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CNN Live Sunday

Bush Kept Hussein's Pistol as Souvenir; Story of One African- American's GI in World War II

Aired May 30, 2004 - 18:00   ET

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

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


SOPHIA CHOI, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome to CNN SUNDAY. I'm Sophia Choi, Carol Lin has the evening off.
In the next hour, it was one of the few things found with Saddam Hussein when he was captured. Now one of his pistols has an unusual new home. Details, straight ahead.

Also the struggle within the struggle for many African American G.I.'s WWII was about more than defeating fascism. The story of one vet's fight for freedom coming up.

CHOI: While some cities and towns hold their breath, and hope the storms pass without incident, others are busy sizing up all of the damage. CNN's Denise Belgrave shows up who's been hit already, and just how hard.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DENISE BELGRAVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): These every day items are sad reminders of the power of Mother Nature. Three people died last night, and at least eight were injured when a powerful tornado ripped through the town of Weatherby in Northwest Missouri.

Among the injured, four children. These cinder blocks are all that remain of this house blown right off it's foundation. The National Weather Service says the weekend siege of thunderstorms in the central states are the biggest and the broadest of the season so far. Ninety-one tornadoes touched down in a six-state area on Saturday alone. Hardest hit were north central Kansas and North West Missouri. Harper county, 45 miles south of Wichita that, sustained serious damage. Resident Cathy Stewart says she feels numb.

KATHY STEWART, WICHITA RESIDENT: It came down for a while, took a little dirt out the field. Went back up. I thought, well, I'm safe. Then I decided it could dip down again and it did dip down again. It took a beat on our house and didn't let up. We went to the basement.

BELGRAVE: With her refrigerator blown three feet into the living room, Stewart says she and her family are lucky to be alive. The Stewarts are not the only lucky ones. The tornadoes spared densely populated areas, avoiding what could have been a much greater disaster. Denise Belgrave, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE) CHOI: And for the latest weather updates and to view tornado video, log on to our web site, cnn.com.

And now to Iraq and a fierce fire fight between coalition forces and militants in Kufa. U.S. troops on a reconnaissance mission entered the city and clashed with fighters of radical Shiite cleric. CNN's Guy Raz is live on the telephone with the latest. Guy?

GUY RAZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Sophia, what was supposed to be day three of a truce declared by Muqtada al Sadr and the members of Mahdi militia brigade seems to have unraveled. Over the past few days, U.S. forces had come under limited attack.

But this evening, U.S. reconnaissance team that was about 100 U.S. troops with -- backed by ten tanks, about several armored personnel carriers came under heavy fire. It was a sustained exchange of gunfire in the town of Kufa. That's adjacent to Najaf, where recent fighting has taken place. That -- those clashes lasted about an-hour-and-a-half.

Now, U.S. official we spoke to here, a military official, estimates something around 30 Iraqi casualties, insurgents who were killed in those clashes this evening. And there have been an undetermined number of U.S. casualties, as well. Essentially, this mission was designed to find out whether members of this militia had been operating in Kufa. And clearly, U.S. forces discovered that indeed these fighters are still there. Sophia?

CHOI: All right. CNN's Guy Raz live on the telephone with the latest from Kufa, Iraq, tonight. Thank you.

An intense standoff in Saudi Arabia is now over. Saudi forces rescued hostages who were taken capture by militants this weekend. CNN's Morgan Neil has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MORGAN NEIL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): With a dramatic commander raid, Saudi forces brought an abrupt end to the 25-hour hostage standoff. But not before the attackers exacted a heavy price. Twenty-two people killed from ten nations according to Saudi officials.

One resident in the compound says the first he knew of the attack was a burst of gunfire. Within minutes, he says, gunmen were inside the compound hunting for westerners. Hours later, the commandos stormed the compound bringing 201 hostages in a residential area, and 41 others at a hotel building.

Saudi officials say they captured the group's leader but the hunt is on for three others that escaped using hostages as human shields. An audio recording on an Islamic Web site claimed responsibility in the name of a group linked to al Qaeda. The voice on the tape is believed to be that of, Abdel Aziz Muqran, alleged to be al Qaeda's top man in Saudi Arabia. He offered a chilling warning to Americans. UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): The youth of the Muslims will bring them the fruits of unbearable hell anywhere they are, whether Afghanistan, Iraq or the Arabian Peninsula. The lions of the Muslim youth have vowed not live in humiliation.

NEIL: But a Saudi official says the group's efforts to divide the Muslims from the rest of the world are destined to fail.

NAIL AL-JUBEIR, INFORMATION MINISTER, SAUDI EMBASSY: In the previous attacks, when Muslims and Arabs were killed, it had a major backlash to thinking by separating them that we'll be able to separate the Muslim world from the a major backlash. By separating them, that we'll be able to separate the Muslim world from the non-Muslim world.

But that's not working because a large number of those who were killed were Arabs, were Muslims, and they are targeting innocent civilians. They're trying to play on that split of culture, split of civilization. But it's not going to work.

NEIL: The father of one of the victims, a 10-year-old Egyptian boy, expressed his outrage.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): What is his guilt? That's not only my child. This is an innocent child going to school. Shoot at him, why? Kill him, why? What is this? Terrorism, Islam, whatever. Those are not Muslims.

NEIL: Morgan Neil, CNN Center.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHOI: And in the U.S. war on terror, the justice department is warning of possible al Qaeda attacks this summer. Seven terrorist suspects have been named. And now it appears one of them was identified by a top al Qaeda leader. CNN's Kathleen Koch is live in D.C. with more. Good evening.

KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good evening, Sophia. All but one of those suspects named last week, had been publicly identified before bylaw enforcement officials. So the question was where did the FBI get the tip to zero in on the seventh suspect? The only American named.

It turns out that that tip came from a very knowledgeable source.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KOCH (voice over): His was the new face in the gallery of wanted terrorist suspects put out by the federal government.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He attended the training camps in Afghanistan. He is known to have performed translations for al Qaeda as part of the services he has provided.

KOCH: Now "Newsweek" magazine reports Adam Gadahn was named by none other than al Qaeda operations chief, Khalid Shaikh Mohammed. In it's latest issue, the magazine says Mohammed told interrogators he wanted Gadahn to join a plot to blow up fuel stations outside Baltimore.

The report says Gadahn was willing to help, but would not join in any suicide operations because his wife was pregnant. Government sources say Mohammed had previously told interrogators of al Qaeda plans to attack gas stations in the Washington, D.C. and New York City areas.

Known as one of the masterminds of the 9/11 attacks, Mohammed had already fingered about a dozen al Qaeda operatives. Officials say two of them, Adanel Surkijuma (ph) and Afius Sadikhi (ph), were among the seven listed last week with Gadahn.

Since his capture in Pakistan in March, 2003 Mohammed has been held in U.S. custody at an undisclosed location where he is being interrogated. Experts say Mohammed has implicated himself and others in numerous terrorist plots.

PETER BERGEN, TERRORISM ANALYST: I would say Mohammed has produced the information in the past. In fact, information that he's produced has led to the arrest and imprisonment of somebody trying to sabotage the Brooklyn Bridge. But more importantly, when people like Shaikh Mohammed are arrested they are usually with computers, cell phones, these kinds of things useful information can be derived from.

KOCH: But that and all information being provided by Khalid Shaikh Mohammed is now more than a year old.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KOCH: Experts do insist that Mohammed can still give valuable insight though into the structure and operations of al Qaeda, and could even perhaps some day serve as a witness against other top al Qaeda leaders including Osama Bin Laden. Sophia?

CHOI: Kathleen, thank you for that. With more on this reported terror plot inside U.S. borders, we're joined by Michael Isikoff, who is an investigative correspondent with "Newsweek." He joins us live on the telephone from Washington. Thanks for joining us.

MICHAEL ISIKOFF, NEWSWEEK: Good evening.

CHOI: So what are your sources saying about the reliability of this information?

ISIKOFF: Hard to say. Much of this information has been pretty steady coming in for a long time. There's been no sudden spike in chatter or other indicators suggesting an imminent attack as was indicated last week. Also, no signs of -- nothing specific that points to a particular plot underway.

