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CNN Live Sunday

Riverside, California Residents Return to Homes After Wildfires; Todd Hamilton Wins British Open

Aired July 18, 2004 - 18:00   ET

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

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


CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR, CNN LIVE SUNDAY: Good evening. I'm Carol Lin. CNN LIVE SUNDAY just ahead. But first a quick look at what's happening now in the news. People in Riverside County, California, can go back to their homes...
(AUDIO GAP)

The 200-acre wild fire is dying down. But we have a live report. And things may be changing on the fire line we are hearing.

Sizing up the damage, Iraqis say 14 people were killed by a U.S. air strike in Fallujah. The coalition says it was aiming at about two dozen suspected insurgents at a militant fighting position. More details on that in just a moment.

And American Todd Hamilton went from major obscurity to major champion this afternoon. He beat Ernie Els in a four-hole play-off to win the British Open. We've got the tournament's most memorable moments.

I'm Carol Lin, and welcome to CNN LIVE SUNDAY. Ahead this hour, a new plan to combat terror threats against the United States. Will it work?

Also, one giant step and still going. NASA gets ready to celebrate one of the brightest moments of the space program.

And the nominations are in, but who will walk home with your favorite primetime Emmy? We're going to examine the favorites.

But right now, first up the 9/11 Commission's final report is being released Thursday. But it's already causing a storm of controversy. In an unusual public way, the acting CIA director criticized the committee's conclusion. CNN's White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux monitored the discussion today, and joins us now with some latest from there. Some fighting words.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely, Carol. That recommendation calls to overhaul the CIA. This means the Pentagon, the NFC, the FBI, and many other government agencies being stripped of their power to oversee intelligence.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MALVEAUX (voice-over): Abraham Scott lost his wife beloved wife Janis at the Pentagon September 11th. The one thing he wants to hear from the commission investigating the attacks is...

ABRAHAM SCOTT, 9/11 FAMILY MEMBER: What's being done, and what needs to be done in order to prevent this from happening again.

MALVEAUX: Thursday the Commission will release it's final report will release it's final report. And sources familiar with it say it will call for a new national director of intelligence. A cabinet level official to report directly to the President, and oversee all 15 intelligence agencies.

The goal -- better prepare for a terrorist attack by consolidating information. But the proposal is already drawing fire from the Pentagon and CIA, who stand to lose authority over the estimated $40 billion in the annual intelligence budget. The CIA's acting director argues it's his job to overhaul the agency.

JOHN MCLAUGHLIN, ACTING CIA DIRECTOR: I see the director of central intelligence as someone who is able to do that and empowered to do so under the National Security Act of 1947.

MALVEAUX: Members of the senate intelligence committee are divided.

SEN. DICK DURBIN, (D) ILLINOIS: I'm open to suggestions for reform for one basic reason -- intelligence is our first line of defense on any war on terrorism. Our intelligence failed us before the invasion of Iraq.

SEN. SAXBY CHAMBLISS, (R) GEORGIA: Now if you just add another level of bureaucracy, and that's exactly what Dick is talking about here that we need to look at, if you just add that, we're not going to do anything.

MALVEAUX: One thing the CIA has recently started doing is reaching out to small-town America. A U.S. intelligence official tells CNN over the past several weeks the CIA has sent agents to about a dozen small cities and towns, to give local officials tips on how to prevent terrorist attacks. George Kehl. Police Chief of Fishers, Indiana welcomed his CIA briefing.

GEORGE KEHL, POLICE CHIEF, and FISHERS INDIANA: This is just one step of the beginning of sharing information with local entities. And it's a big step for us, and it just actually has to continue.

MALVEAUX: But for Abraham Scott who lost so much on September 11th --

SCOTT: It's too late. You know, 3,000 lives were lost. We need to be more proactive.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MALVEAUX: Now, privately sources familiar with these interagency talks on creating this intelligence arm (ph) say that there is such fierce opposition that the Bush administration is nowhere close to reaching a consensus when it comes to intelligence reform. Carol? LIN: Suzanne was John McLaughlin actually trying to make a bid for the job himself? Criticizing what is going to come out of the 9/11 reports?

MALVEAUX: Well that's a very good very good question. As you know, everything seen through a political lens here. He was asked directly that question. However, whether or not he is up for that job. He said that he is simply doing his job, that he's not doing it part- time, but full-time. There's still a lot of question whether or not he is going to be up for that -- the full, permanent position. The White House is not expected to make that announcement for at least another week.

LIN: All right. Thanks very much. Suzanne Malveaux. All right.

Let's move on to Iraq, and a major strike against insurgents. Specifically two dozen followers of Abu Musab Zarqawi. A U.S. military official says they were spotted in a fighting position in Fallujah. U.S. planes opened fire, killing 14 people.

And it was personally approved by Iraq's new prime minister; Zarqawi's followers are now putting a $282,000 reward, a bounty on Prime Minister Allawi's head.

Zarqawi, you might know, was born in Jordan. Now, the leader of that country says the threat he poses has been overblown by the media. Jordan's King Abdullah appeared on CNN's "LATE EDITION" earlier today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KING ABDULLAH, JORDAN: Although I must say that I think, you know you say that he's the most wanted man in Iraq. I think the press have made him much more capable, much smarter, and much more of a threat than actually he really is. Having said that, we are all working as part of the international community to track al Zarqawi down, and hopefully the net is closing in on him.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LIN: King Abdullah says Zarqawi is just one part of a broader insurgency in Iraq. He says Jordan doesn't plan to send peacekeeping troops there unless the interim government specifically asks for them.

