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CNN Wolf Blitzer Reports

New Hostage Execution Reported; Terrorists Threaten Additional Execution, Osama bin Laden Ally Now in Saudi Custody, Heavy Rains and Floods Hit Northeast

Aired July 13, 2004 - 17:00   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.


WOLF BLITZER, HOST: Happening now. Al-Jazeera says another Western hostage in Iraq has been executed and another one will be killed in 24 hours unless the terrorists' demands are met.
Also, giving up after apparently hiding out in Iran. Today, a pal of Osama bin Laden is now in custody. Stand by for hard news on WOLF BLITZER REPORTS.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): Saudi surrender. An associate of Osama bin Laden turns himself in to authorities. How close was he?

Appeasing terrorists? As hostage negotiations continue this word, the Philippines may pull its troops out of Iraq early. Is Manila giving in to kidnappers?

Under water. Flooded-out roads, rooftop rescues after a foot of rain falls along the East Coast.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I have a hot tub that's floating, I have a shed that's on its side, and I have an old convertible in the back that I haven't seen the roof in about an hour.

BLITZER: Senator Ditka?

MIKE DITKA, FMR. CHICAGO BEARS COACH: There's no no and there's no yes. Let's just see what happens.

BLITZER: New political buzz. This Chicago Bears icon could go from coach to candidate.

ANNOUNCER: This is WOLF BLITZER REPORTS for Tuesday, July 13, 2004.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: We begin with a very disturbing developing story. There's a report this hour another hostage has been murdered in Iraq. Al-Jazeera says it's received word that one of two Bulgarian hostages has been killed. Let's go right away to our Baghdad bureau chief Jane Arraf. She's joining us with details. Jane, what do we know?

JANE ARRAF, CNN BAGHDAD BUREAU CHIEF: Wolf, the Jazeera video shows one of the hostages kneeling in an orange jumpsuit. Now this is the kind of jumpsuit that has been worn by other hostages who are taken by this Jihad and Unity. This is a group believed to be affiliated with Abu Musab al Zarqawi.

According to Jazeera, the video shows the hostage, a truck driver, being beheaded. It did not air the footage but says that it has the footage with it. Now this is taken credibly. Al-Jazeera has aired before, the Arabic language network has aired before a video from this group and this group has indeed beheaded two other hostages, a South Korean and an American.

Separately of course Filipino hostages being held by another group. That's one Filipino truck driver still being held by an unassociated group. It was pledged that he would be released, but no word that he has been -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Jane, what do the terrorists say they want? What are the demands from the Bulgarian government?

ARRAF: Well, the demands from this group forwarded to the Bulgarians was that they release all prisoners, basically Iraqi prisoners and in particular women prisoners. Now, that clearly has not happened. That would be a very difficult demand.

The group that's holding the Filipino truck driver has asked The Philippines in fact to withdraw its troops from Iraq. It only has about 51 troops but the Philippine government has indicated that it perhaps will do so early.

The Bulgarians do have troops as well. They're in Karbala in the south and they have more than 400 of them but that has not been a demand of this group -- Wolf.

BLITZER: CNN's Jane Arraf in Baghdad. Jane, thanks very much.

The White House meanwhile says it wants clarification from the Philippine government following reports Manila has agreed to withdraw its troops from Iraq as part of a deal with hostage takers. The Philippine government has been negotiating with a group holding a Filipino truck driver.

CNN's Maria Ressa is joining us now live via videophone from Manila. Maria, there are a lot of Filipinos working in the Middle East, in Iraq specifically. Doesn't this move set potentially a dangerous precedent for the Philippine government?

MARIA RESSA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It does but the question now really is, what move is the Philippine government taking? Let me show you the headline today. It says "GMA keeps them guessing." GMA, President Arroyo, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, had liked "keeps them guessing" and that's exactly what's happening.

Early yesterday morning, Al-Jazeera showed a videotape that had the kidnappers saying they had taken 46-year-old Angelo dela Cruz to the place of execution where he would be killed. Right after that a Philippine official in Iraq made an appeal on Al-Jazeera television asking for his life, also pledging that the Philippine government would pull out its troops, quote, "as soon as possible." And that's the statement that's really causing this ambiguity and confusion about what The Philippines will actually do.

Will it pull out its troops as the kidnappers demand on July 20 or will it stick to its promise -- it's promise to pull them out as planned on August 20?

So at this point, July 20, August 20. Will the Philippine government follow the kidnappers? It's unclear what's happening. One statement on Monday was that they were going to maintain the ambiguity of the original statement. So at this point the Philippine government does not want to comment until this issue is resolved. It keeps them guessing -- Wolf.

BLITZER: And clearly the execution of this Bulgarian worker clearly makes the situation even more complicated and dangerous. Maria Ressa reporting for us from Manila. Thanks, Maria, very much.

Right now an associate of Osama bin Laden is in custody in Saudi Arabia. A Saudi official describes him as a big fish.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): It was not necessarily a menacing sight on Saudi television. This paralyzed man being carried off a Saudi airliner after arriving in Riyadh. He was pushed away in a wheelchair, but make no mistake about it. Khaled Al-Harbi, himself a Saudi, has been a friend of Osama bin Laden for 20 years.

Al-Harbi and bin Laden fought together in Afghanistan in the 1980s against the then Soviet occupation. He was flown to Saudi Arabia from Iran where he surrendered to Saudi authorities at the embassy in Tehran according to a Saudi interior ministry official.

He and bin Laden were seen together in this videotape released in December 2001, only three months after the 9/11 terror strike. He was then described as the mystery sheik (ph) because no one could tell who he really was.

This week he gave himself up as part of the Saudi one-month offer of amnesty. That offer exempts al Qaeda suspects from the death penalty but not from civil suits filed by victims' families. Experts say he's not seen as a current al Qaeda leader but still could provide an intelligence bonanza.

OCTAVIA NASR, SR. EDITOR, "ARAB AFFAIR": It's very important to ask this man if there were other al Qaeda leaders that lived in that area or if he had any contact with al Qaeda members or leaders in Iran or Afghanistan. If he knows where they are now. If they're hiding, where they're hiding, who's hiding them and so forth.

BLITZER: After his arrival in Saudi Arabia, Al-Harbi appeared on television.

"I called the embassy," he said, "and we felt that we were welcomed. They were among family. Thank God for this blessing." He added, "I came because I abide by the word of God and that of the caretaker of the holy sites, a reference to the royal family. This initiative from the caretaker of the holy sites and the king, is an opportunity, and our country is the country of Islam." Al-Harbi urged other al Qaeda operatives to surrender as well and take advantage of the opportunity.

NASR: It just proved that the program has been working and of course someone, with this kind of exposure, someone who sat next to Osama bin Laden bragging about 9/11, for him to turn himself in, that's definitely big for the Saudis.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: A U.S. intelligence official tells our national security correspondent David Ensor Al-Harbi is, quote, "an extremist, yes, but an operational terrorist, no."

Joining us now in London to talk about a little bit more about today's developments, the Saudi ambassador to Britain, Prince Tukki Al-Faisal. He used to serve as the head of Saudi intelligence.

Ambassador, thanks very much for joining us. Let's get to your assessment. How important is this Khaled Al-Harbi?

PRINCE TUKKI AL-FAISAL, SAUDI AMBASSADOR TO BRITAIN: Well, he's, if you like, the stand-by cleric of bin Laden, to whom bin Laden turned for advice and religious fatwas when he needed them. And he is a big fish, as you describe him.

BLITZER: Does he have blood on his hands? Was he operationally involved in terror attacks?

AL-FAISAL: As you could see, he could not walk and that probably prevented him from any actual terrorist attacks although being with bin Laden and being a member of the cult of bin Laden, he probably participated in providing religious fatwahs that condoned the crimes that bin Laden committed.

BLITZER: You spent many many years in the intelligence business. Do you expect to receive significant useful intelligence from this man?

AL-FAISAL: We do, and I think this is just another step in the global approach and comprehensive approach that the kingdom has been following in dealing with this terrorism that has been taking place not only in Saudi Arabia but throughout the world and it is proving to be successful.

BLITZER: This 30-day amnesty offer, how successful has it been? How many others, al Qaeda suspects, have come forward?

AL-FAISAL: There have been two others that preceded Mr. Al-Harbi and we expect to be more coming through. I think, as you heard him speaking, obviously he was going through a great deal of trouble where he was, and that was true for the previous two persons who expressed -- some of them were in Saudi Arabia, how they described how they had lived in caves, how they had scrounged in refuse dumps to find food and shelter sometimes.

And so, it's been a very tough deal for them, and now they're probably relieved that they have this amnesty.

BLITZER: Do you expect other al Qaeda suspects to be hiding out or receiving some sort of protection in Iran?