But, analysis especially since the Madrid bombings, March 11, has suggested to U.S. authorities that al Qaeda or al Qaeda aligned people may well want to use the Spanish model, which after all, was designed to disrupt the and influence the Spanish elections a few days later, and replicate that in the United States.

So people look, we have an ongoing election coming in the United States, we have political conventions this summer. We have other opportunities that would -- that might present themselves to a terrorist attack and say, given what we know about al Qaeda's intentions, and what we know about some of how they've operated in the past, it is highly possible that they could be -- take this opportunity.

CHOI: Right, but Michael, I wanted to get to Gadahn, this information about Gadahn himself. This report was from a year ago. Why wait until now, a year later, to finger him?

ISIKOFF: Good question. Because, in fact, all of the seven, Gadahn included, are people who have been known to the FBI for some time. I think a lot of this is sort of a reflection of the evolution of FBI's thinking in which in the past they have been quite secretive about what they knew. Quite reluctant to share with state and local governments and the public the kinds of information they've known.

And people have suggested maybe that's not the best approach. Maybe the best approach to go public put these peoples' pictures out there and it might make people nervous. It might make some people react. So I think this is more an evolution in thinking about strategy in counterterrorism than a reflection of any particular new piece of information.

CHOI: Michael Isikoff, we look forward to reading your entire article on Gadahn and the ramifications.

ISIKOFF: Thank you.

CHOI: It is a sex scandal with a mixed outcome.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It is still devastating and sad, but it's so expected, and I'm not shocked by it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHOI: The University of Colorado football coach is back to calling plays. Hear how people really feel about his reinstate.

Plus, one of the most famous National Guard units is packing up once again. How lesson from the past is helping them in Iraq.

And later, grab your guitar, because we are headed to the mountains for Merlefest.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHOI: The man who's reportedly taking responsibility for the attacks in Saudi Arabia is Abdel Aziz al-Muqrin. Saudi authorities say he's al Qaeda's top man in their country. With more on his involvement, we're joined by Harvey Kushner. He's the author of "The Encyclopedia of Terrorism," and is a professor at Long Island University. Glad you could join us. What can you tell us about Muqrin?

HARVEY KUSHNER, LONG ISLAND UNIVERSITY: Well, Muqrin was in Afghanistan. He's 30 years old. And some people say he's slated to be the next bin Laden. But quite frankly, nobody will be the next bin Laden. You have Muqrin in Saudi Arabia, who will probably take over operations there, or has.

And you have Zarqawi in Iraq. You have these little bin Ladens that spring up. He's a dangerous individual. He's been out on the Internet. He's issued a series of commands. He has a whole long diatribe about how to cripple Saudi Arabia and their economy. How to get outsiders out of that area. And hurt the world's economy as well as the oil industry in Saudi Arabia.

CHOI: Is he a player at all outside of Saudi Arabia?

KUSHNER: Probably not. Quite frankly, as I said before, bin Laden is the overall overseer of al Qaeda. Zawahiri is second in command. But the new phase is to have individual leaders, chiefs of operations so to speak, regionally throughout the world, in a variety of countries where al Qaeda has a presence. In that sense, he's a player.

CHOI: Right. What are the larger implications then of this recent attack in Saudi Arabia?

KUSHNER: Well, the implications are the many expatriates who run the oil industry there, probably around six million, 10,000 which are Americans, from top to bottom, from command posts down to the very menial jobs. If they cut and run, the Saudis have a problem with that producing oil. And this is al Qaeda's objective. Is to hurt the world's economy, and certainly, to hurt Saudi Arabia by getting any expatriate out of the area, and they are doing quite a good job.

CHOI: Yes, Saudi Arabia said it was cracking down on terrorists within its borders after the Riyadh attack in 2003. How strong is their commitment?

KUSHNER: Well, let's face it. It's not that strong. They cracked down on the one side. On the other hand, they support it. As long as the Saudis support Wahhabism and give money towards that, they have not done very little, really to work on that side.

They have mounted some raids against certain individuals, but they have not done enough really in the war against terrorism inside their borders. That's why we saw attacks last November in Riyadh, their housing. We saw recently, April 21, we had an attack at the government security building. And now, this one. So the Saudis have really not stepped up to the plate to stop al Qaeda inside their borders.

CHOI: Harvey Kushner, terrorism analyst, thank you so much for your insights on this topic.

KUSHNER: Pleasure.

CHOI: From stories across America, now a top judge in New Mexico with a big legal problem of his own. W. John Brennan (ph) was arrested on a drug possession charge, and has taken a leave of absence. A woman riding in the passenger state -- is also a state official. She's been charged with possessing a controlled substance.

In Littleton, Colorado, a golfer was killed after being struck by lightning at a driving range. Officials say the man's 16-year-old son is now hospitalized. A witness says the skies were overcast but did not appear threatening when the lightening struck.

In Clark County, Washington, divers have suspended their search for a woman who disappeared in the Columbia River. She was on board a boat that capsized yesterday. Four other people were rescued, including a toddler.

An announcement last Thursday ended a rocky four months for Colorado Head Football Coach Gary Barnett. He found out he will be able to keep his job despite a number of sexual misconduct allegations against his players. But his reinstatement triggered both cheers and booes in the Boulder community. CNN's sports reporter Josie Burke has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GARY BARNETT, COLORADO HEAD FOOTBALL COACH: In my mind, physically, emotionally, I've been fighting a four-month battle, and I'm a little drained. So, I need to get a -- restore my adrenaline a little bit.

JOSIE BURKE, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The return of the Head Coach Gary Barnett was greeted with elation by some parents of University of Colorado football players.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He hasn't done anything wrong. He's a good man.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is a cause for celebration.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Absolutely, absolutely.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What's the plan?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Party.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Celebration.

BURKE: The school is still being sued by several women who claim they were raped at a recruiting party in 2001 while Barnett was head coach. This Sociology professor had a different reaction to the news Barnett would not be fired.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's still devastating and sad. But it's so expected. And I'm not shocked by it. It's enraging. BURKE: The school president Betsy Hoffman announced major structural changes including the athletic director who used to report to the chancellor now reports to the provost, like every other department head.

BARBARA BINTLIFF, BOULDER FACULTY ASSEMBLY: I think this is a marvelous first step. We will have the opportunity to integrate our athletics into the academic mission of the university. It's a courageous and bold plan.

Burke: Jean Dubofsky isn't so sure. She was on the independent investigative commission that compiled a report on the football recruiting scandal that was critical of Colorado's top leaders. The chancellor, Richard Binny (ph), Athletics Director Dick Tharpp (ph), Hoffman, and Barnett.

JEAN DUBOFSKY, INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATIVE COMMITTEE: I would have been more optimistic if there was someone new coming in to say OK, we're going to do things differently.

BURKE: Hoffman insisted money wasn't a factor when it came to Barnett. It would have cost the university already in financial trouble millions of dollars to buy out his contract. Critics have doubts.

JANINE D'ANNIBALLE, BOULDER RAPE CRISIS CENTER: I think there was some real hesitancy to make that change and upset the fans and the boosters and the regions. I also think with the lawsuits pending against the university, they didn't want to make themselves more liable there by changing personnel.

BURKE: Besides the lawsuits, a grand jury is looking into whether a former recruiting assistant provided recruits with prostitutes. But Attorney General Ken Salazar has declined to file criminal charges in any of the nine instances of sexual assault involving CU football players or recruits alleged to have occurred since 1997. Josie Burke, CNN, Boulder, Colorado.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHOI: Fighting a war on several fronts, still to come right here. How African Americans who served in World War II endured racial inequality with another goal in mind.

Plus, here we go again. Headed back to war. The faces have changed but not their cause.

And later, no running water, no toothbrush, no deodorant. Can you live like that? We'll talk to a family that survived the 1600s.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHOI: A new reality show has modern-day folks living the real simple life. It's called "Colonial House." And the settlers live by 17th century rules, without running water or electricity or deodorant as we mentioned. CNN's Carol Lin spoke to the Wyers family who was chosen for the show.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CAROL LIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Jeff, why did you decide to do this?

JEFF WYERS, COLONIAL HOUSE: It was an adventure. It was a chance to relive history in a way you never get to do again.

LIN: You perhaps got more than you bargained for. Tammy, we have some tape of you. And it seemed like you were a real crisis moment, where you were wondering what am I doing here?

