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CNN Live Sunday
Philippine Authorities Refuse to Meet Hostage Takers' Demands; Bombing in Tel Aviv Kills 1, Injures 20
Aired July 11, 2004 - 11:00 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.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: It's 11 a.m. on the east coast, 8 a.m. on the west. I'm Fredricka Whitfield at the CNN global headquarters in Atlanta. Welcome to CNN LIVE SUNDAY.
Ahead this hour, the Philippines refuses to meet hostage-taker demands as the family of a man being held captive prepares to go to Iraq. We'll have the latest on that story.
And we'll find out why one man is being credited with helping to reduce the number of AIDS cases in Thailand.
And this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: Finally get to see my daughter, Ava Rose, born 4th of July.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: A Yankee doodle reunion for one Marine home from Iraq for R and R.
But first, now in the news.
Deadly violence starts the workweek in Israel. A bombing at a Tel Aviv bus stop kills one woman and injuries more than 20 others. Palestinian security sources say the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade is claiming responsibility. Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is condemning the attack.
A legend in corporate America has died. Former Times Mirror president Al Casey died today in Dallas. Casey served as president and chairman of several companies, including American Airlines and First Republic Bank. He was also the U.S. postmaster general during his career. Al Casey was 84.
Anthrax eradication. The former headquarters of a supermarket tabloid is being fumigated to get rid of the spores. The American Media building was the site of a deadly anthrax attack nearly three years ago. A company owned by former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani is cleaning the building.
You're watching CNN, the most trusted name in news. We begin with the end of Tenet's tenure. The nation's spy chief, George Tenet, officially leaves his post at the Central Intelligence Agency today. His departure comes on the heels of a Senate committee's critical report last week of the CIA and of Tenet. With reaction now, CNN's Dana Bash is live from the White House.
Dana?
DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Fredricka. That 511-page report did conclude that intelligence given to the president and members of Congress was based on faulty information. That was unanimous among the Senate Intelligence Committee members. That was also, obviously, a devastating finding.
But while the report does say that there was no pressure given by the president and his top aides, two members of the intelligence community, that is definitely not something that is unanimous. Democrats are not so sure about that. They also say that they do think the president and his top aides still exaggerated the information that he had at the time in order to make the case for war, because, as Senator Jay Rockefeller, the ranking Democrat on that committee said this morning, he is convinced that the White House was determined to go to war no matter what the intelligence said.
Now, while Democrats say that they are frustrated that those answers to those questions won't be found out until after the election, because that is when the committee is going to complete phase two of the report which is going to look into whether the White House exaggerated the information, Republicans say that what's important to do here is to get to the bottom of the bad intelligence. Why that happened and to focus on reforming the intelligence community so that this doesn't happen again.
Republicans also make the point that it wasn't just the president who relied on this information and made statements that now perhaps are inaccurate. It was also members of Congress when they were debating on the Senate floor, also members of the United Nations and even around the world, all were are relying on bad information. That is something we are hearing, Fredricka, from the White House. The president said on Friday and will continue to say this week, that everybody thought that things were different. But he still will say that the case for war was right and it was the right thing to go to war in Iraq. Fredricka?
WHITFIELD: Dana Bash at the White House, thanks very much.
And on Sunday, they rest. The presidential candidates are taking a day off from the campaign trail today after a busy last few days. Democratic hopefuls John Kerry and John Edwards wrapped up a four-day tour through Senator Edwards' home state of North Carolina yesterday. And President Bush has no campaign stops scheduled for today either. He and the first lady attended church today in Washington and will attend the White House t-ball game later on today. The president spent last week on a bus tour through Pennsylvania.
The campaign trail won't lead President Bush to the NAACP convention underway in Philadelphia. The president has declined an invitation to speak before the civil rights group for the fourth straight year. Mr. Bush reportedly says he has a quote "basically nonexistent" relationship with the group's leadership. African- American leaders called his decision disappointing.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN STREET, MAYOR, PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA: I think it's very unfortunate that President Bush chose to ignore this convention.
KWEISI MFUME, PRESIDENT, NAACP: I've written and written and written requesting a meeting or an opportunity to talk about important issues; we've written, inviting him to call and address this and we've gotten no response. There's been absolute silence. I think the larger picture is, in an election that's going to be as close as this one no party can afford slippage or to write off an entire group of voters because you may not agree with them on one issue or another.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: The White House also accuses the NAACP of hostile political comments about the president. Democrat John Kerry is expected to speak later at the convention.
And all is fair in love and politics? Republicans are helping third party candidate Ralph Nader. Nader is seeking the presidency as a Reform Party candidate. The Michigan GOP party sent an e-mail urging its base to help get Nader on the ballot to draw away Democratic votes. The state's Democratic Party says it's unethical. The Nader campaign is asking both parties to mind their own business.