AL-FAISAL: We've been talking to our Iranian friends for a long time about this, and they have always reassured us that if they had their hands on these people, that they would hand them over to us. And we take their word for that.

BLITZER: What do you expect will happen now in the coming weeks and months to this Khaled al-Harbi.

AL-FAISAL: Well, he would probably -- first of all, they have taken him to the hospital to see if his health is all right. And then, he will be subject, as the others are, to the private will of the individuals who were victimized by the terrorism. The state has relented and relaxed its will on them, and therefore it is up to the private individuals who have been harmed by these terrorists.

BLITZER: I know under the amnesty offer, he's not going to be executed, but will he be kept in prison?

AL-FAISAL: He will definitely be kept in prison in the meantime. He will have to be interrogated, he will have to be asked many questions, and according to his cooperation and so on, he will be treated accordingly. And therefore, I expect him to be some time with the authorities.

BLITZER: Prince Turki al-Faisal is the Saudi Ambassador in Britain. Prince Turki, as usual, thanks very much for joining us.

AL-FAISAL: Thank you, Mr. Blitzer. It's a pleasure to be with you.

BLITZER: Thank you. And to our viewers, here's your chance to weigh in on this story. Our Web question of the day is this: Should Osama bin Laden's associate, Khaled al-Harbi, get leniency from Saudi Arabia? You can vote right now. Go to CNN.COM/WOLF; we'll have the results for you later in this broadcast.

A major new military operation involving thousands of American troops to provide security during elections is now underway in Afghanistan. For more on "Operation Lightning Resolve," let's go to our senior Pentagon correspondent, Jamie McIntyre -- Jamie?

JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN SENIOR PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, for the 20,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan, finding and capturing Osama bin Laden and his top lieutenants remains the top priority, but there's also another priority emerging now that is almost equally as important, and that is protecting the security for the upcoming presidential elections -- the long delayed elections. The mission is dubbed, as you said, "Operation Lightning Resolve, " and it is described by U.S. commanders as a series of targeted raids based on intelligence designed to keep the Taliban off-balance and unable to derail the electoral process. The interim President Hamid Karzai is heavily favored in the October 7th election, but with a half a dozen rivals, it's not clear he'll get the 50% majority he needs to avert a runoff two weeks later. That means the U.S. could, again, have to provide security.

The U.S. will be down to about 17,000 troops in the fall, with some 2,000 Marines will have departed by then. They've been fighting the Taliban along the border region with Pakistan, again trying to keep the Taliban off-balance.

The Taliban, by the way, have been trying to undermine the electoral process, targeting people that they believe have registered for the national elections. In fact, last month, 10 men were killed by suspected Taliban gunmen after they were thought to have registered.

During the election themselves, the U.S. troops will be deployed along the border, again to try to keep the Taliban on the run, while local Afghan police and military actually do the security at the polling places -- Wolf?

BLITZER: A new operation in Afghanistan. Jamie McIntyre, thanks very much for that.

A call to end the violence in Sudan. President Bush tells the Sudanese government to resolve the crisis.

Also ahead...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Came out around 6:30 this morning and I cried. This is just devastating.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Flooded-out homes underwater; hundreds of residents forced to flee in the middle of the night.

And Draft Ditka, whether it's desperation or devotion, a new movement now underway to make the former Chicago Bears coach a United States Senator.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: By almost all accounts, the situation in the Sudan getting very close to genocide. And today, President Bush called on the government of Sudan to stop the ethnic killing.

CNN's Elaine Quijano is standing by at the White House with more -- Elaine? ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good afternoon, Wolf. President Bush offered his most detailed comments yet on the situation in Darfur in the western part of Sudan. During a bill-signing ceremony today in front of African ambassadors, President Bush said he was deeply concerned about the humanitarian and human rights crisis there.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I call upon the government of the Sudan to stop the Janjaweed violence. I call on all parties of the conflict to respect the cease-fire, to respect human rights, and to allow for the free movement of humanitarian workers and aid.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

QUIJANO: President Bush referring there to the Arab militias known as the Janjaweed. Secretary of State Colin Powell echoed a similar message when he visited Darfur almost two weeks ago.

Now, the conflict, it is Muslim-on-Muslim violence, black African farmers against government-backed Arab militias. The Janjaweed are believed to be responsible for the deaths of tens of thousands of black Africans and the displacement of more than a million of villagers in what began as land disputes.

Now, with the ongoing violence plus the approaching rainy season, that means -- that could mean that some much-needed humanitarian relief will not make it to starving people there. The Sudanese government said it is working to end the conflict, but the U.S. wants U.N. sanctions if Sudan does not take more action -- Wolf?

BLITZER: Elaine Quijano reporting from the White House. And we just saw those pictures of the Secretary of State Colin Powell on the scene in Sudan just earlier a few weeks ago.

The president also promising billions of dollars to fight the spread of AIDS in Africa, but not everyone is happy with how the money is being earmarked. Our senior medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, has more now from the International AIDS Conference in Bangkok.

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, we're here at the International AIDS Conference in Bangkok. Lots of science coming out showing once again that there are drugs out there for HIV and AIDS that do work. The problem is not enough people are having access to those drugs.

Wolf, we also learned about the vaccine. There is a vaccine trial way right now, but it'll probably be 2007 before any results of that vaccine trial are actually seen, and people are not very optimistic about it here.

Also, Wolf, the money. Where is the money going? We hear about the $15 billion over five years that the U.S. committed. Well, there's a clash between morality and the money and this is where we start.

GUPTA (voice-over): It's the largest sum of money the United States has ever committed to fighting HIV/AIDS. $15 billion over five years.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We're fully engaged in this global fight against AIDS. I mean fully engaged.

GUPTA: But not everyone is convinced all that money will be delivered. Protesters outside the 15th International Aids Conference in Bangkok.

To be clear, funding totaled $2.3 million for 2004 and targets 12 African and two Caribbean countries as well as Vietnam, arguably the hardest-hit countries in the world.

BUSH: Let's bring America to where people suffer the most. We want to tackle the toughest problems in this country not the easiest ones.

GUPTA: It's still too early to tell what kind of impact the dollars will have but what has many concerned is the link made by the U.S. administration between money and morality.

BUSH: I think our country needs a practical effective moral message. In addition to other kinds of prevention, we need to tell our children that abstinence is the only certain way to avoid contracting HIV.

GUPTA: But experts warn against reliance on abstinence alone in the fight against AIDS.

DR. THOMAS COATES, UCSP: There's not one study that anybody can point to that shows that it has any benefit. Monogamy can be a good thing, but if people are going to engage in sexual relations, they also need to know how to take care of themselves.

GUPTA: To be clear, Wolf, about a third of all U.S. money going towards prevention is going towards abstinence only programs. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) a lot of money to be sure, $15 billion is what's committed over five years, but there is going to be a continued debate over this clash between science and ideology.

For the next week, Wolf, we hear to expect more stories about AIDS orphans. What is AIDS doing to an entire generation of people and how many orphans will be left in its wake?

We also expect to hear about the feminization of AIDS. More women than ever are getting AIDS and finally more and more about the protests and the activism. They're concerned about the generic drugs, they're concerned about abstinence versus condoms and most of all, Wolf, they're concerned about money. Back to you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Dr. Sanjay Gupta reporting from Bangkok. Thanks, Sanjay, very much.

A critically important story. AIDS around the world.

More than a foot of rain in 24 hours. Close calls and dramatic rescues as floodwaters sweep over parts of the northeast.

He says it was political revenge. Who leaked the name of an undercover CIA officer. A Washington mystery now one year later. We'll have an update.

Plus this...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was scary, scary, you know.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And your wife is home?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, she is home and she's nervous.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Tiger. Yes, a tiger is on the loose. We'll have the latest on the search.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANNOUNCER: From our studios in Washington, once again, Wolf Blitzer.

BLITZER: Welcome back. A new very famous name now in the Illinois state political mix. Could former Chicago Bears coach Mike Ditka make a run for the United States Senate? We'll get to that.

First though, a quick check of stories right now in the news.

A string of shootings all apparently random and involving the same gun have police in New Haven, Connecticut on high alert. Every detective in the city's police department has been reassigned to the case. Five men ranging in age from 18 to 54 were wounded in the shootings Sunday and Monday.

Proponents of amending the constitution to ban same-sex marriage are scrambling to find enough Senate support to bring the measure to vote. They're expected to call a procedural poll to end the debate tomorrow but they concede they're unlikely to get the support of the 60 senators necessary to force a direct vote on the measure itself.

Another hostage execution reported from Iraq. Al Jazeera Television has videotape of what it says shows a Bulgarian being beheaded. The kidnappers are said to be threatening to kill a second Bulgarian captive unless all female prisoners in Iraq are released.

Keeping you informed, CNN, the most trusted name in news.

