it.

KAGAN: You were able to play the opposite what many people assume is the Jack Klugman role.

ROONEY: Right. KAGAN: The Oscar Madison role.

ROONEY: Right.

KAGAN: On stage what was that like, to have him as your foil on stage?

ROONEY: Well, it was wonderful to work with Tony. Because he was so giving. And he loved to laugh. Gave a lot of laughs to whatever he did.

KAGAN: That he did. Mickey thanks for calling in today, we appreciate it.

ROONEY: Well, it's all right. I might as well tell you that my wife and I Jan are going to be in Hollywood at the Roosevelt hotel next month.

KAGAN: Thank you so much.

ROONEY: Me and my wife Jan.

KAGAN: Appreciate it. Mickey Rooney, talking about Tony Randall, died last night in New York City at the age of 84 after a long illness. His wife by his side he leaves behind two young children.

Now, time to talk with Glenn Close. The actress stars as Queen Eleanor, the estranged wife of Henry the Second in twelfth century England the film's premier is Sunday on Showtime on cable. Glenn close, joining us at time Warner Center in New York this morning. Glenn, good morning thanks for being with us.

GLENN CLOSE, ACTRESS: Thank you.

KAGAN: Want to get to it talk to you in a moment. First, let's look at a quick clip from the movie.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PATRICK STEWART, ACTOR: Just give me a little piece.

CLOSE: How about eternal peace? Now, there's a thought.

STEWART: I'll never let you loose. You led too many civil wars against me.

CLOSE: I damn well won the last one.

STEWART: There are moments when I miss you.

CLOSE: Many?

STEWART: Do you doubt it?

CLOSE: Thank god. I was afraid this wouldn't hurt. STEWART: Fight me, you lose.

CLOSE: IS this supposed to be torture? Will you boil and stretch me, which, or am I...

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: Sparks flying on the screen there. Of course that's Patrick Stewart playing King Henry the second. Glenn, I got to tell you, I've got a bone of contention to pick with you.

CLOSE: Yes.

KAGAN: They gave me the DVD last night to watch the show so I'd be familiar with it. I was going to put it in, watch a couple minutes. I got so sucked in by your performance; I stayed up way past my bedtime.

So that is my problem I have with you this morning. It's an excellent performance. People need to get past the whole historical reference. If you can just explain that this is a family drama that makes "The Sopranos" look almost like a normal functioning family.

CLOSE: That's right. I know it's one of the, first of all, it's one of the great great screenplays, ever written. And it's really like "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" for me it has a lot of the kind of elements that "Dangerous Liaisons" had.

These two people who are a match for each other that they will find no other person to match them as well and they have this great love affair. And they have this great problem it's a love-hate. It's just monumental. Very, very witty.

KAGAN: It's very clear from the beginning you're not exactly a candidate in this role as mother of the year. In the first minute you've slugged your son, you're tossed in prison for ten years at least, because as you heard Patrick Stewart saying, inciting civil war against your own husband. Not exactly warm and fuzzy stuff.

CLOSE: Eleanor of Aquitaine, in the 12th century, they were like the power couple of the 12th century. She was the richest woman in the world. She brought the Aquitaine money to their marriage.

They went on to they had six children. Richard the lion heart, who went on the third crusade, was one of them. John, King John, famous from the Robin Hood legend, was the other one.

Probably one of the worst kings in English history. And they were larger than life. This story is very, very accessible because it's such brilliant writing. And I think people will forget that they're wearing robes of the middle ages. It's basically a very dramatic funny, witty family drama about people who happens to be king and queen and princes.

KAGAN: As it kind of comes to a climax here, three of the sons are up for being king and it's this is the time when Henry's trying to decide you also would like to get your 2 cents, your character would like to get 2 cents about who will be the next king of England and what that sets in motion.

CLOSE: Yes.

KAGAN: The different personalities of each of the sons, very specific.

CLOSE: I wanted Richard, Richard was my candidate. He wanted John because he raised John. And poor Jeffrey falls in between. He tries desperately to stay in the play.

KAGAN: The old middle child syndrome.

CLOSE: Right. It was probably one of the joyous experiences of my career. Not only was it a great piece of writing but it was an extraordinary company of actors. So I'm very, very proud of it.

KAGAN: Well, especially you're verbal sparring with Patrick Stewart. Did you feel like you met your match?

CLOSE: Yes. Definitely.

KAGAN: In the king?

Definitely. There are some scenes the scene at the end, in the bedroom is a 17-page scene, which is rare for movies. And it goes from just the whole emotional spectrum. It's thrilling to have that kind of material to flex your creative muscle and Patrick was spectacular partner in that.

KAGAN: Well with fair warning, people should make time for a later bedtime on Sunday this Sunday on Showtime. What time will the movie be on?

CLOSE: 7:30.

KAGAN: Well 7:30 there you go. You can fit it in. Thank you so much. Glenn Close, thank you for stopping by, appreciate it.

CLOSE: Thanks.

KAGAN: We'll get a quick break in here. And we'll be back after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: And that's going to do it for me. I'm Daryn Kagan. I'll see you right back in this seat tomorrow morning. Right now, Wolf Blitzer is going to take over at the top of the hour from Washington, D.C. You have a great day.

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