What effect will the Nader factor have in the November elections? Hear Ralph Nader's answers to that question on "LATE EDITION WITH WOLF BLITZER." That's today at noon eastern, 9:00 pacific.
After a string of conflicting reports about the fate of a Filipino hostage being held in Iraq, one thing seems clear. At this hour, the hostage remains in the hands of his captors. We get latest details now from CNN's Maria Ressa in Manila.
Maria?
MARIA RESSA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, 46-year-old Angelo de la Cruz worked as a truck driver in Iraq because he wanted to send home money to his wife and eight children. Nearly everyone in the Philippines knows someone like him. In fact, there are more than 8 million Filipinos working overseas, 4,000 of them in Iraq.
On Saturday, for a short while, his family thought that their prayers had been answered. There were cheers of jubilation, shouts of joy, but the celebration was premature. Soon after that, a faxed letter to Al Jazeera, reportedly written by the kidnappers, issued a new demand, that the Philippines pull out troops [UNINTELLIGIBLE] within ten days and it demanded an answer within 24 hours. That deadline now approaching here in the Philippines. On Sunday, the Philippine cabinet met for an emergency session more than five hours before it gave its response. It said that it would not accede to the kidnappers demands. It will pull out its troops from Iraq as scheduled on August 20, not ten days from now. A Filipino team in Iraq continues to work for the safe release of de la Cruz -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: And Maria, what is it now about the family members of de la Cruz that are planning to go to Iraq?
RESSA: That's true. His wife and his brother are getting ready to fly to Iraq now. At the family's request, the Philippine government will fly them there so they can be closer, they can understand and see exactly what's happening.
Fredricka?
WHITFIELD: All right. Maria Ressa from Manila, thanks very much.
Two other hostages held in Iraq are apparently alive and still being held against their will. The government of Bulgaria confirms that two of its citizens, both truck drivers, are being held captive. Their captors are demanding the release of prisoners held in Iraq.
The U.S. Marine who disappeared from Iraq last month could be back in the U.S. early this week. Wassef Ali Hassoun is now at a U.S. base in Germany for debriefing and a medical checkup. He's listed in good physical condition, but recovering from exhaustion. His brother in the states says Hassoun is expected to return to his home base of North Carolina tomorrow or Tuesday.
In the fight for Iraq, five U.S. troops are reported killed. A U.S. soldier and an Iraqi civilian were killed in a road roadside bomb in northern Iraq, and four Marines have been killed in a vehicle accident near the Syrian border.
Iraq's new leader is canceling a planned trip to Europe next week after a threat on his life from terrorist leaders. Prime Minister Iyad Allawi was set to meet EU and British officials. The prime minister was condemned at a pro-Saddam rally in Baqubah, north of Baghdad. Some of the 150 demonstrators were armed and others wore masks.
Meantime in Baghdad, a crowd of demonstrators hanged an effigy of the former Iraqi dictator.
A shocker on the field. One of America's elite track and field athletes won't be making the trip to Athens to compete in her signature event.
And an emergency landing on a California highway. Everyone comes out OK, but the pilot lands in jail. We'll explain.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) WHITFIELD: U.S. track star Marion Jones faded to fifth, failing to make the cut in the 100-meter Olympic finals in Sacramento. The top three finishers are Athens-bound in that race. She's the defending gold medalist in that Olympic event. Jones still has a chance to make the Olympic team in the long jump and 200-meter events later on this week.
In the Tour de France, American Lance Armstrong is also fading in the wake of younger, faster riders. In yesterday's stage, Armstrong ended up 55th. 32-year-old Armstrong is battling for his sixth victory in the tour.
It's being called the test case for gay rights in the state of Georgia. Gay members of a private golf club have filed a complaint with a city of Atlanta and so far, mediation has failed. Stuck in the middle of the controversy, Atlanta's mayor. Details now from CNN's Betty Nguyen.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SHIRLEY FRANKLIN, MAYOR, ATLANTA, GEORGIA: I regret that Georgia is one of few states that has not put on the books that anti- discrimination law.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): With that attitude looming in the Georgia legislature, the fight for gay rights moves to the back nine on Atlanta's Druid Hills Golf Club, and the next play in the hands of Mayor Shirley Franklin.
FRANKLIN: As a matter of fact, Georgia is one of the few states that will have on the ballot in November an amendment, a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage.
NGUYEN: At issue, the private group's practice of granting full privileges to wives and husbands, but not to gay companions. They have to pay the same $50,000 entrance fee as their partners.
LEE KYSER, GAY CLUB MEMBER: That continues to put us in a second-class citizenship over there at that club. And we're not talking about in the future. We're talking about in the moment.