A real-life nightmare woke some New Jersey residents in the middle of the night. Floodwaters brought on by pounding rain that forced hundreds to flee while leaving others trapped in their homes. CNN meteorologist Jacqui Jeras is at the CNN Center in Atlanta with a severe weather update -- Jacqui.

JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Well, Wolf, we're going to get to more on the flooding in just a minute but we have some breaking weather that I need to pass along. We've had two tornado reports across central Illinois in the last couple of hours. No damage or injuries but this is a very serious situation.

We have a number of warnings that does includes Champaign, Urbana and also Danville, under a tornado warning at this time. Nothing reported on the ground but these storms have a history of producing tornadoes. You need to take cover if you're in Champaign or Vermilion or McLean Counties in Illinois.

In Indiana, also Vermilion, Fountain, Warren, Piatt, and DeWitt Counties. We are looking at this situation to continue throughout much of the evening and into the overnight hours.

On to the flooding, I want to tell you the worst is over for states like Maryland, Delaware and New Jersey. The rain has shifted on up to the north but even though there's a dry day today, more severe weather there will be possible tomorrow.

Here's a look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JERAS (voice-over): The flooding is widespread but south-central New Jersey got the worst of it with more than 13 inches of rain falling on some areas.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We've never had rain like this before. And I don't think people expected -- people did not expect this sort of thing to happen. We're just devastated.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I have a swimming pool for a basement. I have a hot tub that's floating, I have a shed that's on its side, and I have an old convertible in the back that I haven't seen the roof in about an hour.

JERAS: The floodwaters rose quickly in the middle of the night, leading to some dramatic rescues.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We left at, like, 3:30 in the morning. We woke up, we heard noises from the fire truck and it was already up to my knees.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: First house we got to, the water was actually up to the second story so everybody was up on the second story. We lowered them down on to another roof and then they jumped from the roof into the boat.

JERAS: The deluge broke at least five small dams and forced more than 500 people to flee their homes. New Jersey's governor has declaring hard-hit Burlington County a disaster area.

It's a similar scene next door in eastern Pennsylvania where up to a half a foot of rain fell, sending creeks gushing over their banks and prompting more rescues of people and pets.

To the south in Maryland, up to eight inches of rain closed dozens of roads and floodwaters swept cars into trees.

Many close calls were reported throughout the region but there are no reports of deaths or serious injuries just a sense of sorrow and loss.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I came out around 6:30 this morning and I cried. This is just devastating. It really is. We've been here for 15 years. And it's a great community, real strong. We'll come back, but it's really hard to see this.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

JERAS: And it all happened very quickly. Rainfall rates were two to three inches per hour and lasted for about a three-hour period. And while it is dry there now, all these storms across the Midwest will be arriving late in the forecast period tomorrow -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Jacqui Jeras, with very some severe weather, thanks very much for that report.

Wildfires are the problem in the West, with two major blazes out of control in Southern California. One fire west of Palm Springs has burned 5,000 acres since Sunday. A crew of 1,000 is working in triple-digit temperature trying to contain it. They're about a quarter of the way there.

Not much more progress to report on another fire in Northwest Los Angeles County. It's charred more than 3,000 acres and prompted some evacuations.

And this isn't smoke filling the sky over the Phoenix area. It's dust, yes, dust. A huge dust storm moved through the region yesterday pushed along by winds up to 45 miles an hour. It made for a slow evening commute, as drivers found they could only see a few hundred feet in front of them.

Republicans remained hopeless about filling an Illinois seat. That was until, yes, until a new name came into the political mix. Up next, is former football coach Mike Ditka ready to become United States Senator Mike Ditka?

Plus, this story created a political firestorm here in Washington, with claims someone in the Bush administration outed his wife as a CIA clandestine officer. Now the tables turn on Ambassador Joe Wilson.

And, later, a conservative icon with a colossal impact. William F. Buckley Jr. talks to me about his long career and his brand-new book. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: In his years as an NFL player and coach, Mike Ditka got a reputation as a hard-nosed competitor. But is he ready for the rough-and-tumble of the United States Senate? The former Chicago Bear is considering a fourth-quarter entry into the Illinois Senate race.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): It's been a struggle for the Republicans in Illinois finding a competitor for this man, Barack Obama. Running for the state's U.S. Senate seat held now by retiring Republican Peter Fitzgerald, recent polls showed the Democrat with as much as a 20- point lead, a lead possibly made wider since Republican candidate Jack Ryan abandoned the race two weeks ago in a furor over the public release of sensational divorce records.

But now, just four months shy of the election, a new name has arrived.

MIKE DITKA, FORMER NFL PLAYER: There's no no and there's no yes. Let's just see -- let's see what happens.

BLITZER: In an interview with Chicago's WFLD, Hall of Fame tight end and former Chicago Bears coach Mike Ditka opened up the possibility of running on the Republican ticket. Word of his name began to surface last week, perhaps only bolstered by DraftDitka.com.

Created by self-described Republican political operatives, the Web site is already generating signatures to submit Ditka as a candidate to the state nominating committee.

TOM PENCE, DRAFTDITKA.COM: We're hoping he can come in and save the party like he saved the Bears years ago.

DITKA: Get your mouth shut, you jerk.

BLITZER: Politically inexperienced, maybe, but Ditka's name recognition is hard to top. And that excites Republicans. Illinois Congressman Mark Kirk told the congressional insider newspaper "The Hill" -- quote -- "If Ditka ran, Democrats would claim to Obama and then secretly vote for Ditka. It would immediately put Chicago in play."

But there are obstacles to a Ditka candidacy. He would have to abandon his job as an ESPN analyst and forgo TV endorsements if elected.

DITKA: My problem is, I've made a lot of commitments for this year, and TV-wise and radio-wise, and it's just hard for me to say no to people, but we'll see what happens. It's interesting.

BLITZER: Though he hasn't yet made a public commitment about a run, Ditka says a decision will come by week's end, but already he's sounding less like a coach and more like a candidate. DITKA: Do you think the people in Washington now are the best people for this country? I'm talking about senators, representatives? Are they doing the best job for the people who put them there?

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Mike Ditka. You don't want to mess with coach Mike Ditka, by any means, whether on the football field or in the political arena.

On the right and a driving voice behind the conservative movement in America, my special interview with William F. Buckley Jr., author and founder of "The National Review." That's coming up next.

Plus, tiger on the loose in Florida, a serious story. The big cat's owner, a former Tarzan, is aiding in a search. We'll get to all of that.

First, though, a quick look at some news making headlines around the world.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): Record rainfall in northern Japan has resulted in floods and mudslides; 25,000 families have been evacuated. At least one person is dead and three more are missing.

Monsoon deaths. The situation is even worse in South Asia, where the monsoon season began in June. Floods and mudslides are blamed for at least 270 deaths in India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan.

The long trip home; 138 Mexicans who entered the United States illegally were flown back to Mexico City at U.S. expense under a pilot program. The U.S. usually releases illegal immigrants at the border, where many attempt repeat crossings. By offering free transportation to those who want to return to homes deep in Mexico, the U.S. hopes to discourage those repeat attempts.

Crop of athletes. The Athens Olympics are a month away, but the annual Farmers Olympic already have been held in Germany. Events include such non-Olympic pursuits as rolling hay bales, sawing logs, and even sailing in bathtubs.

And that's our look around the world.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: One year and counting and still no answer as to who leaked the name of a CIA covert officer, the CIA officer Valerie Plame. As you will recall, Plame is the wife of the former U.S. Ambassador Joe Wilson, a harsh critic of the Iraq war.

For an update on this controversial case, here's our national security correspondent David Ensor -- David. DAVID ENSOR, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, this, of course, is a real-life spy mystery with important political implications.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ENSOR (voice-over): One year after former Ambassador Joseph Wilson's wife's named was revealed in a newspaper column, blowing her cover as a CIA clandestine officer, the case is still making political waves in Washington.

SEN. TOM HARKIN (D), IOWA: Three hundred and sixty-five days later, we still don't know who was involved in leaking this name and exposing a covert CIA agent. We don't know who gave this classified information to the leakers in the White House.

ENSOR: U.S. attorney Patrick Fitzgerald and a grand jury have been looking into who gave Plame's name to columnist Robert Novak, a violation of U.S. law.

JOSEPH WILSON, FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR: They attempt to discredit the messenger who brought the message by dragging my wife into the public square.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ENSOR: Fitzgerald recently interview the president and vice president, suggesting it may be close to finishing its work. Some believe, if anyone's indicted, it's more likely to be for perjury to the grand jury, rather than leaking, which is harder to prove and prosecute.

A reference in the recent Senate Intelligence Committee report to Ambassador Wilson and his wife has also created a flap in Washington. The report says that an unnamed CIA officer told the committee staff that the former ambassador's wife offered up his name to make a trip to the African nation of Niger for the CIA and to check out a report that Iraq might have been trying to buy raw uranium there. That report of course later turned out to be false.