Well you wouldn't think a war zone is a great place to think about investing for the future. But Baghdad's stock market is up and running. And not even bombs exploding nearby is scaring traders away.

CNN's Michael Holmes is on the scene.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's not Wall Street, and the opening bell could easily be a closing boom, but it is a start. Closed for 16 months because of the war and the chaos that's followed, the Iraqis' stock exchange is back in business. For now, tucked away in an anonymous hotel function room. This is the fifth session after a U.S.-backed reorganization of the exchange and all is well. Last Sunday was a little noisier.

TALIB TABATABAIE, CHAIRMAN, IRAQ STOCK EXCHANGE: We were selling and buying, and around us there was fighting. And bombs and explosions. And nobody cared. Nobody gave it a second thought.

HOLMES: Say the words Iraqi Stock Exchange and the next word out of a lot of mouths may well be "sell." But let's remember this, Iraq was before the bombs and bullets and has the potential to again become a very, very wealthy country.

TABATABAIE: Iraq is not a newcomer to it. Iraq is one of the wealthiest countries in the world. It used to be.

HOLMES: The market opens just twice a week for two hours, and with only 27 companies trading so far, mostly banks, utilities, and a chemical company. But by the end of the year, Mr. Talib hopes to have nearly 200 companies listed and be trading six days a week in brand new headquarters. He says the exchange has to succeed for Iraq's sake.

TABATABAIE: Very important. Essential. It is vital.

HOLMES: Back in the '90s, when the exchange was first launched, there were ordinary investors, plenty of them. But the big-timers were members of Saddam's regime, many of them now either dead or in jail. And Mr. Talib says all of them having seen their shares confiscated. Other ordinary investors however, will have their old shares recognized on the new boards.

In the old days there were price controls, too. Limiting fluctuations to five percent. No more. The second trading session saw the index rise 20 percent. At session five, it's clearly a full market in Baghdad.

Michael Holmes, CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: Also in Iraq, it looks like the Iraqis are going to be investing in freedom of the press. Because the newspaper that became the mouthpiece of a radical Shiite cleric may soon be up and running again. When coalition forces shut it down in a campaign to undermine Muqtada al-Sadr last March, protests and months of fighting between U.S. forces and militants followed. Now in a statement today, the Prime Minister's office said he is dedicated to the freedom of press. We'll see what happens.

But a different sort of shutdown has the Pentagon -- or at least Pentagon workers in a fury. Not because of more terror threats, but how their bosses are dealing with them and their children. Sean Callebs tells us more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The Wood family's comfortable, organized daily routine has become a casualty of national security concerns. Jill works at the Pentagon. She and her husband Marshall relish the convenience of a Pentagon daycare. That's changing. Defense department officials say they are closing the daycare within two months for security reasons.

JILL WOOD, PARENT: We've been being briefed. As parents, for two- and-a-half years that the center is secured strengthened, fortified, and to use the defense department's own words, the safest child care center in the country. So I don't know what happened between then and last Wednesday when they made the announcement.

CALLEBS: That's the day the parents of the 115 or so children here were told to look for an alternative. During the attack on 9/11, no children were hurt. With new heightened security concerns raised by U.S. officials, authorities say the Pentagon could be targeted again. And, say they don't want to put children at risk.

They don't want to relive images of children hurt and killed during Timothy McVeigh's attack on the Oklahoma City Federal Building. Many parents believe their children are safe here. And point out area daycare centers have long waiting lists, and openly wonder why now, and why only 60 days' notice?

REP. JIM MORAN, (D) VIRGINIA: I think that most of the parents when presented with the situation would have said well, let's move or children to a safer location that's not as likely to be a target of terrorists. But let's work out a timeframe so that we can find some alternative location.

LARRY DI RITA, PENTAGON SPOKESPERSON: I know there's been a lot of discussions about alternative sites.

CALLEBS: DOD officials contend they've been working to find alternative. In a July 16th memo saying, we have been aggressively working toward this goal over the last week. And have been in communication with many of you.

WOOD: There should have been a way to involve the parents early on in this decision. And also do some contingency planning. Have an interim plan for us.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CALLEBS: Military officials say they want to build a new daycare center for Pentagon parents nearby. Parents argue that will take time. By the time construction is complete, many of the children in need now will be in grade school -- Carol.

LIN: Sean, are any of the employees you are talking about thinking about taking any action against the employers? Do they have any resource?

CALLEBS: Very little recourse. Some people that we talked to actually say they're considering quitting. Because the Pentagon is sort of out of the way. So if they have to drive somewhere else to drop a child off at daycare, then drive over to the Pentagon, then at the end of the day go back to pick up a child, it's inconvenient. Also it's subsidized at the Pentagon. And there is no guarantee in the future they will have that same kind of luxury.

LIN: Yes. Ok. A dilemma every parents faces. Thank you very much, Sean Callebs.

It was an out of this world stroll 35 years ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Very, very fine-grained, as you get close to it, almost like a powder.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIN: There you go. We're going to examine a moment in history that kept America's space program reaching for the stars.

Also, with the Democratic convention fast approaching, John Edwards is on the road again. The latest from the campaign trail just ahead.

And it's the latest drama to debut on HBO, and "Deadwood" already has an Emmy nomination. We're going to find out how the show stacked up against the competition.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: It is just more than a week before the Democratic convention. And there is a buzz about poll numbers and how the 9/11 report may actually affect the election. CNN's senior political analyst Bill Schneider here today. Looking dapper as always.

WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANAYLIST: Thank you.

LIN: bill, that report is expected to come out on Thursday. Some of the conclusions in there. Are Democrats relieved first of all, that the report is going to come out early? And second of all, what's already been leaked in?