TAMMY WYERS, COLONIAL HOUSE: I don't want to seem negative about everything. But I'm having a hard time. My children are cold. And the mosquitoes eat us alive at night. The wind blows through, and it rains in on us. I just -- I want to take care of my family.

LIN: What was the hardest thing for you?

T. WYERS: The hardest thing for me was that I never for a moment stopped being a mother. And that's just, that's my toughest and most important role in the 21st century. And that's the one I played there only under much different constraints.

LIN: How did you cook? What did you have to figure out that you normally take for granted in your day-to-day life?

T. WYERS: How to keep a fire going.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That she never did figure out.

J. WYERS: The firewood we had there was soft wood and it was green. So you didn't get a lot of BTU's and it didn't last very long. And you'd put fire on there -- wood on there and in 15 minutes it was gone and there wasn't even ashes left.

LIN: What did you have to eat? I mean, how did you find food?

T. WYERS: They supplied us with dried beans and oats that we had to pound and boil up. And then we had some barrels of dried meat that we salted. But we used the term meat very loosely.

LIN: Didn't really -- didn't taste like chicken?

T. WYERS: Oh, no. No.

LIN: OK, no running water, right?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No.

LIN: No plumbing, no toilets. No toothbrushes for a while.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No.

LIN: Right? But then they ended up cheating on that part. T. WYERS: Well, when our teeth started not looking so good, I mean, actually turning gray, like some of the colonists, you know, we had to rebel a little bit and say, a lot of us spent thousands of dollars on our teeth and we just can't afford to lose that.

LIN: Jeff, your position in the "Colonial House" was the governor. What was that position like and what did you learn about human nature from your experience?

J. WYERS: Well, it was a lot of management and human resource and very the very same things you would deal with in these days, just under a lot tougher circumstances. And the truth is, every one of us brought us own agendas, we brought our own goals, we brought our own needs.

LIN: And you were trying to balance real life, as well. Bethany, we were sorry to hear about your fiance who was killed in a car accident while you were participating in this show. You all as a family left to go deal with that crisis. How was it to balance the real world with the colonial world?

BETHANY WYERS, COLONIAL HOUSE: "The Colonial World" was so surreal and after the incident with Caleb (ph), coming back to the colony and being able to kind of lose yourself in that surreal world was a way that it helped us to all heal. Unlike we would have been able to do in the 21st century.

LIN: Well, as we watch, we can't imagine being no your shoes. But we shared and loved every moment with all of you including you, David. Yes. You're only 10 years old but what memories you will have.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHOI: They did all that I'm told they didn't get a penny for it. That was Carol Lin talking with Wyers family. "Colonial House" by the way is currently playing on PBS, check your local listings.

Still to come on CNN LIVE SUNDAY, he was packing a pistol when he was plucked from the spider hole. Coming up next, Saddam's firearm now has a new owner.

And later, the grandson of international icon Sir Winston Churchill joins us live.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHOI: We have a developing story out of Louisville, Kentucky, that the hour. We're going to show you some video courtesy of WAVY, that's our affiliate in Louisville, Kentucky. This video just coming in to CNN. This is the damage left after multiple sightings of tornadoes in that area. And we hear more storms may be on the way. Let's go now to Jacqui Jeras for more.

JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Right now Louisville is doing better. The worse of the storms headed on off to the east right on the neck of the woods here of Lexington, Kentucky. And there has been some rotation with this thunderstorm, so still a very doing you situation. To the west of Louisville doing a little bit better, but you see some cells trying to develop around Evansville, right along the Ohio River here so Louisville may be seeing more severe thunderstorms and rotation possible a little bit later on.

St. Louis, you were just under a tornado warning, that just expired now at the bottom of the hour. But you see multiple severe thunderstorms still heading your way and this super cell of very serious concern. There have been multiple reports of tornadoes touching down with that cell and tornado warnings remain in effect for northern Marion and Southern Fayette counties for the next 15 minutes or so, and also into north central Illinois just to the north and west of Peoria.

There you can see the bright red on your radar. We do have spotters reporting a tornado two miles south of Secor, or three miles east of Eureka. So this continues to be a very volatile situation tonight. A plethora of tornado warnings in effect. Watches covering most of the Ohio valley, middle Mississippi River valley and even stretching over towards North Carolina continuing throughout the night. We'll tell you the worst of it -- Sophia.

CHOI: So glad you are on top of all of that for us, thanks Jacqui.

President Bush will spend most of the week on the road. Tomorrow, he'll mark Memorial Day by giving a speech at Arlington. Then and Wednesday, he will give a speech in Colorado before heading to France and Italy to meet with leaders there in hopes of getting support for the new U.N. resolution.

This comes at a time when he's facing critics at home who charge the war in Iraq has distracted the U.S. from the war on terror. White House correspondent Susanne Malveaux has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Literally driving their point home, leaders of Rolling Thunder roared up the south lawn of the White House. The Veterans group was invited to meet with Mr. Bush as part of Memorial Day observances.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He was the only one to stand up, write us a letter, and tell us what he'd do for veterans in his country.

MALVEAUX: Mr. Bush and his opponent, Vietnam vet John Kerry are fiercely competing for the veteran vote. But the president walked away with a coveted endorsement of this 7,000-member organization. He addressed the rally by phone to thank the soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: ... that they're carrying out this mission. A mission which will make America more secure, and the world more free. MALVEAUX: But five weeks from the handover of power to Iraqis, critics charge the U.S. still has no real plan to bring about Iraqi sovereignty.

GEN. ANTHONY ZINNI (RET.), FORMER CENTCOM COMMANDER: Educate the electorate, build political parties. Understand the people of Iraq to understand the kind of government they want to have, the kind of governmental structure. If we don't get this right in the next three or four or five weeks, we are in terrible shape.

MALVEAUX: But Bush supporter say democracy is possible in time.

ROBERT DOLE, FORMER U.S. SENATOR: In a year? No. Two years, no. Five years, maybe. Ten years? OK. But we're still working on ours after 200 years. We are not there.

MALVEAUX: Controversy over how Iraq's interim prime minister was selected Friday has already created uncertainty over who's in charge. Adnan Pachachi, a leading candidate for interim president, denied he and other members of the U.S. appointed Iraqi Governing Council are stepping on the U.N. and others to call the shots.

ADNAN PACHACHI, IRAQI GOVERNING COUNCIL: According to the law, this government would be formed as a result of extensive consultations with all strands of Iraqi society.

MALVEAUX: And while the focus now is on Iraq, some lawmakers worry the administration is neglecting the homeland.

REP JANE HARMAN (D), CALIFORNIA: We did took our eye off the ball in terms of homeland security efforts in the last two years as we have had this difficult task in Iraq.

REP. DAVID DREIER (R), CALIFORNIA: Iraq is part and parcel of the global war on terrorism. We're continuing to see al Qaeda presence in Iraq.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MALVEAUX: Now, Mr. Bush will make his case that U.S. policy on Iraq is sound before domestic audience Memorial Day at the National Arlington Cemetery, and before his international counterparts later in the week, in Europe -- Sophia.

CHOI: Suzanne Malveaux at the White House thanks so much.

Also at the White House, a pistol is said to be among a collection of President Bush's favorite memorabilia. But it's not just any gun, it is a pistol that former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein was carrying when he was captured in a spider hole in December.

It's off to war for an infamous New York National Guard unit. Soldiers of the fighting 69th are leaving families to head to Iraq. It is the first time the infantry has fought in decades. CNN's Jason Carroll has their war story as part of our series on the front lines.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): They marched in unison. Stood before their family members. It's a proud day for the 69th infantry. And a sad one, too.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Come home in a long time daddy?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, Daddy doesn't come home long time.

CARROLL: Christopher Daniels and (UNINTELLIGIBLE) are leaving their families.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Listen to your teachers, and listen to your mother.

CARROLL: They'll be gone for more than a year. Fighting in a National Guard reserve unit that has been doing battle for more than 100 years.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'd say we're probably New York's most famous regimen.

CARROLL: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) armory.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's an original letter by Abraham Lincoln.

CARROLL: And get a lesson in why they're called the fighting 69th. Formed in 1851, most Irish immigrants. So tough, Robert E. Lee added fighting to the name after battling them in Fredericksburg. Their faces have changed. So has their focus.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Your boots and chemical suit.