The suggestion contradicts Wilson's account of what happened. Wilson has declined to be interviewed on camera today, but told CNN he's outraged by the suggestion in the Senate report, which he said is false innuendo. "She did not propose me," he said. "Others at the CIA did so." And a senior CIA official told him that that is his understanding, too.

So one year after the leak, the former diplomat who argued President Bush got it wrong on Iraq, Niger, and uranium in his State of the Union speech is defending his word under attack. And one year later, there are also renewed calls, too, for the White House to identify and to punish whoever leaked Mrs. Wilson's professional name and her role at the CIA.

BLITZER: All right, so the mystery still continues.

ENSOR: It does.

BLITZER: Thanks very much, David Ensor, for that report.

The recent death of Ronald Reagan marked a milestone for the conservative movement in the United States. But just two weeks ago, there was another passage of significance for conservatives. William F. Buckley Jr. announced he's stepping down as the owner of "The National Review," the influential conservative journal he founded a half a century ago.

CNN's Brian Todd looks at Buckley's impact on the conservative movement and American politics.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: When William F. Buckley stepped on to the national stage, he may have been more frustrated than visionary. It was the mid-1950s. Ronald Reagan was a registered Democrat. And after 20 long years of the Democrat dominance of the White House and Congress, Buckley was in the view of many simply trying to stop an avalanche.

WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SR. POLITICAL ANALYST: In the 1950s, when William F. Buckley entered the political scene, conservatives were in the wilderness. They were lost. They had no influence.

TODD: Even in 1952, when a Republican finally won the White House, political analysts say pure conservatives didn't feel connected to power. But what began with Buckley's founding of "National Review" magazine in 1955 would ascend, to put it mildly, into what is nearly 50 years later a dominant political force in America.

ROBERT NOVAK, CO-HOST, "CROSSFIRE": I think his greatest legacy is the fact that what started as a little opinion magazine, "The national Review," ended up with the philosophy that has elected three presidents and kept control of both houses of Congress for 10 years.

TODD: With a novel or book on political philosophy turned out virtually every year, Buckley's intellect has always been matched by his production. But it was "National Review," his syndicated column, "On the Right," then the iconic weekly talk show "Firing Line" and other legendary debates with the likes of Gore Vidal where Buckley gave the conservative movement its teeth.

Barry Goldwater seized on Buckley's influence to win conservatives control of the Republican Party in 1964; Goldwater's defeat gave way to the moderate conservatism of Richard Nixon. But Buckley pressed on, and his relentless discourse on smaller government and anti-communism hit home with the most mainstream of Republicans.

The conservative wing had built enough strength to not only withstand eight years of Bill Clinton, but to thrive, Buckley's support an important pillar for Newt Gingrich and the Republican revolution in Congress. Now analysts seem to differ on whether the party is too socially conservative for William F. Buckley. He's also been on the record as uncomfortable with the Iraq war. And some believe the growing bureaucracy under George W. Bush doesn't sit well.

SCHNEIDER: While they share some views with William Buckley, I think basically they don't give the highest priority to small government. That's what Buckley was all about.

TODD: But his movement is stronger than ever. And, at age 78, William F. Buckley's status as the intellectual father of modern conservatism can hardly be challenged.

Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Even though he's slowing down a bit, William F. Buckley is still writing. He's the author of a new autobiography, "Miles Gone By."

He joined us from New York City earlier today.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: William F. Buckley, thanks so much for joining us.

Been reading you, been watching you it seems forever, but you're taking a new chapter in your life right now. Why the decision to step back?

WILLIAM F. BUCKLEY JR., AUTHOR, "MILES GONE BY": Well, it has a certain amount to do with superannuation. At some point, one has to retreat, I think.

A few year ago, I stopped serving as editor in chief of my magazine. Then I stopped public speaking a couple of years ago. And I've even sold my sailboat. So I'm just treading softly towards the inevitable end. But I wanted to write this autobiography before. And I'm delighted to have an opportunity to mention it on your program.

BLITZER: "Miles Gone By," a very important book, especially for all of us who grew up watching the conservative movement change so dramatically going back to the '50s and '60s.

Let's talk a little bit about where it stand right now. How comfortable are you with the social conservatives that seem to have such a powerful grip, shall we say, here in Washington?

BUCKLEY: Well, I'm a social conservative.

I would deplore a grip if I thought that it was -- that it was illegitimate. But people who express themselves by saying, well, we're against abortion aren't saying anything differently from what everybody said up until 20 years ago. And those others who say, well, we should be able to send our children to private school hardly offend me. So it is odd that people are thought to be bizarre and eccentric when they are simply abiding by positions that were considered entirely normal

(CROSSTALK)

BLITZER: What about the debate in the Senate today on a constitutional amendment that would ban same-sex marriage? How do you feel about that?

BUCKLEY: Well, the way I feel about that, Wolf, is that the projected changes are very radical. And the question is, who should authorize changes of that nature?

If it's Congress, then fine. Congress can do it or not do it. But all that constitutional amendment seeks to do is to say to the Supreme Court, you can't override Congress, which passed the Defense of Marriage Act, by simply pleading the Constitution and saying that that provision in Congress was illegitimate.

So, therefore, it seems to me utterly consistent with the kind of legislative sanction that we've always thought necessary when we have deep constitutional changes.

BLITZER: So, if you were in the Senate, you would vote for a constitutional amendment?

BUCKLEY: Oh, yes, absolutely.

BLITZER: What about Iraq, the Iraq war? Do you feel comfortable with what the Bush administration has done for the past year and a half?

BUCKLEY: No, no, I don't feel comfortable, but I wouldn't have taken the position that they did the wrong thing.

I did write recently that, if I knew then what I know now, I would not have gone to war, but I would have prosecuted the same goal as vigorously as possible. You know, people talk about, what would you do if you had the hindsight? Well, look at what happened to Saddam Hussein. He had up until two years ago the choice of 100 palaces to settle down in that night. And now he settles down in a 12-by-12 cell.

BLITZER: So you're obviously happy about that, though you're clearly not happy with the number of Americans who have been killed serving in Iraq.

BUCKLEY: Of course not. I'm not happy with the number of Americans who are killed on the highways every week.

(CROSSTALK)

BLITZER: Well, let me ask you this more pointed question, as you always used to do on "Firing Line." Did these Americans die in vain?

BUCKLEY: No, they did not.

BLITZER: Even though you say, if you had known then what you know now, you wouldn't have gone to war? BUCKLEY: I would have elected to do things differently, but that doesn't necessarily mean that there would have been a pro tanto diminution of American deaths. If I had taken a wrong step, there might have been increased death.

Let me remind you, if I may, that two days ago, Mr. Bush said Libya has given us their entire nuclear plant. And we did this as a result of effective diplomacy. But that diplomacy might very well have depended on the hard impact of the stance that we took in Iraq.

So that it may be that we are -- we should be grateful for that step, if indeed it has given us a peaceful Libya and might even stretch to a peaceful solution to the North Korean problem.

BLITZER: William F. Buckley Jr., who has written an important book, "Miles Gone By," recommended reading, thanks very much for joining us.

BUCKLEY: Nice to talk to you.

BLITZER: We will miss you.

BUCKLEY: Thanks.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: An escaped tiger no longer, yes, no longer on the loose in South Florida. We'll update you, a dramatic end to a search we've been reporting about all day.

That's coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Now a story just in to CNN. Officials in Loxahatchee, Florida, have encountered an escaped tiger, and they had to take some drastic action.

CNN's John Zarrella standing by live with a report.

John, what happened?

JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, for the past 24- plus hours, state wildlife officials and Broward Sheriff's Office deputies have been combing an area back here where a tiger escaped from a private residence, the residence of Steve Sipek, who once played Tarzan in some B-version movies.

Now, late this afternoon, again, about 30 minutes ago, wildlife officials say they had to corner the tiger and kill it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JORGE PINO, FLORIDA WILDLIFE OFFICER: They approached the tiger with the intention of actually shooting the tiger and darting the tiger. As they were doing so, the tiger attacked one of our officers. Our officers unfortunately had no choice but to use lethal fire and shot the tiger. And we're very, very sad to report that the tiger is deceased

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ZARRELLA: Now, Sipek told the media just a little while ago he was afraid they would kill the tiger. And, in fact, they say they had to. There will be a full investigation, Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office and, of course, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission involved in that investigation as to why it was necessary to use the lethal force -- Wolf.

BLITZER: John Zarrella, covering the story for us -- John, thanks very much.

We'll take a quick bleak. The results of our Web question, that's coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Here are the results of our Web question of the day. As you look at these numbers, remember, this is not -- repeat, not -- a scientific poll.