SCHNEIDER: I think they are relieved that it is coming out early. The first day of the convention would sort of absorb all the news. They want the whole convention to be an introduction of John Kerry to the American people. Or a reintroduction of Kerry. And they don't want several days of distraction by the news from the 9/11 committee. So I think they want this commission report to come out as quickly as possible.

LIN: Was there a request from the Democrats to the 9/11 commission? Or was it just a coincidence that it's coming out, and not coinciding with the convention?

SCHNEIDER: I don't think they had to make a request. There are Democrats sitting on the commission. They knew the political consequences of this report coming out at the same time as the convention. So therefore, they are smart enough to know the two stories needed to be separated.

LIN: The leaks that have come out early on the 9/11 Commission, for example, the recommendation that there be a national intelligence director. Isn't this something similar to the committee that John Kerry sat on? It was a joint congressional committee investigating 9/11? And isn't this likely to boost, you know, his profile at the convention, and his stature on the international stage?

SCHNEIDER: I think it's kind of interesting that John Kerry has been making speeches this week. Or last week really, about his desire to reform intelligence. To put it under one central authority. To give that central authority cabinet status.

It's interesting that he's come out with these recommendations which are likely to echo what is reported to be in the 9/11 Commission findings.

He has been on fact-finding commissions on this same matter. There appears to be a universal desire, including that of President Bush, to reform the intelligence community. The question is how centralized will these intelligence functions be?

If you want to put one guy in charge of the CIA and FBI and defense intelligence, and all these various functions now spread out over 12 agencies, you're going to step on a lot of bureaucratic toes. And that's exactly what Kerry has proposed.

LIN: Are you feeling some momentum leading up to this convention?

SCHNEIDER: Momentum? Yes there is. Of course a lot of it -- the momentum was dispelled by the selection of Edwards three weeks before the convention. That sort of took all the suspense away. There really isn't any news coming out of this convention. It really is an infomercial to introduce John Kerry.

A lot of Americans barely remember him back in the winter when he won the primaries. One analyst commenting today in "The New York Times" said it's sort of like John Kerry's his bar mitzvah. Everybody knows what to expect, but they want to watch and see how he does.

LIN: Sure. It's the ceremonial coming up age, I suppose.

SCHNEIDER: Exactly.

LIN: What about John Edwards? Has he really provided much of a bounce in the polls?

SCHNEIDER: Not really. About 3 points is what we found which is a modest bounce. People have picked their sides very clearly in this election. Basically for or against President Bush. And that choice is very, very close right now.

Elections are won or lost on the margins. So Edwards appears to have given Kerry a little bit if a marginal boost. Enough to put him ahead, but only slightly ahead in the various national polls. People vote for president, not for vice president. I think what Edwards did do is get people to take another look at John Kerry. And he's very good at advertising John Kerry in a way that Kerry can't really do it for himself.

LIN: But after the convention, likely a double-digit bounce in the polls for John Kerry?

SCHNEIDER: Yes. The Republicans have already spun that. They said we expect the Kerry-Edwards ticket to be 15 points ahead at the end of the convention. So therefore, what they're saying is, number one, to Republicans, don't be dismayed. Don't be perturbed. It's bound to happen. And to the news media, well, if he is 15 points ahead, that's what we expect.

But there's a warning here. After the 1988 Democratic convention in Atlanta, Michael Dukakis was17 points ahead of the Bush's father. And of course he blew that lead. So there's a message here. Even if you're 15 or 17 points ahead, it's not safe.

LIN: All right. Bill, are you going to be on the Election Express?

SCHNEIDER: Yes, we're going to go to Boston. And the Election Express will be there. We'll be on the bus.

LIN: On the bus with Bill Schneider and the gang. Thanks so much Bill. Looking forward to your coverage of the convention.

Starting Monday, CNN's Election Express. That bus will hit the political road. Judy Woodruff of "INSIDE POLITICS," Tucker Carlson, Paul Begala of "CROSSFIRE" will report the latest campaign news from Concord, New Hampshire.

And then they will roll toward Boston. They have been doing this since Concord. Come along for the ride as CNN heads to the Democratic National Convention. To find out where it actually is so you can meet up with the team, go to cnn.com/bus.

There are a lot of interesting stories across America this weekend. Vice Presidential Candidate John Edwards promises supporters in Orlando that Florida Democrats, their votes will be counted this time around. No more hanging chads.

You might remember also that some in the state were barred from voting, because they were listed as convicted felons.

Now, racecar driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. is in Sacramento, California hospital with minor burns from an accident on the track. He spun and hit a barrier today during practice for a NASCAR race at Sonoma. He walked away from the crash, if you can believe that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There was this one guy a long time ago.

(END VIDEO CLIP) LIN: "I, Robot" opens top in the weekend box office receipts, earning more than $52 million. "Spiderman II" is number two. Followed by "A Cinderella Story", "Anchorman", and "Fahrenheit 9/11."

NASA gets ready to celebrate a memorable first step. We're going to take a look back in history at one of the defining moments of the U.S. space program.

Also, with his trial on rape charges approaching, Kobe Bryant's defense team tries to get over another legal hurdle. Details straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: A lot is happening around the world right now including in Gaza, where some Palestinians are rising up against Yasser Arafat. Members of Arafat's own Fatah party and the al-Aqsa Martyr's Brigade are demanding that he end what they call "years of corruption." An uprising followed some staffing changes Arafat announced yesterday, including the appointment of his cousin as security chief.

More militants are taking advantage of Saudi Arabia's offer of leniency. Twenty-seven wanted men surrendered to Saudi security officials in the past few days. They only have another week to surrender. In exchange the Saudis will exempt terror suspects from the death penalty.