CARROLL: For the first time since World War II, they're headed back into battle. They are packed, trained, but few are ready to say good-bye.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you going to miss daddy?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Can I have a kiss? Good kiss.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So you have one that's five. Another child that's three. How do you explain to them in terms that they can understand what's happening? What's going on?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I just try to tell her, daddy's not coming home for a long time. Where's daddy going Timmy?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Iraq.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They know it's a war going on out there and there are soldiers dying and stuff like that. I think that's the part that scares them the most. CARROLL: These are the good-byes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I love you. I love you. Don't forget that.

CARROLL: One last hug as the 69th marches on. Jason Carroll, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHOI: An important presence at yesterday's World War II Memorial dedication ceremony in Washington. The grandson of former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. Winston S. Churchill joins us now from our New York bureau. Good evening.

WINSTON S. CHURCHILL, WINSTON CHURCHILL'S GRANDSON: Good evening.

CHOI: It was such an emotional day for so many people. What was it like for you, and what did you think of the memorial?

CHURCHILL: Well, it was a very proud day to be with all those great heroes. For me, they're the hero generation. They saved the world from Nazism, from Hitler and they defeated imperial Japan and made the world safe for us today. And, I think it's wonderful they've got their own memorial. Too bad it's been such a long time coming. There's only a fraction of the original numbers left. They're losing them at 11 or 1200 a day at the moment.

CHOI: What can this generation take away from the greatest generation of World War II?

CHURCHILL: I think one's got to realize, these weren't old men. These were young men in the prime of their life and young women. They were just ordinary folk. Very ordinary folk. And yet, they did quite extraordinary things. And, they rose to the challenge.

When their country was threatened, they volunteered for the colors and this replicated itself not just across the states of America, but throughout the English-speaking world. Britain, her Dominions, Canada, Australian, New Zealand, South Africa, India. They all volunteered in their hundreds of thousands. And, they didn't ask what's in it for me? Never. Not for a second.

CHOI: If your grandfather was here today, what do you think he'd tell the veterans?

CHURCHILL: Well, I think he would be enormously proud of them. I'm certainly going to be there for the 60th anniversary of D-day on the Normandy beaches at invasion strength with my small family. We're going to be nine of us there. I want them to know and understand what was done by that generation to make Europe free, to make the world safe. And to give us the freedom and prosperity that we enjoy today. We have such a debt of gratitude to those men and women.

CHOI: I'm sure your grandfather would expect you to be there. What was he like? What was Sir Winston Churchill like personally?

CHURCHILL: Well, of course, I knew him first and foremost as a grandfather. So many people have said to me, particularly in the United States, on speaking tours and things, it must be awesome having a grandfather like him. You must have been so frightened of him. Nothing could be further from the truth. He was so approachable. So loving. So full of laughter. And mischief. He was just adorable.

CHOI: Winston S. Churchill, grandson of Sir Winston Churchill. Thank you so much.

CHURCHILL: My pleasure.

CHOI: Well, the words bravery and sacrifice have been mentioned numerous times this weekend concerning veterans of World War II. But they seem to carry special significance for men like Edwin Thomas, Sr. A man who fought for freedom, having never realized it's true meaning. CNN's Miguel Marquez has his story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

EDWIN THOMAS SENIOR: My name is Edwin N. Thomas Senior.

MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): He is 85 years old and an avid dancer. Perhaps the most important experience of his life though came in 1943. Swept up into World War II.

THOMAS: We were drafted. I had no choice. When World War II broke out they started calling everybody.

MARQUEZ: Like most African Americans, Thomas was not called up until two years after the U.S. entered the war. Until then, draft boards denied them the right to serve in combat.

THOMAS: People that had brains knew that if we did that, they couldn't demand a thing. After the war was over.

MARQUEZ: So African Americans fought at home for the right to die abroad. Initially blacks were allowed only menial jobs, no combat. Edwin Thomas was part of a segregated crew loading ships with ammunition.

THOMAS: We were all black. My whole outfit was black except our officers. All our officers were white.

MARQUEZ: Eventually, African Americans contributed their blood to the war effort. From the airmen to hundreds of thousands of infantrymen to African American nurses.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There was a double fight that went on against Hitler and against Japanese fascism and the second fight to make democracy a reality within the American military.

MARQUEZ: It was that double fight says Hutchinson that was the seed for the civil rights movement. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It gave them pride. They didn't have to take the rotten conditions. They didn't have to accept their treatment anymore.

MARQUEZ: Edwin Thomas says he didn't feel mistreated during the war but he says if given the chance he would have gladly done more.

THOMAS: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) to know that you had the qualifications to do something that you were not allowed to do.

MARQUEZ: Thomas, though, has no regrets. After the service, he went to work for the post office retiring in 1981. He now looks forward to the next dance. Miguel Marquez, CNN, Los Angeles.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHOI: Recently people gathered in the mountains of North Carolina for a four-day tribute to old American-style music known as roots. Merle Fest is named for Merle Watson. CNN's Bruce Burkhardt looks at what and who is behind the festival's success.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRUCE BURKHARDT, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Go to a festival of traditional music in the mountains of western North Carolina, what do you expect to hear? A Russian folk band called Bering Strait playing a blues number? Or maybe something like this, 81-year-old legend Doc Watson playing a Bob Dylan tune.

DOC WATSON: I know what bluegrass is, and I don't play bluegrass. I play a general mixture of traditional American music, plus whatever else I want to play.

BURKHARDT: And he plays it here at Merlefest. Four-day festival and tribute to his late son Merle who died in a tractor accident 19 years ago. When Merle died, Doc not only lost his son, best friend, but the music world lost one of the best pickers ever.

And yet, the music never died. Merle's Richard now sits next to his grandfather. The circle is unbroken. Though he loves the blues, Doc is best known for so-called traditional or old-time music. Blind since the age of one, Doc got his start in music when his grandmother's cat died.

WATSON: My dad found it out. He said, if you boys will skin it for me, I'll make you a banjo. I had seen Jo Roger's advertisement in Sears-Roebuck catalog for cat skinned banjo heads. He said if he can make one, I can.

BURKHARDT: They ought to build a monument to that cat. They gave us a sound that could only have come from the mountains.

WATSON: But the mountains -- there's something about these mountains. The joys, the sorrows, and the in betweens. And it seems like the people of the country that are close to the earth have a way of expressing themselves it's most done simply in music. BURKHARDT: But Doc just makes it look simple. Others musicians performing at the Merle Fest know that.

TIM O'BRIEN, ENTERTAINER: He is a guy who can draw on all of those influences. And he can sell a stone cold traditional song with his brilliant performance. Sell that to a young audience. And he just -- he just kicks ass. I'm sorry.

BURKHARDT: O'Brien is a champion of old-time or roots music. Like so many other things we know as American. It started in the proverbial melting pot way back when. Mix-ins and Irish and African.

O'BRIEN: Like these Irish fiddle players start playing with these slave banjo players and they kind of started a new music. And that's Bluegrass or old-time, but really all the different roots forms have to do with that blending of European-African stuff.

BURKHARDT: And it is that stuff that Doc Watson brought to a wide audience. And he did it first not through Nashville, surprisingly, but through New York as a part of the folk revival of the early '60s. Ever since then, Doc Watson has been cool.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you think of yourself as a cool guy?

WATSON: No, I don't. I think of myself as one of the people just like any working man. And I love people. And they accuse me of being a celebrity but son; I don't know how to do that. I have no idea. I'm just Doc Watson.

BURKHARDT: Bruce Burkhardt, CNN, Noakesburrow (ph), North Carolina.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHOI: And he's modest, too.

Well, that's all the time we have for this hour. Coming up at 7:00 Eastern, profiles of Tom Hanks and belly Graham on PEOPLE IN THE NEWS. At 8:00, CNN PRESENTS: "A Flyboy Story." George Bush in World War II. At 9:00 Eastern, the Minnesota woman who was attacked by a mountain lion biking in California joins LARRY KING LIVE. And then I'll be back at 10:00 for CNN SUNDAY NIGHT. Tonight, a new movie about life at a Christian high school that's causing a bit of controversy.