NGUYEN: Members doctor Lee Kyser and attorney Randy New both have gay partners. The pair filed a complaint with the city of Atlanta's human relations commission and won. Which means the mayor must now decide whether to take legal action. And that's where city ordinances come into play.
NGUYEN (on camera): The ordinance gives the mayor the authority to strip one of the south's most prestigious golf clubs of its city permits, including its liquor license. Now, this case went to mediation, but both sides failed to find a common ground.
RANDY NEW, GAY CLUB MEMBER: This is a case where either we're treated equally or we're not. And that's a hard case to mediate. I suggest the second mediation can't solve that problem any better than the first one did, and the mayor's going to have to make a decision. NGUYEN (voice-over): Golf club officials refused to go on camera, but the Druid Hills general manager issued this statement. It says the club hopes to continue the mediation process.
Mayor Franklin has said little publicly about the case until now.
FRANKLIN: I don't have any hesitation standing up for the rights of gays, none at all. I want to do it in a way that advances the cause as opposed to in a way that's going to cause us to be in a protracted lawsuit that we might lose.
NGUYEN: All sides believe this is a case that almost certainly will end up in the courts.
KYSER: We're not going silently into this night.
NGUYEN: The only question is how far will it go?
FRANKLIN: We are reviewing the constitutionality of that ordinance, as it was passed and adopted prior to my election. And we are looking for the options that I might have that can withstand the federal test.
NGUYEN: Betty Nguyen, CNN, Atlanta.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: A quick look now at other news across America.
A remarkable sight. Stunned motorists maneuvered as a single engine plane made an emergency landing on California's Interstate 5 Saturday, clipping a van before coming to a stop. Only minor injuries were reported. Police suspect the pilot was F.U.I., flying under the influence.
In Wellfleet, Massachusetts, plumes of smoke and a small brushfire after a fireworks display unexpectedly ignited Saturday. A faulty shell is being blamed for the noontime explosion. No one was injured. The show was already weather delayed from the 4th of July and it will be rescheduled now for later this summer.
Florida firefighters are battling to bring several wildfires under control. A raging fire in the Everglades has consumed some 6,800 acres. Other fires are burning through hundreds of acres in south Lee County and an area west of Port Saint Lucie.
Let's get a look at the weather this weekend, this Sunday with Rob Marciano.
ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Hey, Fred, how you doing?
WHITFIELD: Good, how are you?
MARCIANO: Folks in Florida dealing with the fires. There will be a couple of showers down there. But generally speaking, much of the Gulf Coast region, which would see afternoon thunderstorms fire up from time to time this time of year to cool you off are not going to see it as widespread because the blue "H" is in control.
Up here, cooler, dryer, more comfortable air. In between battleground for showers and storms. This frontal boundary will trigger some of that action. We're beginning to see that. Towards the west coast, comfortably cool.
If you want to cool off by head to get beach and taking a dip in the Gulf of Mexico or the southern Atlantic Ocean, temperatures in the water at 80 degrees. That's pretty balmy. Carolinas, looking at temperatures in the 70s, to go up towards the Jersey shore line, Long Island, Cape Cod, more in the 60s. A little more refreshing. Lake Ontario, Lake Erie, southern Lake Michigan, same deal. In the west coast, as usual, you need the wet suits across the northwest coastlines of Oregon, Washington and even California, into the 60s down around San Diego.
91 degrees for a high today in Denver. 91 in St. Louis. We're definitely starting to heat up in this area. Look for 90 in Billings, 93 in Salt Lake. If you're waking up with us on the west coast, temperatures in the 70s there. There's one area that seeing some action. Namely, Minnesota. Gusty winds and heavy rains moving through the area. Now moving through Rochester and in towards parts of Iowa, Fort Dodge, over towards Waterloo and into Cedar Rapids. Producing winds and some hail.
Tomorrow, 93 in Denver, 99 in Salt Lake and 109 in Phoenix makes 90 in Atlanta, Freddy, feel pretty cool. Back to you in the studio.
WHITFIELD: The cool, refreshing breeze of 90 degrees.
MARCIANO: Plus humidity.
WHITFIELD: All right. Thanks a lot, Rob.
Spreading the word. Mr. Condom in a one-man crusade, trying to make a dent, trying to bring down the numbers of AIDS in Indonesia. We'll get an answer to the riddle after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: It's actually Sunday, just in case.
The southern California residents are suffering the worst mosquito infestation in 50 years. It's led to 17 known cases of West Nile virus. Trucks are driving southern California streets spraying pesticides and residents are asked to wear long sleeves and pants at dusk and dawn.
U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan blasted world leaders meeting in Thailand for failing to do enough for the world's 38 million AIDS patients. The 2004 international aids conference began today in Bangkok. Aneesh Raman explains why Thailand is one of the success stories in the battle against the AIDS epidemic.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANEESH RAMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): He's called Mr. Condom.