And on a much lighter note, former South African President Nelson Mandela turned 86 today. The Nobel Prize laureate has been cutting back on his public appearances, so his birthday celebration was pretty low-key.

This week could be a nostalgic one for NASA. Tuesday is going to mark 35 years since Neil Armstrong's historic moonwalk. The achievement captivated the world, and inspired some pretty big dreams. At least for a while anyway.

CNN's Bruce Morton explains.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRUCE MORTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): John Kennedy said the U.S. would do it, proving America was ahead of the Soviet Union in what back then was called the space race.

JOHN F KENNEDY, FORMER PRESIDENT, UNITED STATES: I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal before this decade is out of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the earth.

MORTON: The United States did it.

NEIL ARMSTRONG: It's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.

MORTON: Thirty-five years ago, Neil Armstrong stepped onto of the moon. Almost a powdery surface, he reported. And spoke words he knew would be in the history books.

The country held its breaths. TV networks stayed on the air the whole time, 21 hours or so, Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin were on the moon. And it all worked. Some skeptics that first time said it was a fake, but the astronauts came back, and moon rocks came back, and Apollo 13 proved it wasn't easy.

We have a problem Houston, the commander messaged. The crew lived in a lunar module, conserving fuel on the way home. No landing that time.

And then, maybe the first real surprise, America got bored with the moon. The last few planned flights were canceled, and Americans went back to sit-coms, or football, or whatever. The space program turned into the shuttle flights which were dangerous, but not dramatic somehow.

And when President Bush said recently Americans must go back to the moon, you could almost hear the country yawn. Thirty-five years ago it was magical. Man in the heavens. That was then, this is now.

Bruce Morton, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: Raging wildfires in the west. Dozens are forced from their homes tonight. We're live from Southern California with the latest.

Also, an accused U.S. Army deserter has resurfaced 40 years later. We're going to examine his fate up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: More of CNN LIVE SUNDAY in just a moment. But first a quick look at what's happening now in the news. The California fires. In Riverside County, 2000 people who had been in the path of wildfires are going home. But in Los Angeles County, some residents who had been allowed to go home are once again in danger, and have to leave.

And here is the latest scene in Iraq where a U.S. air strike today killed at least 14 people, and wounded three. Iraq's interim government authorized the strike in a clear message that the United States is a key partner to fighting terrorists in Fallujah.

Acting CIA director John McLaughlin says the country does not need a cabinet level position to oversee the nation's 15 spy agencies. The 9/11 Commission in a soon-to-be released report, says it does. But McLaughlin said the CIA is already changing in response to the criticism in that report.

A probe into lack security at Los Alamos National Laboratory. The national nuclear security chief is there to find out how two electronic devices storing classified data managed to go missing this month. Most work at the lab has been suspended until the investigation is complete. Now, we want to move on to the California wildfires. Over the past week, fires have erupted nearly every day in Southern California, charring thousands of acres, and threatening hundreds of homes. More than 1,000 firefighters are battling a fire in Santa Clarita right now. Our Donna Tetreault is there with the latest.

Donna, that is desert country out there. How is the weather holding up?

DONNA TETREAULT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The weather is the problem here in Santa Clarita. And that Santa Clarita is about 20 miles north of Los Angeles. Right now the winds are shifting, and it's 96 degrees here. With me is Jerry Fernandez with the California Department of Forestry. He is here to give us some updated details.

Now can you tell us, earlier people were told they can go back to their homes. But now there are some more evacuations because of the weather?

JERRY FERNANDEZ, CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY: Right. The weather has changed and we've had some strong winds. Erratic wind shifts. We've had spotting problems, which means the fire is throwing embers ahead of it due to the winds, and starting fires ahead of it. So we do have a mandatory evacuation going on at this time.

TETREAULT: Can you tell us a little about the heat as well? This is the time of the day when things have really picked up.

FERNANDEZ: Right. Usually around noon, during the day we start getting the weather changes that aren't very favorable. We did notice a significant wind change, gusts up to probably 20 miles per hour or higher. And then the fuels get dryer, the moisture comes out of the fuels. So that causes tinder-dry conditions with the conditions we've already been experiencing over the past few years. It's just a lot of dangerous potential and we just ask everybody to please be careful out there.

TETREAULT: Can you tell us a little about evacuations? People were told earlier they could leave, and now so many people -- hundreds of people are being evacuated.

FERNANDEZ: Right. Due to the weather changes, and with that, we've had mandatory evacuations of the Plusreda (ph) Canyon area, the Shopwell (ph) area, Upper Sand Canyon area, and Fair Oaks area. That is due to the wind and conditions are just not helping us right now.

TETREAULT: And can you tell mea little bit about the back fires that you're now lighting?

FERNANDEZ: OK. What we do is we cut lines, using dozers. Then we have crews lighting fire to fight fire. So we burn out the unburned area that gets near that line, so we'll hold it right there. It's kind of like putting water down, but in a different way.

The weather is steady, so we don't light fires where the wind's going to kick it back over. So there are numerous crews from all over the state of California and the United States working on this. And we want to try to get this under control as soon as possible.

TETREAULT: Along with all the other people there's animals, horses, dogs, all sorts of animals here in this part of Southern California. Tell us how you're evacuating the animals?

FERNANDEZ: Law enforcement will notify the residents of what they need to do. But it is a good idea for the residents to pre-plan already. Start getting their animals loaded into the trailers, into their cages, whatever. And plan on moving them out with them immediately.