The hour's headlines when we come back, and then PEOPLE IN THE NEWS.

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 30, 2004 - 18:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SOPHIA CHOI, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome to CNN SUNDAY. I'm Sophia Choi, Carol Lin has the evening off.
In the next hour, it was one of the few things found with Saddam Hussein when he was captured. Now one of his pistols has an unusual new home. Details, straight ahead.

Also the struggle within the struggle for many African American G.I.'s WWII was about more than defeating fascism. The story of one vet's fight for freedom coming up.

CHOI: While some cities and towns hold their breath, and hope the storms pass without incident, others are busy sizing up all of the damage. CNN's Denise Belgrave shows up who's been hit already, and just how hard.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DENISE BELGRAVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): These every day items are sad reminders of the power of Mother Nature. Three people died last night, and at least eight were injured when a powerful tornado ripped through the town of Weatherby in Northwest Missouri.

Among the injured, four children. These cinder blocks are all that remain of this house blown right off it's foundation. The National Weather Service says the weekend siege of thunderstorms in the central states are the biggest and the broadest of the season so far. Ninety-one tornadoes touched down in a six-state area on Saturday alone. Hardest hit were north central Kansas and North West Missouri. Harper county, 45 miles south of Wichita that, sustained serious damage. Resident Cathy Stewart says she feels numb.

KATHY STEWART, WICHITA RESIDENT: It came down for a while, took a little dirt out the field. Went back up. I thought, well, I'm safe. Then I decided it could dip down again and it did dip down again. It took a beat on our house and didn't let up. We went to the basement.

BELGRAVE: With her refrigerator blown three feet into the living room, Stewart says she and her family are lucky to be alive. The Stewarts are not the only lucky ones. The tornadoes spared densely populated areas, avoiding what could have been a much greater disaster. Denise Belgrave, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE) CHOI: And for the latest weather updates and to view tornado video, log on to our web site, cnn.com.

And now to Iraq and a fierce fire fight between coalition forces and militants in Kufa. U.S. troops on a reconnaissance mission entered the city and clashed with fighters of radical Shiite cleric. CNN's Guy Raz is live on the telephone with the latest. Guy?

GUY RAZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Sophia, what was supposed to be day three of a truce declared by Muqtada al Sadr and the members of Mahdi militia brigade seems to have unraveled. Over the past few days, U.S. forces had come under limited attack.

But this evening, U.S. reconnaissance team that was about 100 U.S. troops with -- backed by ten tanks, about several armored personnel carriers came under heavy fire. It was a sustained exchange of gunfire in the town of Kufa. That's adjacent to Najaf, where recent fighting has taken place. That -- those clashes lasted about an-hour-and-a-half.

Now, U.S. official we spoke to here, a military official, estimates something around 30 Iraqi casualties, insurgents who were killed in those clashes this evening. And there have been an undetermined number of U.S. casualties, as well. Essentially, this mission was designed to find out whether members of this militia had been operating in Kufa. And clearly, U.S. forces discovered that indeed these fighters are still there. Sophia?

CHOI: All right. CNN's Guy Raz live on the telephone with the latest from Kufa, Iraq, tonight. Thank you.

An intense standoff in Saudi Arabia is now over. Saudi forces rescued hostages who were taken capture by militants this weekend. CNN's Morgan Neil has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MORGAN NEIL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): With a dramatic commander raid, Saudi forces brought an abrupt end to the 25-hour hostage standoff. But not before the attackers exacted a heavy price. Twenty-two people killed from ten nations according to Saudi officials.

One resident in the compound says the first he knew of the attack was a burst of gunfire. Within minutes, he says, gunmen were inside the compound hunting for westerners. Hours later, the commandos stormed the compound bringing 201 hostages in a residential area, and 41 others at a hotel building.

Saudi officials say they captured the group's leader but the hunt is on for three others that escaped using hostages as human shields. An audio recording on an Islamic Web site claimed responsibility in the name of a group linked to al Qaeda. The voice on the tape is believed to be that of, Abdel Aziz Muqran, alleged to be al Qaeda's top man in Saudi Arabia. He offered a chilling warning to Americans. UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): The youth of the Muslims will bring them the fruits of unbearable hell anywhere they are, whether Afghanistan, Iraq or the Arabian Peninsula. The lions of the Muslim youth have vowed not live in humiliation.

NEIL: But a Saudi official says the group's efforts to divide the Muslims from the rest of the world are destined to fail.

NAIL AL-JUBEIR, INFORMATION MINISTER, SAUDI EMBASSY: In the previous attacks, when Muslims and Arabs were killed, it had a major backlash to thinking by separating them that we'll be able to separate the Muslim world from the a major backlash. By separating them, that we'll be able to separate the Muslim world from the non-Muslim world.

But that's not working because a large number of those who were killed were Arabs, were Muslims, and they are targeting innocent civilians. They're trying to play on that split of culture, split of civilization. But it's not going to work.

NEIL: The father of one of the victims, a 10-year-old Egyptian boy, expressed his outrage.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): What is his guilt? That's not only my child. This is an innocent child going to school. Shoot at him, why? Kill him, why? What is this? Terrorism, Islam, whatever. Those are not Muslims.

NEIL: Morgan Neil, CNN Center.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHOI: And in the U.S. war on terror, the justice department is warning of possible al Qaeda attacks this summer. Seven terrorist suspects have been named. And now it appears one of them was identified by a top al Qaeda leader. CNN's Kathleen Koch is live in D.C. with more. Good evening.

KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good evening, Sophia. All but one of those suspects named last week, had been publicly identified before bylaw enforcement officials. So the question was where did the FBI get the tip to zero in on the seventh suspect? The only American named.

It turns out that that tip came from a very knowledgeable source.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KOCH (voice over): His was the new face in the gallery of wanted terrorist suspects put out by the federal government.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He attended the training camps in Afghanistan. He is known to have performed translations for al Qaeda as part of the services he has provided.

KOCH: Now "Newsweek" magazine reports Adam Gadahn was named by none other than al Qaeda operations chief, Khalid Shaikh Mohammed. In it's latest issue, the magazine says Mohammed told interrogators he wanted Gadahn to join a plot to blow up fuel stations outside Baltimore.

The report says Gadahn was willing to help, but would not join in any suicide operations because his wife was pregnant. Government sources say Mohammed had previously told interrogators of al Qaeda plans to attack gas stations in the Washington, D.C. and New York City areas.

Known as one of the masterminds of the 9/11 attacks, Mohammed had already fingered about a dozen al Qaeda operatives. Officials say two of them, Adanel Surkijuma (ph) and Afius Sadikhi (ph), were among the seven listed last week with Gadahn.

Since his capture in Pakistan in March, 2003 Mohammed has been held in U.S. custody at an undisclosed location where he is being interrogated. Experts say Mohammed has implicated himself and others in numerous terrorist plots.

PETER BERGEN, TERRORISM ANALYST: I would say Mohammed has produced the information in the past. In fact, information that he's produced has led to the arrest and imprisonment of somebody trying to sabotage the Brooklyn Bridge. But more importantly, when people like Shaikh Mohammed are arrested they are usually with computers, cell phones, these kinds of things useful information can be derived from.

KOCH: But that and all information being provided by Khalid Shaikh Mohammed is now more than a year old.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KOCH: Experts do insist that Mohammed can still give valuable insight though into the structure and operations of al Qaeda, and could even perhaps some day serve as a witness against other top al Qaeda leaders including Osama Bin Laden. Sophia?

CHOI: Kathleen, thank you for that. With more on this reported terror plot inside U.S. borders, we're joined by Michael Isikoff, who is an investigative correspondent with "Newsweek." He joins us live on the telephone from Washington. Thanks for joining us.

MICHAEL ISIKOFF, NEWSWEEK: Good evening.

CHOI: So what are your sources saying about the reliability of this information?

ISIKOFF: Hard to say. Much of this information has been pretty steady coming in for a long time. There's been no sudden spike in chatter or other indicators suggesting an imminent attack as was indicated last week. Also, no signs of -- nothing specific that points to a particular plot underway.

But, analysis especially since the Madrid bombings, March 11, has suggested to U.S. authorities that al Qaeda or al Qaeda aligned people may well want to use the Spanish model, which after all, was designed to disrupt the and influence the Spanish elections a few days later, and replicate that in the United States.