For Thai senator Mechai Viravaidya, the country's leading advocate for AIDS prevention, the title is welcome.
MECHAI VIRAVAIDYA, THAI SENATOR: The condoms are lifesavers. We want to make people less shy. We want them to feel that the condom and a tennis ball are no different, because they both come from the rubber tree.
RAMAN: As the world gathers in Bangkok this week for the 15th international AIDS conference, the location is no coincidence. In a region where AIDS infections are rising at alarming rates, Thailand is a rare success story. The disease first surfaced here 20 years ago. After initial inaction by the government, Viravaidya led an intense effort in the 1990s with education that emphasized prevention, passing out of condoms in the red light district, small villages and in his own restaurants, a chain called Cabbages and Condoms. The overall result, in the past 12 years, Thailand has seen a 90 percent decline in new cases.
VIRAVAIDYA: You have to regard as war on your land, and leaders have to be active. You have to have financial commitment as well. Use whatever money you have to start the program.
RAMAN: But today, there is fear that Thailand's early success has given away to complacency. This week, experts, including Viravaidya, will warn that Thailand stands at a crossroads with the very real possibility of a massive resurgence in AIDS cases. In the past few years, the demographic of new infections has started to shift, away from the country's sex workers, drug users and homosexual men, towards the general heterosexual community.
RAMAN (on camera): There will be much talk this week of what Thailand did right, lessons learned. But because of that success, the world's eye will be on how Thailand prepares for what could be its next great battle in the war on AIDS.
Aneesh Raman, CNN, Bangkok.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: The veep-stakes are over, but how long will the media honeymoon last? "RELIABLE SOURCES" is coming up in ten minutes. Howard Kurtz joins us right now with a preview.
HOWARD KURTZ, HOST, "RELIABLE SOURCES": Thanks, Fredricka.
Coming up, going gaga over John Edwards. Are the media climbing on board the Democratic bandwagon, or is this a brief fling that will fade during the campaign? We'll ask three top political journalists from ABC, U.S. News and the Chicago "Tribune."
Plus, Michael Moore responds rather heatedly to our program on his controversial new film.
And the always outspoken John McEnroe charges the net in his TV debut, all coming up on "RELIABLE SOURCES."
WHITFIELD: All right, thanks a lot, Howie.
Homeward bound, but on the QT.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: I'm going to show up to the house and surprise the family. They don't know I'm coming. They still think I'm in Iraq somewhere.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Well, not anymore. Talk about a sweet surprise. That story coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: We've heard a lot about how U.S. troops spend their time in Iraq. But what's it like for servicemen and women who finally get that long-awaited trip home for some R and R? Maria Hinojosa just happened to be at the airport when she ran into a group of Marines.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: Oh, my god! Oh! Hi, baby! Hi, mommy! Give daddy a kiss. I love you.
MARIA HINOJOSA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You're a police officer...
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: Yes.
HINOJOSA: ... on the streets of New York, and you've been doing what for the past three months?
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: I've been patrolling streets of Baghdad. It's quite a difference.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: Finally get to see my daughter, Ava Rose.
HINOJOSA: She was born?
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: 4th of July. She's daddy's baby. Born for all the troops out in Iraq in support of Iraq. She decided to come out and support us. It's a great day.
HINOJOSA: How are you doing?
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: I feel numb right now. I'm so excited, beyond excited. I can't even explain how I feel right now.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: I'm going to show up to the house, surprise the family. They don't know I'm coming. They still think I'm in Iraq somewhere. I'm actually going to call them on the phone and tell them I'm in a big firefight and am going to hang up the phone and am going to ring the bell. They'll love it. They're up to stuff like that. Devious.
HINOJOSA: How do you relax just for two weeks, knowing you're going to go back to maybe seeing combat?
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: I mean, you really can't. All you a can do is spend as much time with your family, try to enjoy the things you used to. You really can't.
HINOJOSA: And there are a lot of things you captain talk to your family about, what you're seeing over there. How do you handle with keeping a lot of this inside? You can't talk about it. How do you handle it?
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: I mean, I just try not to really open my mouth too much, because if I told them everything, it's like they're going to be worried even more, you know. So try to keep it positive, try to tell them the good stuff, and hopefully it will be over soon and I'll get to come home.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: So a much more ahead on CNN SUNDAY. In a few moments, at the bottom of the hour, "RELIABLE SOURCES." The veep- stakes are over. Howard Kurtz takes a closer look at the media coverage of this week's announcement.