That's all the time we have today. I'll see you back here tomorrow.

"LOU DOBBS TONIGHT" starts right now.

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 13, 2004 - 17:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
WOLF BLITZER, HOST: Happening now. Al-Jazeera says another Western hostage in Iraq has been executed and another one will be killed in 24 hours unless the terrorists' demands are met.
Also, giving up after apparently hiding out in Iran. Today, a pal of Osama bin Laden is now in custody. Stand by for hard news on WOLF BLITZER REPORTS.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): Saudi surrender. An associate of Osama bin Laden turns himself in to authorities. How close was he?

Appeasing terrorists? As hostage negotiations continue this word, the Philippines may pull its troops out of Iraq early. Is Manila giving in to kidnappers?

Under water. Flooded-out roads, rooftop rescues after a foot of rain falls along the East Coast.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I have a hot tub that's floating, I have a shed that's on its side, and I have an old convertible in the back that I haven't seen the roof in about an hour.

BLITZER: Senator Ditka?

MIKE DITKA, FMR. CHICAGO BEARS COACH: There's no no and there's no yes. Let's just see what happens.

BLITZER: New political buzz. This Chicago Bears icon could go from coach to candidate.

ANNOUNCER: This is WOLF BLITZER REPORTS for Tuesday, July 13, 2004.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: We begin with a very disturbing developing story. There's a report this hour another hostage has been murdered in Iraq. Al-Jazeera says it's received word that one of two Bulgarian hostages has been killed. Let's go right away to our Baghdad bureau chief Jane Arraf. She's joining us with details. Jane, what do we know?

JANE ARRAF, CNN BAGHDAD BUREAU CHIEF: Wolf, the Jazeera video shows one of the hostages kneeling in an orange jumpsuit. Now this is the kind of jumpsuit that has been worn by other hostages who are taken by this Jihad and Unity. This is a group believed to be affiliated with Abu Musab al Zarqawi.

According to Jazeera, the video shows the hostage, a truck driver, being beheaded. It did not air the footage but says that it has the footage with it. Now this is taken credibly. Al-Jazeera has aired before, the Arabic language network has aired before a video from this group and this group has indeed beheaded two other hostages, a South Korean and an American.

Separately of course Filipino hostages being held by another group. That's one Filipino truck driver still being held by an unassociated group. It was pledged that he would be released, but no word that he has been -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Jane, what do the terrorists say they want? What are the demands from the Bulgarian government?

ARRAF: Well, the demands from this group forwarded to the Bulgarians was that they release all prisoners, basically Iraqi prisoners and in particular women prisoners. Now, that clearly has not happened. That would be a very difficult demand.

The group that's holding the Filipino truck driver has asked The Philippines in fact to withdraw its troops from Iraq. It only has about 51 troops but the Philippine government has indicated that it perhaps will do so early.

The Bulgarians do have troops as well. They're in Karbala in the south and they have more than 400 of them but that has not been a demand of this group -- Wolf.

BLITZER: CNN's Jane Arraf in Baghdad. Jane, thanks very much.

The White House meanwhile says it wants clarification from the Philippine government following reports Manila has agreed to withdraw its troops from Iraq as part of a deal with hostage takers. The Philippine government has been negotiating with a group holding a Filipino truck driver.

CNN's Maria Ressa is joining us now live via videophone from Manila. Maria, there are a lot of Filipinos working in the Middle East, in Iraq specifically. Doesn't this move set potentially a dangerous precedent for the Philippine government?

MARIA RESSA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It does but the question now really is, what move is the Philippine government taking? Let me show you the headline today. It says "GMA keeps them guessing." GMA, President Arroyo, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, had liked "keeps them guessing" and that's exactly what's happening.

Early yesterday morning, Al-Jazeera showed a videotape that had the kidnappers saying they had taken 46-year-old Angelo dela Cruz to the place of execution where he would be killed. Right after that a Philippine official in Iraq made an appeal on Al-Jazeera television asking for his life, also pledging that the Philippine government would pull out its troops, quote, "as soon as possible." And that's the statement that's really causing this ambiguity and confusion about what The Philippines will actually do.

Will it pull out its troops as the kidnappers demand on July 20 or will it stick to its promise -- it's promise to pull them out as planned on August 20?

So at this point, July 20, August 20. Will the Philippine government follow the kidnappers? It's unclear what's happening. One statement on Monday was that they were going to maintain the ambiguity of the original statement. So at this point the Philippine government does not want to comment until this issue is resolved. It keeps them guessing -- Wolf.

BLITZER: And clearly the execution of this Bulgarian worker clearly makes the situation even more complicated and dangerous. Maria Ressa reporting for us from Manila. Thanks, Maria, very much.

Right now an associate of Osama bin Laden is in custody in Saudi Arabia. A Saudi official describes him as a big fish.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): It was not necessarily a menacing sight on Saudi television. This paralyzed man being carried off a Saudi airliner after arriving in Riyadh. He was pushed away in a wheelchair, but make no mistake about it. Khaled Al-Harbi, himself a Saudi, has been a friend of Osama bin Laden for 20 years.

Al-Harbi and bin Laden fought together in Afghanistan in the 1980s against the then Soviet occupation. He was flown to Saudi Arabia from Iran where he surrendered to Saudi authorities at the embassy in Tehran according to a Saudi interior ministry official.

He and bin Laden were seen together in this videotape released in December 2001, only three months after the 9/11 terror strike. He was then described as the mystery sheik (ph) because no one could tell who he really was.

This week he gave himself up as part of the Saudi one-month offer of amnesty. That offer exempts al Qaeda suspects from the death penalty but not from civil suits filed by victims' families. Experts say he's not seen as a current al Qaeda leader but still could provide an intelligence bonanza.

OCTAVIA NASR, SR. EDITOR, "ARAB AFFAIR": It's very important to ask this man if there were other al Qaeda leaders that lived in that area or if he had any contact with al Qaeda members or leaders in Iran or Afghanistan. If he knows where they are now. If they're hiding, where they're hiding, who's hiding them and so forth.

BLITZER: After his arrival in Saudi Arabia, Al-Harbi appeared on television.

"I called the embassy," he said, "and we felt that we were welcomed. They were among family. Thank God for this blessing." He added, "I came because I abide by the word of God and that of the caretaker of the holy sites, a reference to the royal family. This initiative from the caretaker of the holy sites and the king, is an opportunity, and our country is the country of Islam." Al-Harbi urged other al Qaeda operatives to surrender as well and take advantage of the opportunity.

NASR: It just proved that the program has been working and of course someone, with this kind of exposure, someone who sat next to Osama bin Laden bragging about 9/11, for him to turn himself in, that's definitely big for the Saudis.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: A U.S. intelligence official tells our national security correspondent David Ensor Al-Harbi is, quote, "an extremist, yes, but an operational terrorist, no."

Joining us now in London to talk about a little bit more about today's developments, the Saudi ambassador to Britain, Prince Tukki Al-Faisal. He used to serve as the head of Saudi intelligence.

Ambassador, thanks very much for joining us. Let's get to your assessment. How important is this Khaled Al-Harbi?

PRINCE TUKKI AL-FAISAL, SAUDI AMBASSADOR TO BRITAIN: Well, he's, if you like, the stand-by cleric of bin Laden, to whom bin Laden turned for advice and religious fatwas when he needed them. And he is a big fish, as you describe him.

BLITZER: Does he have blood on his hands? Was he operationally involved in terror attacks?

AL-FAISAL: As you could see, he could not walk and that probably prevented him from any actual terrorist attacks although being with bin Laden and being a member of the cult of bin Laden, he probably participated in providing religious fatwahs that condoned the crimes that bin Laden committed.

BLITZER: You spent many many years in the intelligence business. Do you expect to receive significant useful intelligence from this man?

AL-FAISAL: We do, and I think this is just another step in the global approach and comprehensive approach that the kingdom has been following in dealing with this terrorism that has been taking place not only in Saudi Arabia but throughout the world and it is proving to be successful.

BLITZER: This 30-day amnesty offer, how successful has it been? How many others, al Qaeda suspects, have come forward?

AL-FAISAL: There have been two others that preceded Mr. Al-Harbi and we expect to be more coming through. I think, as you heard him speaking, obviously he was going through a great deal of trouble where he was, and that was true for the previous two persons who expressed -- some of them were in Saudi Arabia, how they described how they had lived in caves, how they had scrounged in refuse dumps to find food and shelter sometimes.

And so, it's been a very tough deal for them, and now they're probably relieved that they have this amnesty.

BLITZER: Do you expect other al Qaeda suspects to be hiding out or receiving some sort of protection in Iran?

AL-FAISAL: We've been talking to our Iranian friends for a long time about this, and they have always reassured us that if they had their hands on these people, that they would hand them over to us. And we take their word for that.