So people look, we have an ongoing election coming in the United States, we have political conventions this summer. We have other opportunities that would -- that might present themselves to a terrorist attack and say, given what we know about al Qaeda's intentions, and what we know about some of how they've operated in the past, it is highly possible that they could be -- take this opportunity.

CHOI: Right, but Michael, I wanted to get to Gadahn, this information about Gadahn himself. This report was from a year ago. Why wait until now, a year later, to finger him?

ISIKOFF: Good question. Because, in fact, all of the seven, Gadahn included, are people who have been known to the FBI for some time. I think a lot of this is sort of a reflection of the evolution of FBI's thinking in which in the past they have been quite secretive about what they knew. Quite reluctant to share with state and local governments and the public the kinds of information they've known.

And people have suggested maybe that's not the best approach. Maybe the best approach to go public put these peoples' pictures out there and it might make people nervous. It might make some people react. So I think this is more an evolution in thinking about strategy in counterterrorism than a reflection of any particular new piece of information.

CHOI: Michael Isikoff, we look forward to reading your entire article on Gadahn and the ramifications.

ISIKOFF: Thank you.

CHOI: It is a sex scandal with a mixed outcome.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It is still devastating and sad, but it's so expected, and I'm not shocked by it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHOI: The University of Colorado football coach is back to calling plays. Hear how people really feel about his reinstate.

Plus, one of the most famous National Guard units is packing up once again. How lesson from the past is helping them in Iraq.

And later, grab your guitar, because we are headed to the mountains for Merlefest.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHOI: The man who's reportedly taking responsibility for the attacks in Saudi Arabia is Abdel Aziz al-Muqrin. Saudi authorities say he's al Qaeda's top man in their country. With more on his involvement, we're joined by Harvey Kushner. He's the author of "The Encyclopedia of Terrorism," and is a professor at Long Island University. Glad you could join us. What can you tell us about Muqrin?

HARVEY KUSHNER, LONG ISLAND UNIVERSITY: Well, Muqrin was in Afghanistan. He's 30 years old. And some people say he's slated to be the next bin Laden. But quite frankly, nobody will be the next bin Laden. You have Muqrin in Saudi Arabia, who will probably take over operations there, or has.

And you have Zarqawi in Iraq. You have these little bin Ladens that spring up. He's a dangerous individual. He's been out on the Internet. He's issued a series of commands. He has a whole long diatribe about how to cripple Saudi Arabia and their economy. How to get outsiders out of that area. And hurt the world's economy as well as the oil industry in Saudi Arabia.

CHOI: Is he a player at all outside of Saudi Arabia?

KUSHNER: Probably not. Quite frankly, as I said before, bin Laden is the overall overseer of al Qaeda. Zawahiri is second in command. But the new phase is to have individual leaders, chiefs of operations so to speak, regionally throughout the world, in a variety of countries where al Qaeda has a presence. In that sense, he's a player.

CHOI: Right. What are the larger implications then of this recent attack in Saudi Arabia?

KUSHNER: Well, the implications are the many expatriates who run the oil industry there, probably around six million, 10,000 which are Americans, from top to bottom, from command posts down to the very menial jobs. If they cut and run, the Saudis have a problem with that producing oil. And this is al Qaeda's objective. Is to hurt the world's economy, and certainly, to hurt Saudi Arabia by getting any expatriate out of the area, and they are doing quite a good job.

CHOI: Yes, Saudi Arabia said it was cracking down on terrorists within its borders after the Riyadh attack in 2003. How strong is their commitment?

KUSHNER: Well, let's face it. It's not that strong. They cracked down on the one side. On the other hand, they support it. As long as the Saudis support Wahhabism and give money towards that, they have not done very little, really to work on that side.

They have mounted some raids against certain individuals, but they have not done enough really in the war against terrorism inside their borders. That's why we saw attacks last November in Riyadh, their housing. We saw recently, April 21, we had an attack at the government security building. And now, this one. So the Saudis have really not stepped up to the plate to stop al Qaeda inside their borders.

CHOI: Harvey Kushner, terrorism analyst, thank you so much for your insights on this topic.

KUSHNER: Pleasure.

CHOI: From stories across America, now a top judge in New Mexico with a big legal problem of his own. W. John Brennan (ph) was arrested on a drug possession charge, and has taken a leave of absence. A woman riding in the passenger state -- is also a state official. She's been charged with possessing a controlled substance.

In Littleton, Colorado, a golfer was killed after being struck by lightning at a driving range. Officials say the man's 16-year-old son is now hospitalized. A witness says the skies were overcast but did not appear threatening when the lightening struck.

In Clark County, Washington, divers have suspended their search for a woman who disappeared in the Columbia River. She was on board a boat that capsized yesterday. Four other people were rescued, including a toddler.

An announcement last Thursday ended a rocky four months for Colorado Head Football Coach Gary Barnett. He found out he will be able to keep his job despite a number of sexual misconduct allegations against his players. But his reinstatement triggered both cheers and booes in the Boulder community. CNN's sports reporter Josie Burke has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GARY BARNETT, COLORADO HEAD FOOTBALL COACH: In my mind, physically, emotionally, I've been fighting a four-month battle, and I'm a little drained. So, I need to get a -- restore my adrenaline a little bit.

JOSIE BURKE, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The return of the Head Coach Gary Barnett was greeted with elation by some parents of University of Colorado football players.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He hasn't done anything wrong. He's a good man.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is a cause for celebration.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Absolutely, absolutely.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What's the plan?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Party.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Celebration.

BURKE: The school is still being sued by several women who claim they were raped at a recruiting party in 2001 while Barnett was head coach. This Sociology professor had a different reaction to the news Barnett would not be fired.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's still devastating and sad. But it's so expected. And I'm not shocked by it. It's enraging. BURKE: The school president Betsy Hoffman announced major structural changes including the athletic director who used to report to the chancellor now reports to the provost, like every other department head.

BARBARA BINTLIFF, BOULDER FACULTY ASSEMBLY: I think this is a marvelous first step. We will have the opportunity to integrate our athletics into the academic mission of the university. It's a courageous and bold plan.

Burke: Jean Dubofsky isn't so sure. She was on the independent investigative commission that compiled a report on the football recruiting scandal that was critical of Colorado's top leaders. The chancellor, Richard Binny (ph), Athletics Director Dick Tharpp (ph), Hoffman, and Barnett.

JEAN DUBOFSKY, INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATIVE COMMITTEE: I would have been more optimistic if there was someone new coming in to say OK, we're going to do things differently.

BURKE: Hoffman insisted money wasn't a factor when it came to Barnett. It would have cost the university already in financial trouble millions of dollars to buy out his contract. Critics have doubts.

JANINE D'ANNIBALLE, BOULDER RAPE CRISIS CENTER: I think there was some real hesitancy to make that change and upset the fans and the boosters and the regions. I also think with the lawsuits pending against the university, they didn't want to make themselves more liable there by changing personnel.

BURKE: Besides the lawsuits, a grand jury is looking into whether a former recruiting assistant provided recruits with prostitutes. But Attorney General Ken Salazar has declined to file criminal charges in any of the nine instances of sexual assault involving CU football players or recruits alleged to have occurred since 1997. Josie Burke, CNN, Boulder, Colorado.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHOI: Fighting a war on several fronts, still to come right here. How African Americans who served in World War II endured racial inequality with another goal in mind.

Plus, here we go again. Headed back to war. The faces have changed but not their cause.

And later, no running water, no toothbrush, no deodorant. Can you live like that? We'll talk to a family that survived the 1600s.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHOI: A new reality show has modern-day folks living the real simple life. It's called "Colonial House." And the settlers live by 17th century rules, without running water or electricity or deodorant as we mentioned. CNN's Carol Lin spoke to the Wyers family who was chosen for the show.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CAROL LIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Jeff, why did you decide to do this?

JEFF WYERS, COLONIAL HOUSE: It was an adventure. It was a chance to relive history in a way you never get to do again.

LIN: You perhaps got more than you bargained for. Tammy, we have some tape of you. And it seemed like you were a real crisis moment, where you were wondering what am I doing here?