At noon, it's "LATE EDITION" with Wolf Blitzer. Among Wolf's guests, independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader. At 2:00 eastern, it's "PEOPLE IN THE NEWS," today profiling the Kennedy family on the fifth anniversary of JFK Junior's death.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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 July 11, 2004 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: It's 11 a.m. on the east coast, 8 a.m. on the west. I'm Fredricka Whitfield at the CNN global headquarters in Atlanta. Welcome to CNN LIVE SUNDAY.
Ahead this hour, the Philippines refuses to meet hostage-taker demands as the family of a man being held captive prepares to go to Iraq. We'll have the latest on that story.
And we'll find out why one man is being credited with helping to reduce the number of AIDS cases in Thailand.
And this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: Finally get to see my daughter, Ava Rose, born 4th of July.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: A Yankee doodle reunion for one Marine home from Iraq for R and R.
But first, now in the news.
Deadly violence starts the workweek in Israel. A bombing at a Tel Aviv bus stop kills one woman and injuries more than 20 others. Palestinian security sources say the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade is claiming responsibility. Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is condemning the attack.
A legend in corporate America has died. Former Times Mirror president Al Casey died today in Dallas. Casey served as president and chairman of several companies, including American Airlines and First Republic Bank. He was also the U.S. postmaster general during his career. Al Casey was 84.
Anthrax eradication. The former headquarters of a supermarket tabloid is being fumigated to get rid of the spores. The American Media building was the site of a deadly anthrax attack nearly three years ago. A company owned by former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani is cleaning the building.
You're watching CNN, the most trusted name in news. We begin with the end of Tenet's tenure. The nation's spy chief, George Tenet, officially leaves his post at the Central Intelligence Agency today. His departure comes on the heels of a Senate committee's critical report last week of the CIA and of Tenet. With reaction now, CNN's Dana Bash is live from the White House.
Dana?
DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Fredricka. That 511-page report did conclude that intelligence given to the president and members of Congress was based on faulty information. That was unanimous among the Senate Intelligence Committee members. That was also, obviously, a devastating finding.
But while the report does say that there was no pressure given by the president and his top aides, two members of the intelligence community, that is definitely not something that is unanimous. Democrats are not so sure about that. They also say that they do think the president and his top aides still exaggerated the information that he had at the time in order to make the case for war, because, as Senator Jay Rockefeller, the ranking Democrat on that committee said this morning, he is convinced that the White House was determined to go to war no matter what the intelligence said.
Now, while Democrats say that they are frustrated that those answers to those questions won't be found out until after the election, because that is when the committee is going to complete phase two of the report which is going to look into whether the White House exaggerated the information, Republicans say that what's important to do here is to get to the bottom of the bad intelligence. Why that happened and to focus on reforming the intelligence community so that this doesn't happen again.
Republicans also make the point that it wasn't just the president who relied on this information and made statements that now perhaps are inaccurate. It was also members of Congress when they were debating on the Senate floor, also members of the United Nations and even around the world, all were are relying on bad information. That is something we are hearing, Fredricka, from the White House. The president said on Friday and will continue to say this week, that everybody thought that things were different. But he still will say that the case for war was right and it was the right thing to go to war in Iraq. Fredricka?
WHITFIELD: Dana Bash at the White House, thanks very much.
And on Sunday, they rest. The presidential candidates are taking a day off from the campaign trail today after a busy last few days. Democratic hopefuls John Kerry and John Edwards wrapped up a four-day tour through Senator Edwards' home state of North Carolina yesterday. And President Bush has no campaign stops scheduled for today either. He and the first lady attended church today in Washington and will attend the White House t-ball game later on today. The president spent last week on a bus tour through Pennsylvania.
The campaign trail won't lead President Bush to the NAACP convention underway in Philadelphia. The president has declined an invitation to speak before the civil rights group for the fourth straight year. Mr. Bush reportedly says he has a quote "basically nonexistent" relationship with the group's leadership. African- American leaders called his decision disappointing.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN STREET, MAYOR, PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA: I think it's very unfortunate that President Bush chose to ignore this convention.
KWEISI MFUME, PRESIDENT, NAACP: I've written and written and written requesting a meeting or an opportunity to talk about important issues; we've written, inviting him to call and address this and we've gotten no response. There's been absolute silence. I think the larger picture is, in an election that's going to be as close as this one no party can afford slippage or to write off an entire group of voters because you may not agree with them on one issue or another.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: The White House also accuses the NAACP of hostile political comments about the president. Democrat John Kerry is expected to speak later at the convention.
And all is fair in love and politics? Republicans are helping third party candidate Ralph Nader. Nader is seeking the presidency as a Reform Party candidate. The Michigan GOP party sent an e-mail urging its base to help get Nader on the ballot to draw away Democratic votes. The state's Democratic Party says it's unethical. The Nader campaign is asking both parties to mind their own business.
What effect will the Nader factor have in the November elections? Hear Ralph Nader's answers to that question on "LATE EDITION WITH WOLF BLITZER." That's today at noon eastern, 9:00 pacific.