TETREAULT: Thank you so much. Again, the winds here are shifting. The temperature is rising. And in Santa Clarita, the fire continues to cause evacuations.

Carol, back to you.

LIN: Thanks very much. Donna Tetreault reporting live out there in Santa Clarita.

Some fire crews in Western Nevada are heading home today. This after getting a handle on an erratic wild fire that was burning in the Sierra foothills near Carson City. The blaze destroyed 15 homes and had for a time threatened the governor's mansion. But fire officials now say the danger from that fire has passed. They expect to have it fully contained by Tuesday.

You can keep up with the progress of fire crews and what they're doing out there against the wild fires at cnn.com. And there you can look at the latest video of how they're battling the blazes, and can even sign up for e-mail alerts to keep you informed.

In the meantime we want to update you on a big story yesterday. A children's museum in Baltimore won't be offering any more balloon rides until investigators determine why one went out of control yesterday. Four of the 20 passengers on board suffered minor injuries as high winds tossed the balloon around for a terrifying 90 minutes. Sarah Parker of affiliate WMAR reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KEVIN PHELPS, BALLOON PASSENGER: I thought we were going to die. It was pretty tough.

UNIDENTIFIED CHILD: I thought we were going to get killed or get hurt.

SARAH PARKER, WMAR REPORTER (voice-over): Fear flying high over 350 feet above ground. It was the first Kevin Phelps couldn't promise his little girl everything would be OK.

PHELPS: It was tough. The worst part was hitting the building. That was a big problem for us.

PARKER: Wind whipping over 50 miles per hour slammed the massive Port Discovery (ph) balloon into the roof of Baltimore's police headquarters.

CHRIS GORMAN, BALLOON OPERATOR: I just told them stay down in case another gust comes. Just be calm.

PARKER: Calm amid chaos. Chris Gorman was helming the balloon, A balancing act between his terrified passengers, and communicating to ground crews, the balloon at the mercy of the wind.

GORMAN: We were just being pulled --it was so bad that the cable was actually bending. It wasn't straight. We were bending and we were dipping down below like way where we should have been.

PARKER: Fire officials say it may have been a mechanical malfunction paralyzing the controls that bring the balloon back to ground. .

KEVIN CARTWRIGHT, BALTIMORE FIRE DEPARTMENT: It appears that there had been some problem with the retractor to the cable, had some type of interruption and it was not retracting as it ordinarily would.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You must leave the area, that way.

PARKER: All eyes on the sky. Crowds stopped to stare. Relief rippled through tourists next in line for a ride.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We were packing up. And if we would have been a couple minutes earlier, we would have been up there. So I'm glad we were not.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: Thanks to reporter Sarah Parker of WMAR in Baltimore. The balloon will stay grounded as federal, state, and city officials investigate that mishap.

More than 200 marines are back home in California at this hour from service in the Iraq conflict. Members of the 3rd marine aircraft wing arrived minutes ago at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego. Welcome home.

The United States still plans to prosecute Charles Jenkins for deserting to North Korea more than 40 years. But what will really happen is still being debated around the world. It is a compelling story as he arrived in Japan to be reunited with his wife.

Atika Shubert picks up the story from there.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Charles Robert Jenkins stepped off the plane looking frail. Taking his first steps in Japan with the help of a cane and the support of his Japanese wife, Hitomi Soga.

Their two daughters followed closely behind. When asked how he felt, Jenkins shook his head. There were no police waiting to arrest him. No sign that he would be handed over to U.S. authorities. Instead, Jenkins was whisked Tokyo hospital for immediate medical treatment.

The U.S. position remains unchanged. Jenkins is a wanted man for allegedly deserting his military post, and defecting to North Korea in 1965 at the age of 24. Now, 64, Jenkins is wanted in U.S. custody to face a military trial. Japan's extradition treaty requires the country to hand him over. But with the Japanese public closely following the case, sympathizing with the family, the government is under pressure to find a way to keep Jenkins and Soga united in Japan.

The temporary solution it seems is medical. Japanese officials insist Jenkins needs hospital treatment in Japan as a result of abdominal surgery in North Korea

SHUBERT (on-camera): It seems that as long as Jenkins receives medical treatment here there's still time to negotiate a solution. But the U.S. maintains the former army sergeant will eventually have to face charges of deserting his military post nearly 40 years ago.

Atika Shubert, CNN Tokyo.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: it's been a busy week for the Lakers' star Kobe Bryant. He's scheduled for another court appearance in his upcoming rape trial. Just days after the Lakers extended his multiyear contract. We're going to find out what effect if any, it could play on the jury.

Also, who's going home with hat? We'll examine the nominations from this year's primetime Emmy Awards.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: This could be a good time to ask Shaquille O'Neal whether he misses Los Angeles. Traded to Miami last week, he can now bask the in the South Florida sun without worrying about the Lakers and all the legal problems facing their marquee player. The team's future is certainly hinging on what happens in Kobe Bryant's rape case. Jury selection still six weeks away, which must seem like an eternity to a franchise trying to rebuild its nucleus. Right now, let's look at the basketball angle to this courtroom drama. Rob Becker is a sports commentator and a litigation attorney, so he has special credentials for this segment. He joins us from New York today.

Hi, Rob.

ROB BECKER, SPORTS COMMENTATOR: How are you, Carol?

LIN: I'm doing just fine. What do you make of the seven-year contract? And frankly the people who are going to be sitting jury in this case are reading all about it right now. How is that likely to affect his criminal case?

BECKER: I don't think it will have much effect. It certainly would not be allowed in the case itself. I don't think it's really relevant to any issue. And he's rich enough as it is to have the best attorneys. But the fact that the Lakers signed him to this contract tells you that they're pretty confident that he is not going to be convicted.