TAMMY WYERS, COLONIAL HOUSE: I don't want to seem negative about everything. But I'm having a hard time. My children are cold. And the mosquitoes eat us alive at night. The wind blows through, and it rains in on us. I just -- I want to take care of my family.

LIN: What was the hardest thing for you?

T. WYERS: The hardest thing for me was that I never for a moment stopped being a mother. And that's just, that's my toughest and most important role in the 21st century. And that's the one I played there only under much different constraints.

LIN: How did you cook? What did you have to figure out that you normally take for granted in your day-to-day life?

T. WYERS: How to keep a fire going.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That she never did figure out.

J. WYERS: The firewood we had there was soft wood and it was green. So you didn't get a lot of BTU's and it didn't last very long. And you'd put fire on there -- wood on there and in 15 minutes it was gone and there wasn't even ashes left.

LIN: What did you have to eat? I mean, how did you find food?

T. WYERS: They supplied us with dried beans and oats that we had to pound and boil up. And then we had some barrels of dried meat that we salted. But we used the term meat very loosely.

LIN: Didn't really -- didn't taste like chicken?

T. WYERS: Oh, no. No.

LIN: OK, no running water, right?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No.

LIN: No plumbing, no toilets. No toothbrushes for a while.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No.

LIN: Right? But then they ended up cheating on that part. T. WYERS: Well, when our teeth started not looking so good, I mean, actually turning gray, like some of the colonists, you know, we had to rebel a little bit and say, a lot of us spent thousands of dollars on our teeth and we just can't afford to lose that.

LIN: Jeff, your position in the "Colonial House" was the governor. What was that position like and what did you learn about human nature from your experience?

J. WYERS: Well, it was a lot of management and human resource and very the very same things you would deal with in these days, just under a lot tougher circumstances. And the truth is, every one of us brought us own agendas, we brought our own goals, we brought our own needs.

LIN: And you were trying to balance real life, as well. Bethany, we were sorry to hear about your fiance who was killed in a car accident while you were participating in this show. You all as a family left to go deal with that crisis. How was it to balance the real world with the colonial world?

BETHANY WYERS, COLONIAL HOUSE: "The Colonial World" was so surreal and after the incident with Caleb (ph), coming back to the colony and being able to kind of lose yourself in that surreal world was a way that it helped us to all heal. Unlike we would have been able to do in the 21st century.

LIN: Well, as we watch, we can't imagine being no your shoes. But we shared and loved every moment with all of you including you, David. Yes. You're only 10 years old but what memories you will have.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHOI: They did all that I'm told they didn't get a penny for it. That was Carol Lin talking with Wyers family. "Colonial House" by the way is currently playing on PBS, check your local listings.

Still to come on CNN LIVE SUNDAY, he was packing a pistol when he was plucked from the spider hole. Coming up next, Saddam's firearm now has a new owner.

And later, the grandson of international icon Sir Winston Churchill joins us live.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHOI: We have a developing story out of Louisville, Kentucky, that the hour. We're going to show you some video courtesy of WAVY, that's our affiliate in Louisville, Kentucky. This video just coming in to CNN. This is the damage left after multiple sightings of tornadoes in that area. And we hear more storms may be on the way. Let's go now to Jacqui Jeras for more.

JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Right now Louisville is doing better. The worse of the storms headed on off to the east right on the neck of the woods here of Lexington, Kentucky. And there has been some rotation with this thunderstorm, so still a very doing you situation. To the west of Louisville doing a little bit better, but you see some cells trying to develop around Evansville, right along the Ohio River here so Louisville may be seeing more severe thunderstorms and rotation possible a little bit later on.

St. Louis, you were just under a tornado warning, that just expired now at the bottom of the hour. But you see multiple severe thunderstorms still heading your way and this super cell of very serious concern. There have been multiple reports of tornadoes touching down with that cell and tornado warnings remain in effect for northern Marion and Southern Fayette counties for the next 15 minutes or so, and also into north central Illinois just to the north and west of Peoria.

There you can see the bright red on your radar. We do have spotters reporting a tornado two miles south of Secor, or three miles east of Eureka. So this continues to be a very volatile situation tonight. A plethora of tornado warnings in effect. Watches covering most of the Ohio valley, middle Mississippi River valley and even stretching over towards North Carolina continuing throughout the night. We'll tell you the worst of it -- Sophia.

CHOI: So glad you are on top of all of that for us, thanks Jacqui.

President Bush will spend most of the week on the road. Tomorrow, he'll mark Memorial Day by giving a speech at Arlington. Then and Wednesday, he will give a speech in Colorado before heading to France and Italy to meet with leaders there in hopes of getting support for the new U.N. resolution.

This comes at a time when he's facing critics at home who charge the war in Iraq has distracted the U.S. from the war on terror. White House correspondent Susanne Malveaux has the story.

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SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Literally driving their point home, leaders of Rolling Thunder roared up the south lawn of the White House. The Veterans group was invited to meet with Mr. Bush as part of Memorial Day observances.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He was the only one to stand up, write us a letter, and tell us what he'd do for veterans in his country.

MALVEAUX: Mr. Bush and his opponent, Vietnam vet John Kerry are fiercely competing for the veteran vote. But the president walked away with a coveted endorsement of this 7,000-member organization. He addressed the rally by phone to thank the soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: ... that they're carrying out this mission. A mission which will make America more secure, and the world more free. MALVEAUX: But five weeks from the handover of power to Iraqis, critics charge the U.S. still has no real plan to bring about Iraqi sovereignty.

GEN. ANTHONY ZINNI (RET.), FORMER CENTCOM COMMANDER: Educate the electorate, build political parties. Understand the people of Iraq to understand the kind of government they want to have, the kind of governmental structure. If we don't get this right in the next three or four or five weeks, we are in terrible shape.

MALVEAUX: But Bush supporter say democracy is possible in time.

ROBERT DOLE, FORMER U.S. SENATOR: In a year? No. Two years, no. Five years, maybe. Ten years? OK. But we're still working on ours after 200 years. We are not there.

MALVEAUX: Controversy over how Iraq's interim prime minister was selected Friday has already created uncertainty over who's in charge. Adnan Pachachi, a leading candidate for interim president, denied he and other members of the U.S. appointed Iraqi Governing Council are stepping on the U.N. and others to call the shots.

ADNAN PACHACHI, IRAQI GOVERNING COUNCIL: According to the law, this government would be formed as a result of extensive consultations with all strands of Iraqi society.

MALVEAUX: And while the focus now is on Iraq, some lawmakers worry the administration is neglecting the homeland.

REP JANE HARMAN (D), CALIFORNIA: We did took our eye off the ball in terms of homeland security efforts in the last two years as we have had this difficult task in Iraq.

REP. DAVID DREIER (R), CALIFORNIA: Iraq is part and parcel of the global war on terrorism. We're continuing to see al Qaeda presence in Iraq.

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MALVEAUX: Now, Mr. Bush will make his case that U.S. policy on Iraq is sound before domestic audience Memorial Day at the National Arlington Cemetery, and before his international counterparts later in the week, in Europe -- Sophia.

CHOI: Suzanne Malveaux at the White House thanks so much.

Also at the White House, a pistol is said to be among a collection of President Bush's favorite memorabilia. But it's not just any gun, it is a pistol that former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein was carrying when he was captured in a spider hole in December.

It's off to war for an infamous New York National Guard unit. Soldiers of the fighting 69th are leaving families to head to Iraq. It is the first time the infantry has fought in decades. CNN's Jason Carroll has their war story as part of our series on the front lines.

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JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): They marched in unison. Stood before their family members. It's a proud day for the 69th infantry. And a sad one, too.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Come home in a long time daddy?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, Daddy doesn't come home long time.

CARROLL: Christopher Daniels and (UNINTELLIGIBLE) are leaving their families.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Listen to your teachers, and listen to your mother.

CARROLL: They'll be gone for more than a year. Fighting in a National Guard reserve unit that has been doing battle for more than 100 years.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'd say we're probably New York's most famous regimen.

CARROLL: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) armory.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's an original letter by Abraham Lincoln.

CARROLL: And get a lesson in why they're called the fighting 69th. Formed in 1851, most Irish immigrants. So tough, Robert E. Lee added fighting to the name after battling them in Fredericksburg. Their faces have changed. So has their focus.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Your boots and chemical suit.