After a string of conflicting reports about the fate of a Filipino hostage being held in Iraq, one thing seems clear. At this hour, the hostage remains in the hands of his captors. We get latest details now from CNN's Maria Ressa in Manila.
Maria?
MARIA RESSA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, 46-year-old Angelo de la Cruz worked as a truck driver in Iraq because he wanted to send home money to his wife and eight children. Nearly everyone in the Philippines knows someone like him. In fact, there are more than 8 million Filipinos working overseas, 4,000 of them in Iraq.
On Saturday, for a short while, his family thought that their prayers had been answered. There were cheers of jubilation, shouts of joy, but the celebration was premature. Soon after that, a faxed letter to Al Jazeera, reportedly written by the kidnappers, issued a new demand, that the Philippines pull out troops [UNINTELLIGIBLE] within ten days and it demanded an answer within 24 hours. That deadline now approaching here in the Philippines. On Sunday, the Philippine cabinet met for an emergency session more than five hours before it gave its response. It said that it would not accede to the kidnappers demands. It will pull out its troops from Iraq as scheduled on August 20, not ten days from now. A Filipino team in Iraq continues to work for the safe release of de la Cruz -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: And Maria, what is it now about the family members of de la Cruz that are planning to go to Iraq?
RESSA: That's true. His wife and his brother are getting ready to fly to Iraq now. At the family's request, the Philippine government will fly them there so they can be closer, they can understand and see exactly what's happening.
Fredricka?
WHITFIELD: All right. Maria Ressa from Manila, thanks very much.
Two other hostages held in Iraq are apparently alive and still being held against their will. The government of Bulgaria confirms that two of its citizens, both truck drivers, are being held captive. Their captors are demanding the release of prisoners held in Iraq.
The U.S. Marine who disappeared from Iraq last month could be back in the U.S. early this week. Wassef Ali Hassoun is now at a U.S. base in Germany for debriefing and a medical checkup. He's listed in good physical condition, but recovering from exhaustion. His brother in the states says Hassoun is expected to return to his home base of North Carolina tomorrow or Tuesday.
In the fight for Iraq, five U.S. troops are reported killed. A U.S. soldier and an Iraqi civilian were killed in a road roadside bomb in northern Iraq, and four Marines have been killed in a vehicle accident near the Syrian border.
Iraq's new leader is canceling a planned trip to Europe next week after a threat on his life from terrorist leaders. Prime Minister Iyad Allawi was set to meet EU and British officials. The prime minister was condemned at a pro-Saddam rally in Baqubah, north of Baghdad. Some of the 150 demonstrators were armed and others wore masks.
Meantime in Baghdad, a crowd of demonstrators hanged an effigy of the former Iraqi dictator.
A shocker on the field. One of America's elite track and field athletes won't be making the trip to Athens to compete in her signature event.
And an emergency landing on a California highway. Everyone comes out OK, but the pilot lands in jail. We'll explain.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) WHITFIELD: U.S. track star Marion Jones faded to fifth, failing to make the cut in the 100-meter Olympic finals in Sacramento. The top three finishers are Athens-bound in that race. She's the defending gold medalist in that Olympic event. Jones still has a chance to make the Olympic team in the long jump and 200-meter events later on this week.
In the Tour de France, American Lance Armstrong is also fading in the wake of younger, faster riders. In yesterday's stage, Armstrong ended up 55th. 32-year-old Armstrong is battling for his sixth victory in the tour.
It's being called the test case for gay rights in the state of Georgia. Gay members of a private golf club have filed a complaint with a city of Atlanta and so far, mediation has failed. Stuck in the middle of the controversy, Atlanta's mayor. Details now from CNN's Betty Nguyen.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SHIRLEY FRANKLIN, MAYOR, ATLANTA, GEORGIA: I regret that Georgia is one of few states that has not put on the books that anti- discrimination law.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): With that attitude looming in the Georgia legislature, the fight for gay rights moves to the back nine on Atlanta's Druid Hills Golf Club, and the next play in the hands of Mayor Shirley Franklin.
FRANKLIN: As a matter of fact, Georgia is one of the few states that will have on the ballot in November an amendment, a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage.
NGUYEN: At issue, the private group's practice of granting full privileges to wives and husbands, but not to gay companions. They have to pay the same $50,000 entrance fee as their partners.
LEE KYSER, GAY CLUB MEMBER: That continues to put us in a second-class citizenship over there at that club. And we're not talking about in the future. We're talking about in the moment.
NGUYEN: Members doctor Lee Kyser and attorney Randy New both have gay partners. The pair filed a complaint with the city of Atlanta's human relations commission and won. Which means the mayor must now decide whether to take legal action. And that's where city ordinances come into play.