BLITZER: What do you expect will happen now in the coming weeks and months to this Khaled al-Harbi.

AL-FAISAL: Well, he would probably -- first of all, they have taken him to the hospital to see if his health is all right. And then, he will be subject, as the others are, to the private will of the individuals who were victimized by the terrorism. The state has relented and relaxed its will on them, and therefore it is up to the private individuals who have been harmed by these terrorists.

BLITZER: I know under the amnesty offer, he's not going to be executed, but will he be kept in prison?

AL-FAISAL: He will definitely be kept in prison in the meantime. He will have to be interrogated, he will have to be asked many questions, and according to his cooperation and so on, he will be treated accordingly. And therefore, I expect him to be some time with the authorities.

BLITZER: Prince Turki al-Faisal is the Saudi Ambassador in Britain. Prince Turki, as usual, thanks very much for joining us.

AL-FAISAL: Thank you, Mr. Blitzer. It's a pleasure to be with you.

BLITZER: Thank you. And to our viewers, here's your chance to weigh in on this story. Our Web question of the day is this: Should Osama bin Laden's associate, Khaled al-Harbi, get leniency from Saudi Arabia? You can vote right now. Go to CNN.COM/WOLF; we'll have the results for you later in this broadcast.

A major new military operation involving thousands of American troops to provide security during elections is now underway in Afghanistan. For more on "Operation Lightning Resolve," let's go to our senior Pentagon correspondent, Jamie McIntyre -- Jamie?

JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN SENIOR PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, for the 20,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan, finding and capturing Osama bin Laden and his top lieutenants remains the top priority, but there's also another priority emerging now that is almost equally as important, and that is protecting the security for the upcoming presidential elections -- the long delayed elections. The mission is dubbed, as you said, "Operation Lightning Resolve, " and it is described by U.S. commanders as a series of targeted raids based on intelligence designed to keep the Taliban off-balance and unable to derail the electoral process. The interim President Hamid Karzai is heavily favored in the October 7th election, but with a half a dozen rivals, it's not clear he'll get the 50% majority he needs to avert a runoff two weeks later. That means the U.S. could, again, have to provide security.

The U.S. will be down to about 17,000 troops in the fall, with some 2,000 Marines will have departed by then. They've been fighting the Taliban along the border region with Pakistan, again trying to keep the Taliban off-balance.

The Taliban, by the way, have been trying to undermine the electoral process, targeting people that they believe have registered for the national elections. In fact, last month, 10 men were killed by suspected Taliban gunmen after they were thought to have registered.

During the election themselves, the U.S. troops will be deployed along the border, again to try to keep the Taliban on the run, while local Afghan police and military actually do the security at the polling places -- Wolf?

BLITZER: A new operation in Afghanistan. Jamie McIntyre, thanks very much for that.

A call to end the violence in Sudan. President Bush tells the Sudanese government to resolve the crisis.

Also ahead...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Came out around 6:30 this morning and I cried. This is just devastating.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Flooded-out homes underwater; hundreds of residents forced to flee in the middle of the night.

And Draft Ditka, whether it's desperation or devotion, a new movement now underway to make the former Chicago Bears coach a United States Senator.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: By almost all accounts, the situation in the Sudan getting very close to genocide. And today, President Bush called on the government of Sudan to stop the ethnic killing.

CNN's Elaine Quijano is standing by at the White House with more -- Elaine? ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good afternoon, Wolf. President Bush offered his most detailed comments yet on the situation in Darfur in the western part of Sudan. During a bill-signing ceremony today in front of African ambassadors, President Bush said he was deeply concerned about the humanitarian and human rights crisis there.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I call upon the government of the Sudan to stop the Janjaweed violence. I call on all parties of the conflict to respect the cease-fire, to respect human rights, and to allow for the free movement of humanitarian workers and aid.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

QUIJANO: President Bush referring there to the Arab militias known as the Janjaweed. Secretary of State Colin Powell echoed a similar message when he visited Darfur almost two weeks ago.

Now, the conflict, it is Muslim-on-Muslim violence, black African farmers against government-backed Arab militias. The Janjaweed are believed to be responsible for the deaths of tens of thousands of black Africans and the displacement of more than a million of villagers in what began as land disputes.

Now, with the ongoing violence plus the approaching rainy season, that means -- that could mean that some much-needed humanitarian relief will not make it to starving people there. The Sudanese government said it is working to end the conflict, but the U.S. wants U.N. sanctions if Sudan does not take more action -- Wolf?

BLITZER: Elaine Quijano reporting from the White House. And we just saw those pictures of the Secretary of State Colin Powell on the scene in Sudan just earlier a few weeks ago.

The president also promising billions of dollars to fight the spread of AIDS in Africa, but not everyone is happy with how the money is being earmarked. Our senior medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, has more now from the International AIDS Conference in Bangkok.

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, we're here at the International AIDS Conference in Bangkok. Lots of science coming out showing once again that there are drugs out there for HIV and AIDS that do work. The problem is not enough people are having access to those drugs.

Wolf, we also learned about the vaccine. There is a vaccine trial way right now, but it'll probably be 2007 before any results of that vaccine trial are actually seen, and people are not very optimistic about it here.

Also, Wolf, the money. Where is the money going? We hear about the $15 billion over five years that the U.S. committed. Well, there's a clash between morality and the money and this is where we start.

GUPTA (voice-over): It's the largest sum of money the United States has ever committed to fighting HIV/AIDS. $15 billion over five years.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We're fully engaged in this global fight against AIDS. I mean fully engaged.

GUPTA: But not everyone is convinced all that money will be delivered. Protesters outside the 15th International Aids Conference in Bangkok.

To be clear, funding totaled $2.3 million for 2004 and targets 12 African and two Caribbean countries as well as Vietnam, arguably the hardest-hit countries in the world.

BUSH: Let's bring America to where people suffer the most. We want to tackle the toughest problems in this country not the easiest ones.

GUPTA: It's still too early to tell what kind of impact the dollars will have but what has many concerned is the link made by the U.S. administration between money and morality.

BUSH: I think our country needs a practical effective moral message. In addition to other kinds of prevention, we need to tell our children that abstinence is the only certain way to avoid contracting HIV.

GUPTA: But experts warn against reliance on abstinence alone in the fight against AIDS.

DR. THOMAS COATES, UCSP: There's not one study that anybody can point to that shows that it has any benefit. Monogamy can be a good thing, but if people are going to engage in sexual relations, they also need to know how to take care of themselves.

GUPTA: To be clear, Wolf, about a third of all U.S. money going towards prevention is going towards abstinence only programs. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) a lot of money to be sure, $15 billion is what's committed over five years, but there is going to be a continued debate over this clash between science and ideology.

For the next week, Wolf, we hear to expect more stories about AIDS orphans. What is AIDS doing to an entire generation of people and how many orphans will be left in its wake?

We also expect to hear about the feminization of AIDS. More women than ever are getting AIDS and finally more and more about the protests and the activism. They're concerned about the generic drugs, they're concerned about abstinence versus condoms and most of all, Wolf, they're concerned about money. Back to you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Dr. Sanjay Gupta reporting from Bangkok. Thanks, Sanjay, very much.

A critically important story. AIDS around the world.

More than a foot of rain in 24 hours. Close calls and dramatic rescues as floodwaters sweep over parts of the northeast.

He says it was political revenge. Who leaked the name of an undercover CIA officer. A Washington mystery now one year later. We'll have an update.

Plus this...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was scary, scary, you know.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And your wife is home?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, she is home and she's nervous.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Tiger. Yes, a tiger is on the loose. We'll have the latest on the search.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANNOUNCER: From our studios in Washington, once again, Wolf Blitzer.

BLITZER: Welcome back. A new very famous name now in the Illinois state political mix. Could former Chicago Bears coach Mike Ditka make a run for the United States Senate? We'll get to that.

First though, a quick check of stories right now in the news.

A string of shootings all apparently random and involving the same gun have police in New Haven, Connecticut on high alert. Every detective in the city's police department has been reassigned to the case. Five men ranging in age from 18 to 54 were wounded in the shootings Sunday and Monday.

Proponents of amending the constitution to ban same-sex marriage are scrambling to find enough Senate support to bring the measure to vote. They're expected to call a procedural poll to end the debate tomorrow but they concede they're unlikely to get the support of the 60 senators necessary to force a direct vote on the measure itself.

Another hostage execution reported from Iraq. Al Jazeera Television has videotape of what it says shows a Bulgarian being beheaded. The kidnappers are said to be threatening to kill a second Bulgarian captive unless all female prisoners in Iraq are released.

Keeping you informed, CNN, the most trusted name in news.