And indeed they hired a lawyer right at the out set in Colorado, a criminal lawyer, to tell them objectively how this case would go. And right from the beginning, that lawyer advised him that he thought probably that Kobe was going to get off, and be acquitted.

And I think as time has gone by, that advise has only grown stronger.

LIN: How long do you think this trial is going to last? Because frankly, the Lakers are counting on him to show up.

BECKER: Well, the court says it's going to take four weeks, including picking the jury. I think that that is really borderline crazy. This will take a lot longer than that. Particularly the jury selection, they've allotted a week. I think it couldn't possibly be done in less than two weeks. The case itself, there's going to be all sorts of expert testimony. It's not just he said, she said. I think it will take at least two months.

LIN: Really? At least two months. For jury selection or the entire trial?

BECKER: No. No. For the whole case, two months. But I say at least two weeks for the jury selection.

LIN: What does that do to the franchise?

BECKER: You know, if they have to wait a little while, it is not going to make a big difference right at the beginning of the season. They might still be able to get him back before the beginning. But they've shown they can afford to have a situation with him in two courts at once as it were.

LIN: All right. Let's talk about how the trial is shaping up. And what evidence is likely going to be presented. The alleged victim, the accuser's sexual history, that still hasn't been determined whether that is going to be part of the case. Do you have predictions?

BECKER: Yes. I predict her immediate sexual past, that is to say 48 hours before hand will be allowed in, because if she had other partners that could be an alternative explanation for any bruising on her, and therefore is relevant. I think the judge will definitely let that in.

There's also this issue about whether there was someone else between Kobe and the rape examination. And if there was, I don't think you're going to be able to find a jury that convict this woman. Because people believe, rightly or wrongly, that a raped woman would not engage in voluntary sex immediately thereafter.

LIN: Really? But what difference does it make? I mean if there are two yeses, but one no. Than no is where the crime lays. BECKER: That is absolutely true. But the thing is, most jurors, I think in terms of their analysis of the woman's personality will say to themselves, a woman who has been raped will not within the next 12 hours have voluntary sex. I don't personally agree that's correct, but I think that's what most people think. And remember, it's what the lay person thinks who is going to be on the jury.

LIN: Got you. OK. Prosecutors can actually use Kobe Bryant's statements -- recorded statements to police. Also some other physical evidence. His T-shirt that has a bloodstain on it.

BECKER: Right. This was a helpful thing for the prosecutors to get this bloody shirt. Of course there is always going to be some alternative explanation. That perhaps blood can come from voluntary sex. More interesting perhaps is his statements.

Because if you looked at the judge's opinion from the suppression hearing this week, he gave away a couple things that were going on between Kobe and the police. Kobe was trying to explain to the police in his hotel room that the sex was consensual. He was also trying to demonstrate where he and the girl were in the room. He was confident that he could somehow explain himself.

A bit over confident. And the problem is if he said something that stems from a misunderstanding of rape law, he could have hurt himself. So we don't know yet, but the old advice is don't talk to the cops, call your lawyer. And he didn't do that because he's headstrong guy.

LIN: Right. But then again, his attorneys may argue well, it's because he has nothing to hide. He wasn't afraid of talking to you. And we weren't present. You shouldn't allow those -- you shouldn't allow that statement at the end.

BECKER: Well, we're beyond that now, because the judge has said that this can come in. And look, regardless of what his mindset was, what would be more important is what he actually said about the facts of the case.

LIN: OK Rob. Are you watching the Heat, or you watching the Lakers this coming fall??

BECKER: No. I'm going to watch the Knicks, Carol.

LIN: Good choice, Mr. New Yorker. Thanks very much. Rob Becker.

A week ago if you mentioned Todd Hamilton as a possible contender to win the British Open, the experts would have laughed. But they're not laughing now. Hamilton is going all the way to the bank. He won the British Open, and hoisted the Claret Jug today. Our Patrick Snell reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PATRICK SNELL, CNN CORREPONDENT: Welcome back to Royal Troon. I'm with the new Open champion Todd Hamilton. Todd, can you actually comprehend what you have now achieved?

TODD HAMILTON, WINNER, BRITISH OPEN: Not right now, no. I know what I did. I don't know what it will mean to me in the future. Everything to me looks like it's in 3-D. People are running around, it looks like a video game to me right now. But I'm very glad that it worked out the way it did for myself.

SNELL: The so-called experts were writing you off. They weren't giving you a chance. Did that motivate you, spur you on?

HAMILTON: Not really. I'm not one to look at the morning paper and see what they're saying about me or other players that are doing well. I just try to stick to my game plan. I enjoy this kind of golf, and I was just fortunate that today worked out.

SNELL: A little bit on your background. In the early 90s you went to Japan, to play in Asia. Are there times when that really got tough for you, periods that were hard to overcome?

HAMILTON: Yes. I played in Japan for 12 years. There was a stretch maybe five or six years ago. I remember going over there for six weeks, and I missed every cut. It seemed like the weeks got longer and longer. But I persevered, believed in my ability. I knew I could do it. It was just a matter of getting some confidence, hitting some good shots. Having some good tournaments. And I'm glad I stuck with it.

SNELL: You have just gone 40 holes with Ernie Els. What do you feel gave you the edge over him? Something mental maybe?