NGUYEN (on camera): The ordinance gives the mayor the authority to strip one of the south's most prestigious golf clubs of its city permits, including its liquor license. Now, this case went to mediation, but both sides failed to find a common ground.
RANDY NEW, GAY CLUB MEMBER: This is a case where either we're treated equally or we're not. And that's a hard case to mediate. I suggest the second mediation can't solve that problem any better than the first one did, and the mayor's going to have to make a decision. NGUYEN (voice-over): Golf club officials refused to go on camera, but the Druid Hills general manager issued this statement. It says the club hopes to continue the mediation process.
Mayor Franklin has said little publicly about the case until now.
FRANKLIN: I don't have any hesitation standing up for the rights of gays, none at all. I want to do it in a way that advances the cause as opposed to in a way that's going to cause us to be in a protracted lawsuit that we might lose.
NGUYEN: All sides believe this is a case that almost certainly will end up in the courts.
KYSER: We're not going silently into this night.
NGUYEN: The only question is how far will it go?
FRANKLIN: We are reviewing the constitutionality of that ordinance, as it was passed and adopted prior to my election. And we are looking for the options that I might have that can withstand the federal test.
NGUYEN: Betty Nguyen, CNN, Atlanta.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: A quick look now at other news across America.
A remarkable sight. Stunned motorists maneuvered as a single engine plane made an emergency landing on California's Interstate 5 Saturday, clipping a van before coming to a stop. Only minor injuries were reported. Police suspect the pilot was F.U.I., flying under the influence.
In Wellfleet, Massachusetts, plumes of smoke and a small brushfire after a fireworks display unexpectedly ignited Saturday. A faulty shell is being blamed for the noontime explosion. No one was injured. The show was already weather delayed from the 4th of July and it will be rescheduled now for later this summer.
Florida firefighters are battling to bring several wildfires under control. A raging fire in the Everglades has consumed some 6,800 acres. Other fires are burning through hundreds of acres in south Lee County and an area west of Port Saint Lucie.
Let's get a look at the weather this weekend, this Sunday with Rob Marciano.
ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Hey, Fred, how you doing?
WHITFIELD: Good, how are you?
MARCIANO: Folks in Florida dealing with the fires. There will be a couple of showers down there. But generally speaking, much of the Gulf Coast region, which would see afternoon thunderstorms fire up from time to time this time of year to cool you off are not going to see it as widespread because the blue "H" is in control.
Up here, cooler, dryer, more comfortable air. In between battleground for showers and storms. This frontal boundary will trigger some of that action. We're beginning to see that. Towards the west coast, comfortably cool.
If you want to cool off by head to get beach and taking a dip in the Gulf of Mexico or the southern Atlantic Ocean, temperatures in the water at 80 degrees. That's pretty balmy. Carolinas, looking at temperatures in the 70s, to go up towards the Jersey shore line, Long Island, Cape Cod, more in the 60s. A little more refreshing. Lake Ontario, Lake Erie, southern Lake Michigan, same deal. In the west coast, as usual, you need the wet suits across the northwest coastlines of Oregon, Washington and even California, into the 60s down around San Diego.
91 degrees for a high today in Denver. 91 in St. Louis. We're definitely starting to heat up in this area. Look for 90 in Billings, 93 in Salt Lake. If you're waking up with us on the west coast, temperatures in the 70s there. There's one area that seeing some action. Namely, Minnesota. Gusty winds and heavy rains moving through the area. Now moving through Rochester and in towards parts of Iowa, Fort Dodge, over towards Waterloo and into Cedar Rapids. Producing winds and some hail.
Tomorrow, 93 in Denver, 99 in Salt Lake and 109 in Phoenix makes 90 in Atlanta, Freddy, feel pretty cool. Back to you in the studio.
WHITFIELD: The cool, refreshing breeze of 90 degrees.
MARCIANO: Plus humidity.
WHITFIELD: All right. Thanks a lot, Rob.
Spreading the word. Mr. Condom in a one-man crusade, trying to make a dent, trying to bring down the numbers of AIDS in Indonesia. We'll get an answer to the riddle after this.
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WHITFIELD: It's actually Sunday, just in case.
The southern California residents are suffering the worst mosquito infestation in 50 years. It's led to 17 known cases of West Nile virus. Trucks are driving southern California streets spraying pesticides and residents are asked to wear long sleeves and pants at dusk and dawn.
U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan blasted world leaders meeting in Thailand for failing to do enough for the world's 38 million AIDS patients. The 2004 international aids conference began today in Bangkok. Aneesh Raman explains why Thailand is one of the success stories in the battle against the AIDS epidemic.
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ANEESH RAMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): He's called Mr. Condom.
For Thai senator Mechai Viravaidya, the country's leading advocate for AIDS prevention, the title is welcome.