A real-life nightmare woke some New Jersey residents in the middle of the night. Floodwaters brought on by pounding rain that forced hundreds to flee while leaving others trapped in their homes. CNN meteorologist Jacqui Jeras is at the CNN Center in Atlanta with a severe weather update -- Jacqui.

JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Well, Wolf, we're going to get to more on the flooding in just a minute but we have some breaking weather that I need to pass along. We've had two tornado reports across central Illinois in the last couple of hours. No damage or injuries but this is a very serious situation.

We have a number of warnings that does includes Champaign, Urbana and also Danville, under a tornado warning at this time. Nothing reported on the ground but these storms have a history of producing tornadoes. You need to take cover if you're in Champaign or Vermilion or McLean Counties in Illinois.

In Indiana, also Vermilion, Fountain, Warren, Piatt, and DeWitt Counties. We are looking at this situation to continue throughout much of the evening and into the overnight hours.

On to the flooding, I want to tell you the worst is over for states like Maryland, Delaware and New Jersey. The rain has shifted on up to the north but even though there's a dry day today, more severe weather there will be possible tomorrow.

Here's a look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JERAS (voice-over): The flooding is widespread but south-central New Jersey got the worst of it with more than 13 inches of rain falling on some areas.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We've never had rain like this before. And I don't think people expected -- people did not expect this sort of thing to happen. We're just devastated.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I have a swimming pool for a basement. I have a hot tub that's floating, I have a shed that's on its side, and I have an old convertible in the back that I haven't seen the roof in about an hour.

JERAS: The floodwaters rose quickly in the middle of the night, leading to some dramatic rescues.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We left at, like, 3:30 in the morning. We woke up, we heard noises from the fire truck and it was already up to my knees.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: First house we got to, the water was actually up to the second story so everybody was up on the second story. We lowered them down on to another roof and then they jumped from the roof into the boat.

JERAS: The deluge broke at least five small dams and forced more than 500 people to flee their homes. New Jersey's governor has declaring hard-hit Burlington County a disaster area.

It's a similar scene next door in eastern Pennsylvania where up to a half a foot of rain fell, sending creeks gushing over their banks and prompting more rescues of people and pets.

To the south in Maryland, up to eight inches of rain closed dozens of roads and floodwaters swept cars into trees.

Many close calls were reported throughout the region but there are no reports of deaths or serious injuries just a sense of sorrow and loss.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I came out around 6:30 this morning and I cried. This is just devastating. It really is. We've been here for 15 years. And it's a great community, real strong. We'll come back, but it's really hard to see this.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

JERAS: And it all happened very quickly. Rainfall rates were two to three inches per hour and lasted for about a three-hour period. And while it is dry there now, all these storms across the Midwest will be arriving late in the forecast period tomorrow -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Jacqui Jeras, with very some severe weather, thanks very much for that report.

Wildfires are the problem in the West, with two major blazes out of control in Southern California. One fire west of Palm Springs has burned 5,000 acres since Sunday. A crew of 1,000 is working in triple-digit temperature trying to contain it. They're about a quarter of the way there.

Not much more progress to report on another fire in Northwest Los Angeles County. It's charred more than 3,000 acres and prompted some evacuations.

And this isn't smoke filling the sky over the Phoenix area. It's dust, yes, dust. A huge dust storm moved through the region yesterday pushed along by winds up to 45 miles an hour. It made for a slow evening commute, as drivers found they could only see a few hundred feet in front of them.

Republicans remained hopeless about filling an Illinois seat. That was until, yes, until a new name came into the political mix. Up next, is former football coach Mike Ditka ready to become United States Senator Mike Ditka?

Plus, this story created a political firestorm here in Washington, with claims someone in the Bush administration outed his wife as a CIA clandestine officer. Now the tables turn on Ambassador Joe Wilson.

And, later, a conservative icon with a colossal impact. William F. Buckley Jr. talks to me about his long career and his brand-new book. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: In his years as an NFL player and coach, Mike Ditka got a reputation as a hard-nosed competitor. But is he ready for the rough-and-tumble of the United States Senate? The former Chicago Bear is considering a fourth-quarter entry into the Illinois Senate race.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): It's been a struggle for the Republicans in Illinois finding a competitor for this man, Barack Obama. Running for the state's U.S. Senate seat held now by retiring Republican Peter Fitzgerald, recent polls showed the Democrat with as much as a 20- point lead, a lead possibly made wider since Republican candidate Jack Ryan abandoned the race two weeks ago in a furor over the public release of sensational divorce records.

But now, just four months shy of the election, a new name has arrived.

MIKE DITKA, FORMER NFL PLAYER: There's no no and there's no yes. Let's just see -- let's see what happens.

BLITZER: In an interview with Chicago's WFLD, Hall of Fame tight end and former Chicago Bears coach Mike Ditka opened up the possibility of running on the Republican ticket. Word of his name began to surface last week, perhaps only bolstered by DraftDitka.com.

Created by self-described Republican political operatives, the Web site is already generating signatures to submit Ditka as a candidate to the state nominating committee.

TOM PENCE, DRAFTDITKA.COM: We're hoping he can come in and save the party like he saved the Bears years ago.

DITKA: Get your mouth shut, you jerk.

BLITZER: Politically inexperienced, maybe, but Ditka's name recognition is hard to top. And that excites Republicans. Illinois Congressman Mark Kirk told the congressional insider newspaper "The Hill" -- quote -- "If Ditka ran, Democrats would claim to Obama and then secretly vote for Ditka. It would immediately put Chicago in play."

But there are obstacles to a Ditka candidacy. He would have to abandon his job as an ESPN analyst and forgo TV endorsements if elected.

DITKA: My problem is, I've made a lot of commitments for this year, and TV-wise and radio-wise, and it's just hard for me to say no to people, but we'll see what happens. It's interesting.

BLITZER: Though he hasn't yet made a public commitment about a run, Ditka says a decision will come by week's end, but already he's sounding less like a coach and more like a candidate. DITKA: Do you think the people in Washington now are the best people for this country? I'm talking about senators, representatives? Are they doing the best job for the people who put them there?

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Mike Ditka. You don't want to mess with coach Mike Ditka, by any means, whether on the football field or in the political arena.

On the right and a driving voice behind the conservative movement in America, my special interview with William F. Buckley Jr., author and founder of "The National Review." That's coming up next.

Plus, tiger on the loose in Florida, a serious story. The big cat's owner, a former Tarzan, is aiding in a search. We'll get to all of that.

First, though, a quick look at some news making headlines around the world.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): Record rainfall in northern Japan has resulted in floods and mudslides; 25,000 families have been evacuated. At least one person is dead and three more are missing.

Monsoon deaths. The situation is even worse in South Asia, where the monsoon season began in June. Floods and mudslides are blamed for at least 270 deaths in India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan.

The long trip home; 138 Mexicans who entered the United States illegally were flown back to Mexico City at U.S. expense under a pilot program. The U.S. usually releases illegal immigrants at the border, where many attempt repeat crossings. By offering free transportation to those who want to return to homes deep in Mexico, the U.S. hopes to discourage those repeat attempts.

Crop of athletes. The Athens Olympics are a month away, but the annual Farmers Olympic already have been held in Germany. Events include such non-Olympic pursuits as rolling hay bales, sawing logs, and even sailing in bathtubs.

And that's our look around the world.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: One year and counting and still no answer as to who leaked the name of a CIA covert officer, the CIA officer Valerie Plame. As you will recall, Plame is the wife of the former U.S. Ambassador Joe Wilson, a harsh critic of the Iraq war.

For an update on this controversial case, here's our national security correspondent David Ensor -- David. DAVID ENSOR, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, this, of course, is a real-life spy mystery with important political implications.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ENSOR (voice-over): One year after former Ambassador Joseph Wilson's wife's named was revealed in a newspaper column, blowing her cover as a CIA clandestine officer, the case is still making political waves in Washington.

SEN. TOM HARKIN (D), IOWA: Three hundred and sixty-five days later, we still don't know who was involved in leaking this name and exposing a covert CIA agent. We don't know who gave this classified information to the leakers in the White House.

ENSOR: U.S. attorney Patrick Fitzgerald and a grand jury have been looking into who gave Plame's name to columnist Robert Novak, a violation of U.S. law.

JOSEPH WILSON, FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR: They attempt to discredit the messenger who brought the message by dragging my wife into the public square.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ENSOR: Fitzgerald recently interview the president and vice president, suggesting it may be close to finishing its work. Some believe, if anyone's indicted, it's more likely to be for perjury to the grand jury, rather than leaking, which is harder to prove and prosecute.

A reference in the recent Senate Intelligence Committee report to Ambassador Wilson and his wife has also created a flap in Washington. The report says that an unnamed CIA officer told the committee staff that the former ambassador's wife offered up his name to make a trip to the African nation of Niger for the CIA and to check out a report that Iraq might have been trying to buy raw uranium there. That report of course later turned out to be false.