HAMILTON: I probably think that there was more pressure on him to win. He was supposed to beat me. There were probably no people here that expected me to win other than my mother -- or wanted me to win other than my mother, wife, and kids. So maybe the pressure was more on him, or Phil Mickelson. Guys that have proven themselves in these tournaments like this.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: All right. From "Sex in the City" to the "Apprentice", Primetime television's biggest awards are up for grabs. Up next, we're going to take a look at the potential winners and losers.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: Mark your calendar. The 56th annual Primetime Emmy awards airs September 19th. For a look who is nominated to win the golden trophies, we turn to Kristin Veitch with "E! Online" Hi Kristin.

KRISTIN VEITCH, E ONLINE: Hi, how are you?

LIN: I'm doing just fine. I know we can't possibly make it through all of them. So let's talk about some of the more interesting highlights. HBO was just going gangbusters, and yet this is the network you say that really doesn't care much about these awards or go after them.

VEITCH: No. They don't really necessarily need this award recognition. Unlike other networks who are really beholden to advertisers. They are looking for big ratings. Nonetheless, HBO got a whopping 124 nominations Thursday morning. So it's really tough to beat that.

LIN: And taking a lot of risks. I mean, "Deadwood" "Angels in America", talk to me about some of these shows, and why there is such an appeal for example, "Angels in America." I mean, this is a story about angels and ghosts dealing with AIDS.

VEITCH: Right, absolutely. It's obviously very heavy material, but you have Al Pacino, Meryl Streep, all these amazing a-list normally big-screen actors that they had signed on. The show actually received 21 nominations. It received the most nominations this year. And it swept the Golden Globes, so we're expecting it to do the same thing this year at the Emmys.

LIN: What about "The Sopranos"? Are they ever going to win best drama? Is it their year?

VEITCH: I hope that it is. If they don't, it would probably be "The West Wing" again, and if "The West Wing" wins, it will actually be it's fifth consecutive win, meaning that it will tie the record with "Frasier" for the most consecutive wins ever.

"Sopranos" actually received 20 nominations this year, they had the second most nominations. But like you said, they don't normally take home the wins. And that's actually very indicative to what we see with HBO. They get a lot of nominations, but then they're sort of over looked and they come home as the biggest snub at the actual awards.

LIN: Which kind of tells you maybe what critics are looking for, they want to acknowledge the risk takers, but they don't necessarily want to reward them.

VEITCH: Right.

LIN: How about reality shows? Donald Trump, I know you've talked to him a couple times. What are his expectations?

VEITCH: You've got to love Donald Trump. Of course no one loves Donald Trump more than Donald Trump. But yes, he is actually up for best reality show this year. And who would have ever thought that Donald Trump would be an Emmy nominee? I think that's stunning.

LIN: He was playing himself. Why would he deserve an Emmy?

VEITCH: He was playing himself. Now he himself was not nominated, but the show was. If you ask Donald, he actually will tell you -- I just met with him last week, and he says he thinks he's one of the best actors. He said I just ran into Michael Douglas, and he said to me, Donald, who do you study with? Because you are a great, great actor.

LIN: That's Hollywood schmooze. Also known as the big lie.

VEITCH: Yes. But also, what's interesting in that category is Mark Burnett is actually going up against himself because both "Survivor" and "The Apprentice" were nominated.

LIN: Right. Reality TV not going away. Kristin, who do you think was ignored? Any snubs?

VEITCH: Actually there were a lot of surprising snubs this year. Two of the most well-known and well respected TV faces out there, Ray Romano and Debra Messing both won Emmys last year, and this year they were completely overlooked. They didn't even receive nominations.

Also a lot of shows that had received a lot of buzz and everyone was expecting to get nominations did not. And those would be "Nip/Tuck" which is definitely on the racier side. Also "The Shield" which falls into that category. They seem to go for more conservative, safer shows, like "Joan of Arcadia." It was a freshman series, and received a nomination, which is pretty much unheard of at the Emmys.

LIN: Yes. John Ritter, who passed away, is going to receive a posthumous award. That will be a really emotional moment at that ceremony.

VEITCH: Absolutely emotional. And actually, his son John Ritter is a cast member on "Joan of Arcadia" as well. So that was obviously a very emotional moving day for the "8 Simple Rules" cast and also Jason Ritter?

LIN: Any predictions Kristin? What are you looking for that night?

VEITCH: I think it will be interesting to see how the sentimental favorites fair this year. Because it is the last year for eligibility for "Sex in the City", "Friends", and "Frasier."

So I am really hoping that one of the girls from "Sex in the City" takes home a win actually. Believe it or not, none of the "Sex in the City" actresses have ever won an Emmy.

LIN: I can't believe that. They're nominated every year. I just assumed they had at one point or another.

VEITCH: The show has won once. But Sara Jessica Parker has never won. None of the girls have ever won. And this is actually Kristin Davis' first year as a nominee. So that was definitely a nice sort of swan song for her.

LIN: Kristin, thanks so much for wrapping it up for us. We'll be looking for you and all of the stories out of September19th.

That's all the time we have for this hour. Coming up next, "PEOPLE IN THE NEWS" featuring Martha Stewart and Scott Peterson. At 8:00 Eastern, "CNN PRESENTS: True Believers" inside the Howard Dean Camp. And at 9:00 Eastern, "LARRY KING WEEKEND." Larry's guest tonight, legendary actor Gene Hackman. And I'm going to be back at 10:00 Eastern with a unique perspective on the daughters of President Bush. W. got the Inside scoop from "Vogue" magazine. The hour's headlines when we come back, and then "PEOPLE IN THE NEWS."

(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 18, 2004 - 18:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR, CNN LIVE SUNDAY: Good evening. I'm Carol Lin. CNN LIVE SUNDAY just ahead. But first a quick look at what's happening now in the news. People in Riverside County, California, can go back to their homes...
(AUDIO GAP)

The 200-acre wild fire is dying down. But we have a live report. And things may be changing on the fire line we are hearing.