MECHAI VIRAVAIDYA, THAI SENATOR: The condoms are lifesavers. We want to make people less shy. We want them to feel that the condom and a tennis ball are no different, because they both come from the rubber tree.
RAMAN: As the world gathers in Bangkok this week for the 15th international AIDS conference, the location is no coincidence. In a region where AIDS infections are rising at alarming rates, Thailand is a rare success story. The disease first surfaced here 20 years ago. After initial inaction by the government, Viravaidya led an intense effort in the 1990s with education that emphasized prevention, passing out of condoms in the red light district, small villages and in his own restaurants, a chain called Cabbages and Condoms. The overall result, in the past 12 years, Thailand has seen a 90 percent decline in new cases.
VIRAVAIDYA: You have to regard as war on your land, and leaders have to be active. You have to have financial commitment as well. Use whatever money you have to start the program.
RAMAN: But today, there is fear that Thailand's early success has given away to complacency. This week, experts, including Viravaidya, will warn that Thailand stands at a crossroads with the very real possibility of a massive resurgence in AIDS cases. In the past few years, the demographic of new infections has started to shift, away from the country's sex workers, drug users and homosexual men, towards the general heterosexual community.
RAMAN (on camera): There will be much talk this week of what Thailand did right, lessons learned. But because of that success, the world's eye will be on how Thailand prepares for what could be its next great battle in the war on AIDS.
Aneesh Raman, CNN, Bangkok.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: The veep-stakes are over, but how long will the media honeymoon last? "RELIABLE SOURCES" is coming up in ten minutes. Howard Kurtz joins us right now with a preview.
HOWARD KURTZ, HOST, "RELIABLE SOURCES": Thanks, Fredricka.
Coming up, going gaga over John Edwards. Are the media climbing on board the Democratic bandwagon, or is this a brief fling that will fade during the campaign? We'll ask three top political journalists from ABC, U.S. News and the Chicago "Tribune."
Plus, Michael Moore responds rather heatedly to our program on his controversial new film.
And the always outspoken John McEnroe charges the net in his TV debut, all coming up on "RELIABLE SOURCES."
WHITFIELD: All right, thanks a lot, Howie.
Homeward bound, but on the QT.
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UNIDENTIFIED MAN: I'm going to show up to the house and surprise the family. They don't know I'm coming. They still think I'm in Iraq somewhere.
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WHITFIELD: Well, not anymore. Talk about a sweet surprise. That story coming up.
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WHITFIELD: We've heard a lot about how U.S. troops spend their time in Iraq. But what's it like for servicemen and women who finally get that long-awaited trip home for some R and R? Maria Hinojosa just happened to be at the airport when she ran into a group of Marines.
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UNIDENTIFIED MAN: Oh, my god! Oh! Hi, baby! Hi, mommy! Give daddy a kiss. I love you.
MARIA HINOJOSA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You're a police officer...
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: Yes.
HINOJOSA: ... on the streets of New York, and you've been doing what for the past three months?
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: I've been patrolling streets of Baghdad. It's quite a difference.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: Finally get to see my daughter, Ava Rose.
HINOJOSA: She was born?
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: 4th of July. She's daddy's baby. Born for all the troops out in Iraq in support of Iraq. She decided to come out and support us. It's a great day.
HINOJOSA: How are you doing?
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: I feel numb right now. I'm so excited, beyond excited. I can't even explain how I feel right now.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: I'm going to show up to the house, surprise the family. They don't know I'm coming. They still think I'm in Iraq somewhere. I'm actually going to call them on the phone and tell them I'm in a big firefight and am going to hang up the phone and am going to ring the bell. They'll love it. They're up to stuff like that. Devious.
HINOJOSA: How do you relax just for two weeks, knowing you're going to go back to maybe seeing combat?
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: I mean, you really can't. All you a can do is spend as much time with your family, try to enjoy the things you used to. You really can't.
HINOJOSA: And there are a lot of things you captain talk to your family about, what you're seeing over there. How do you handle with keeping a lot of this inside? You can't talk about it. How do you handle it?
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: I mean, I just try not to really open my mouth too much, because if I told them everything, it's like they're going to be worried even more, you know. So try to keep it positive, try to tell them the good stuff, and hopefully it will be over soon and I'll get to come home.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: So a much more ahead on CNN SUNDAY. In a few moments, at the bottom of the hour, "RELIABLE SOURCES." The veep- stakes are over. Howard Kurtz takes a closer look at the media coverage of this week's announcement.
At noon, it's "LATE EDITION" with Wolf Blitzer. Among Wolf's guests, independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader. At 2:00 eastern, it's "PEOPLE IN THE NEWS," today profiling the Kennedy family on the fifth anniversary of JFK Junior's death.
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