CARROLL: For the first time since World War II, they're headed back into battle. They are packed, trained, but few are ready to say good-bye.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you going to miss daddy?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Can I have a kiss? Good kiss.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So you have one that's five. Another child that's three. How do you explain to them in terms that they can understand what's happening? What's going on?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I just try to tell her, daddy's not coming home for a long time. Where's daddy going Timmy?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Iraq.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They know it's a war going on out there and there are soldiers dying and stuff like that. I think that's the part that scares them the most. CARROLL: These are the good-byes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I love you. I love you. Don't forget that.

CARROLL: One last hug as the 69th marches on. Jason Carroll, CNN, New York.

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CHOI: An important presence at yesterday's World War II Memorial dedication ceremony in Washington. The grandson of former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. Winston S. Churchill joins us now from our New York bureau. Good evening.

WINSTON S. CHURCHILL, WINSTON CHURCHILL'S GRANDSON: Good evening.

CHOI: It was such an emotional day for so many people. What was it like for you, and what did you think of the memorial?

CHURCHILL: Well, it was a very proud day to be with all those great heroes. For me, they're the hero generation. They saved the world from Nazism, from Hitler and they defeated imperial Japan and made the world safe for us today. And, I think it's wonderful they've got their own memorial. Too bad it's been such a long time coming. There's only a fraction of the original numbers left. They're losing them at 11 or 1200 a day at the moment.

CHOI: What can this generation take away from the greatest generation of World War II?

CHURCHILL: I think one's got to realize, these weren't old men. These were young men in the prime of their life and young women. They were just ordinary folk. Very ordinary folk. And yet, they did quite extraordinary things. And, they rose to the challenge.

When their country was threatened, they volunteered for the colors and this replicated itself not just across the states of America, but throughout the English-speaking world. Britain, her Dominions, Canada, Australian, New Zealand, South Africa, India. They all volunteered in their hundreds of thousands. And, they didn't ask what's in it for me? Never. Not for a second.

CHOI: If your grandfather was here today, what do you think he'd tell the veterans?

CHURCHILL: Well, I think he would be enormously proud of them. I'm certainly going to be there for the 60th anniversary of D-day on the Normandy beaches at invasion strength with my small family. We're going to be nine of us there. I want them to know and understand what was done by that generation to make Europe free, to make the world safe. And to give us the freedom and prosperity that we enjoy today. We have such a debt of gratitude to those men and women.

CHOI: I'm sure your grandfather would expect you to be there. What was he like? What was Sir Winston Churchill like personally?

CHURCHILL: Well, of course, I knew him first and foremost as a grandfather. So many people have said to me, particularly in the United States, on speaking tours and things, it must be awesome having a grandfather like him. You must have been so frightened of him. Nothing could be further from the truth. He was so approachable. So loving. So full of laughter. And mischief. He was just adorable.

CHOI: Winston S. Churchill, grandson of Sir Winston Churchill. Thank you so much.

CHURCHILL: My pleasure.

CHOI: Well, the words bravery and sacrifice have been mentioned numerous times this weekend concerning veterans of World War II. But they seem to carry special significance for men like Edwin Thomas, Sr. A man who fought for freedom, having never realized it's true meaning. CNN's Miguel Marquez has his story.

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EDWIN THOMAS SENIOR: My name is Edwin N. Thomas Senior.

MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): He is 85 years old and an avid dancer. Perhaps the most important experience of his life though came in 1943. Swept up into World War II.

THOMAS: We were drafted. I had no choice. When World War II broke out they started calling everybody.

MARQUEZ: Like most African Americans, Thomas was not called up until two years after the U.S. entered the war. Until then, draft boards denied them the right to serve in combat.

THOMAS: People that had brains knew that if we did that, they couldn't demand a thing. After the war was over.

MARQUEZ: So African Americans fought at home for the right to die abroad. Initially blacks were allowed only menial jobs, no combat. Edwin Thomas was part of a segregated crew loading ships with ammunition.

THOMAS: We were all black. My whole outfit was black except our officers. All our officers were white.

MARQUEZ: Eventually, African Americans contributed their blood to the war effort. From the airmen to hundreds of thousands of infantrymen to African American nurses.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There was a double fight that went on against Hitler and against Japanese fascism and the second fight to make democracy a reality within the American military.

MARQUEZ: It was that double fight says Hutchinson that was the seed for the civil rights movement. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It gave them pride. They didn't have to take the rotten conditions. They didn't have to accept their treatment anymore.

MARQUEZ: Edwin Thomas says he didn't feel mistreated during the war but he says if given the chance he would have gladly done more.

THOMAS: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) to know that you had the qualifications to do something that you were not allowed to do.

MARQUEZ: Thomas, though, has no regrets. After the service, he went to work for the post office retiring in 1981. He now looks forward to the next dance. Miguel Marquez, CNN, Los Angeles.

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CHOI: Recently people gathered in the mountains of North Carolina for a four-day tribute to old American-style music known as roots. Merle Fest is named for Merle Watson. CNN's Bruce Burkhardt looks at what and who is behind the festival's success.

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BRUCE BURKHARDT, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Go to a festival of traditional music in the mountains of western North Carolina, what do you expect to hear? A Russian folk band called Bering Strait playing a blues number? Or maybe something like this, 81-year-old legend Doc Watson playing a Bob Dylan tune.

DOC WATSON: I know what bluegrass is, and I don't play bluegrass. I play a general mixture of traditional American music, plus whatever else I want to play.

BURKHARDT: And he plays it here at Merlefest. Four-day festival and tribute to his late son Merle who died in a tractor accident 19 years ago. When Merle died, Doc not only lost his son, best friend, but the music world lost one of the best pickers ever.

And yet, the music never died. Merle's Richard now sits next to his grandfather. The circle is unbroken. Though he loves the blues, Doc is best known for so-called traditional or old-time music. Blind since the age of one, Doc got his start in music when his grandmother's cat died.

WATSON: My dad found it out. He said, if you boys will skin it for me, I'll make you a banjo. I had seen Jo Roger's advertisement in Sears-Roebuck catalog for cat skinned banjo heads. He said if he can make one, I can.

BURKHARDT: They ought to build a monument to that cat. They gave us a sound that could only have come from the mountains.

WATSON: But the mountains -- there's something about these mountains. The joys, the sorrows, and the in betweens. And it seems like the people of the country that are close to the earth have a way of expressing themselves it's most done simply in music. BURKHARDT: But Doc just makes it look simple. Others musicians performing at the Merle Fest know that.

TIM O'BRIEN, ENTERTAINER: He is a guy who can draw on all of those influences. And he can sell a stone cold traditional song with his brilliant performance. Sell that to a young audience. And he just -- he just kicks ass. I'm sorry.

BURKHARDT: O'Brien is a champion of old-time or roots music. Like so many other things we know as American. It started in the proverbial melting pot way back when. Mix-ins and Irish and African.

O'BRIEN: Like these Irish fiddle players start playing with these slave banjo players and they kind of started a new music. And that's Bluegrass or old-time, but really all the different roots forms have to do with that blending of European-African stuff.

BURKHARDT: And it is that stuff that Doc Watson brought to a wide audience. And he did it first not through Nashville, surprisingly, but through New York as a part of the folk revival of the early '60s. Ever since then, Doc Watson has been cool.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you think of yourself as a cool guy?

WATSON: No, I don't. I think of myself as one of the people just like any working man. And I love people. And they accuse me of being a celebrity but son; I don't know how to do that. I have no idea. I'm just Doc Watson.

BURKHARDT: Bruce Burkhardt, CNN, Noakesburrow (ph), North Carolina.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHOI: And he's modest, too.

Well, that's all the time we have for this hour. Coming up at 7:00 Eastern, profiles of Tom Hanks and belly Graham on PEOPLE IN THE NEWS. At 8:00, CNN PRESENTS: "A Flyboy Story." George Bush in World War II. At 9:00 Eastern, the Minnesota woman who was attacked by a mountain lion biking in California joins LARRY KING LIVE. And then I'll be back at 10:00 for CNN SUNDAY NIGHT. Tonight, a new movie about life at a Christian high school that's causing a bit of controversy.

The hour's headlines when we come back, and then PEOPLE IN THE NEWS.

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