The suggestion contradicts Wilson's account of what happened. Wilson has declined to be interviewed on camera today, but told CNN he's outraged by the suggestion in the Senate report, which he said is false innuendo. "She did not propose me," he said. "Others at the CIA did so." And a senior CIA official told him that that is his understanding, too.

So one year after the leak, the former diplomat who argued President Bush got it wrong on Iraq, Niger, and uranium in his State of the Union speech is defending his word under attack. And one year later, there are also renewed calls, too, for the White House to identify and to punish whoever leaked Mrs. Wilson's professional name and her role at the CIA.

BLITZER: All right, so the mystery still continues.

ENSOR: It does.

BLITZER: Thanks very much, David Ensor, for that report.

The recent death of Ronald Reagan marked a milestone for the conservative movement in the United States. But just two weeks ago, there was another passage of significance for conservatives. William F. Buckley Jr. announced he's stepping down as the owner of "The National Review," the influential conservative journal he founded a half a century ago.

CNN's Brian Todd looks at Buckley's impact on the conservative movement and American politics.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: When William F. Buckley stepped on to the national stage, he may have been more frustrated than visionary. It was the mid-1950s. Ronald Reagan was a registered Democrat. And after 20 long years of the Democrat dominance of the White House and Congress, Buckley was in the view of many simply trying to stop an avalanche.

WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SR. POLITICAL ANALYST: In the 1950s, when William F. Buckley entered the political scene, conservatives were in the wilderness. They were lost. They had no influence.

TODD: Even in 1952, when a Republican finally won the White House, political analysts say pure conservatives didn't feel connected to power. But what began with Buckley's founding of "National Review" magazine in 1955 would ascend, to put it mildly, into what is nearly 50 years later a dominant political force in America.

ROBERT NOVAK, CO-HOST, "CROSSFIRE": I think his greatest legacy is the fact that what started as a little opinion magazine, "The national Review," ended up with the philosophy that has elected three presidents and kept control of both houses of Congress for 10 years.

TODD: With a novel or book on political philosophy turned out virtually every year, Buckley's intellect has always been matched by his production. But it was "National Review," his syndicated column, "On the Right," then the iconic weekly talk show "Firing Line" and other legendary debates with the likes of Gore Vidal where Buckley gave the conservative movement its teeth.

Barry Goldwater seized on Buckley's influence to win conservatives control of the Republican Party in 1964; Goldwater's defeat gave way to the moderate conservatism of Richard Nixon. But Buckley pressed on, and his relentless discourse on smaller government and anti-communism hit home with the most mainstream of Republicans.

The conservative wing had built enough strength to not only withstand eight years of Bill Clinton, but to thrive, Buckley's support an important pillar for Newt Gingrich and the Republican revolution in Congress. Now analysts seem to differ on whether the party is too socially conservative for William F. Buckley. He's also been on the record as uncomfortable with the Iraq war. And some believe the growing bureaucracy under George W. Bush doesn't sit well.

SCHNEIDER: While they share some views with William Buckley, I think basically they don't give the highest priority to small government. That's what Buckley was all about.

TODD: But his movement is stronger than ever. And, at age 78, William F. Buckley's status as the intellectual father of modern conservatism can hardly be challenged.

Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Even though he's slowing down a bit, William F. Buckley is still writing. He's the author of a new autobiography, "Miles Gone By."

He joined us from New York City earlier today.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: William F. Buckley, thanks so much for joining us.

Been reading you, been watching you it seems forever, but you're taking a new chapter in your life right now. Why the decision to step back?

WILLIAM F. BUCKLEY JR., AUTHOR, "MILES GONE BY": Well, it has a certain amount to do with superannuation. At some point, one has to retreat, I think.

A few year ago, I stopped serving as editor in chief of my magazine. Then I stopped public speaking a couple of years ago. And I've even sold my sailboat. So I'm just treading softly towards the inevitable end. But I wanted to write this autobiography before. And I'm delighted to have an opportunity to mention it on your program.

BLITZER: "Miles Gone By," a very important book, especially for all of us who grew up watching the conservative movement change so dramatically going back to the '50s and '60s.

Let's talk a little bit about where it stand right now. How comfortable are you with the social conservatives that seem to have such a powerful grip, shall we say, here in Washington?

BUCKLEY: Well, I'm a social conservative.

I would deplore a grip if I thought that it was -- that it was illegitimate. But people who express themselves by saying, well, we're against abortion aren't saying anything differently from what everybody said up until 20 years ago. And those others who say, well, we should be able to send our children to private school hardly offend me. So it is odd that people are thought to be bizarre and eccentric when they are simply abiding by positions that were considered entirely normal

(CROSSTALK)

BLITZER: What about the debate in the Senate today on a constitutional amendment that would ban same-sex marriage? How do you feel about that?

BUCKLEY: Well, the way I feel about that, Wolf, is that the projected changes are very radical. And the question is, who should authorize changes of that nature?

If it's Congress, then fine. Congress can do it or not do it. But all that constitutional amendment seeks to do is to say to the Supreme Court, you can't override Congress, which passed the Defense of Marriage Act, by simply pleading the Constitution and saying that that provision in Congress was illegitimate.

So, therefore, it seems to me utterly consistent with the kind of legislative sanction that we've always thought necessary when we have deep constitutional changes.

BLITZER: So, if you were in the Senate, you would vote for a constitutional amendment?

BUCKLEY: Oh, yes, absolutely.

BLITZER: What about Iraq, the Iraq war? Do you feel comfortable with what the Bush administration has done for the past year and a half?

BUCKLEY: No, no, I don't feel comfortable, but I wouldn't have taken the position that they did the wrong thing.

I did write recently that, if I knew then what I know now, I would not have gone to war, but I would have prosecuted the same goal as vigorously as possible. You know, people talk about, what would you do if you had the hindsight? Well, look at what happened to Saddam Hussein. He had up until two years ago the choice of 100 palaces to settle down in that night. And now he settles down in a 12-by-12 cell.

BLITZER: So you're obviously happy about that, though you're clearly not happy with the number of Americans who have been killed serving in Iraq.

BUCKLEY: Of course not. I'm not happy with the number of Americans who are killed on the highways every week.

(CROSSTALK)

BLITZER: Well, let me ask you this more pointed question, as you always used to do on "Firing Line." Did these Americans die in vain?

BUCKLEY: No, they did not.

BLITZER: Even though you say, if you had known then what you know now, you wouldn't have gone to war? BUCKLEY: I would have elected to do things differently, but that doesn't necessarily mean that there would have been a pro tanto diminution of American deaths. If I had taken a wrong step, there might have been increased death.

Let me remind you, if I may, that two days ago, Mr. Bush said Libya has given us their entire nuclear plant. And we did this as a result of effective diplomacy. But that diplomacy might very well have depended on the hard impact of the stance that we took in Iraq.

So that it may be that we are -- we should be grateful for that step, if indeed it has given us a peaceful Libya and might even stretch to a peaceful solution to the North Korean problem.

BLITZER: William F. Buckley Jr., who has written an important book, "Miles Gone By," recommended reading, thanks very much for joining us.

BUCKLEY: Nice to talk to you.

BLITZER: We will miss you.

BUCKLEY: Thanks.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: An escaped tiger no longer, yes, no longer on the loose in South Florida. We'll update you, a dramatic end to a search we've been reporting about all day.

That's coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Now a story just in to CNN. Officials in Loxahatchee, Florida, have encountered an escaped tiger, and they had to take some drastic action.

CNN's John Zarrella standing by live with a report.

John, what happened?

JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, for the past 24- plus hours, state wildlife officials and Broward Sheriff's Office deputies have been combing an area back here where a tiger escaped from a private residence, the residence of Steve Sipek, who once played Tarzan in some B-version movies.

Now, late this afternoon, again, about 30 minutes ago, wildlife officials say they had to corner the tiger and kill it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JORGE PINO, FLORIDA WILDLIFE OFFICER: They approached the tiger with the intention of actually shooting the tiger and darting the tiger. As they were doing so, the tiger attacked one of our officers. Our officers unfortunately had no choice but to use lethal fire and shot the tiger. And we're very, very sad to report that the tiger is deceased

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ZARRELLA: Now, Sipek told the media just a little while ago he was afraid they would kill the tiger. And, in fact, they say they had to. There will be a full investigation, Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office and, of course, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission involved in that investigation as to why it was necessary to use the lethal force -- Wolf.

BLITZER: John Zarrella, covering the story for us -- John, thanks very much.

We'll take a quick bleak. The results of our Web question, that's coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Here are the results of our Web question of the day. As you look at these numbers, remember, this is not -- repeat, not -- a scientific poll.

That's all the time we have today. I'll see you back here tomorrow.

"LOU DOBBS TONIGHT" starts right now.

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