Sizing up the damage, Iraqis say 14 people were killed by a U.S. air strike in Fallujah. The coalition says it was aiming at about two dozen suspected insurgents at a militant fighting position. More details on that in just a moment.

And American Todd Hamilton went from major obscurity to major champion this afternoon. He beat Ernie Els in a four-hole play-off to win the British Open. We've got the tournament's most memorable moments.

I'm Carol Lin, and welcome to CNN LIVE SUNDAY. Ahead this hour, a new plan to combat terror threats against the United States. Will it work?

Also, one giant step and still going. NASA gets ready to celebrate one of the brightest moments of the space program.

And the nominations are in, but who will walk home with your favorite primetime Emmy? We're going to examine the favorites.

But right now, first up the 9/11 Commission's final report is being released Thursday. But it's already causing a storm of controversy. In an unusual public way, the acting CIA director criticized the committee's conclusion. CNN's White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux monitored the discussion today, and joins us now with some latest from there. Some fighting words.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely, Carol. That recommendation calls to overhaul the CIA. This means the Pentagon, the NFC, the FBI, and many other government agencies being stripped of their power to oversee intelligence.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MALVEAUX (voice-over): Abraham Scott lost his wife beloved wife Janis at the Pentagon September 11th. The one thing he wants to hear from the commission investigating the attacks is...

ABRAHAM SCOTT, 9/11 FAMILY MEMBER: What's being done, and what needs to be done in order to prevent this from happening again.

MALVEAUX: Thursday the Commission will release it's final report will release it's final report. And sources familiar with it say it will call for a new national director of intelligence. A cabinet level official to report directly to the President, and oversee all 15 intelligence agencies.

The goal -- better prepare for a terrorist attack by consolidating information. But the proposal is already drawing fire from the Pentagon and CIA, who stand to lose authority over the estimated $40 billion in the annual intelligence budget. The CIA's acting director argues it's his job to overhaul the agency.

JOHN MCLAUGHLIN, ACTING CIA DIRECTOR: I see the director of central intelligence as someone who is able to do that and empowered to do so under the National Security Act of 1947.

MALVEAUX: Members of the senate intelligence committee are divided.

SEN. DICK DURBIN, (D) ILLINOIS: I'm open to suggestions for reform for one basic reason -- intelligence is our first line of defense on any war on terrorism. Our intelligence failed us before the invasion of Iraq.

SEN. SAXBY CHAMBLISS, (R) GEORGIA: Now if you just add another level of bureaucracy, and that's exactly what Dick is talking about here that we need to look at, if you just add that, we're not going to do anything.

MALVEAUX: One thing the CIA has recently started doing is reaching out to small-town America. A U.S. intelligence official tells CNN over the past several weeks the CIA has sent agents to about a dozen small cities and towns, to give local officials tips on how to prevent terrorist attacks. George Kehl. Police Chief of Fishers, Indiana welcomed his CIA briefing.

GEORGE KEHL, POLICE CHIEF, and FISHERS INDIANA: This is just one step of the beginning of sharing information with local entities. And it's a big step for us, and it just actually has to continue.

MALVEAUX: But for Abraham Scott who lost so much on September 11th --

SCOTT: It's too late. You know, 3,000 lives were lost. We need to be more proactive.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MALVEAUX: Now, privately sources familiar with these interagency talks on creating this intelligence arm (ph) say that there is such fierce opposition that the Bush administration is nowhere close to reaching a consensus when it comes to intelligence reform. Carol? LIN: Suzanne was John McLaughlin actually trying to make a bid for the job himself? Criticizing what is going to come out of the 9/11 reports?

MALVEAUX: Well that's a very good very good question. As you know, everything seen through a political lens here. He was asked directly that question. However, whether or not he is up for that job. He said that he is simply doing his job, that he's not doing it part- time, but full-time. There's still a lot of question whether or not he is going to be up for that -- the full, permanent position. The White House is not expected to make that announcement for at least another week.

LIN: All right. Thanks very much. Suzanne Malveaux. All right.

Let's move on to Iraq, and a major strike against insurgents. Specifically two dozen followers of Abu Musab Zarqawi. A U.S. military official says they were spotted in a fighting position in Fallujah. U.S. planes opened fire, killing 14 people.

And it was personally approved by Iraq's new prime minister; Zarqawi's followers are now putting a $282,000 reward, a bounty on Prime Minister Allawi's head.

Zarqawi, you might know, was born in Jordan. Now, the leader of that country says the threat he poses has been overblown by the media. Jordan's King Abdullah appeared on CNN's "LATE EDITION" earlier today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KING ABDULLAH, JORDAN: Although I must say that I think, you know you say that he's the most wanted man in Iraq. I think the press have made him much more capable, much smarter, and much more of a threat than actually he really is. Having said that, we are all working as part of the international community to track al Zarqawi down, and hopefully the net is closing in on him.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LIN: King Abdullah says Zarqawi is just one part of a broader insurgency in Iraq. He says Jordan doesn't plan to send peacekeeping troops there unless the interim government specifically asks for them.

Well you wouldn't think a war zone is a great place to think about investing for the future. But Baghdad's stock market is up and running. And not even bombs exploding nearby is scaring traders away.

CNN's Michael Holmes is on the scene.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's not Wall Street, and the opening bell could easily be a closing boom, but it is a start. Closed for 16 months because of the war and the chaos that's followed, the Iraqis' stock exchange is back in business. For now, tucked away in an anonymous hotel function room. This is the fifth session after a U.S.-backed reorganization of the exchange and all is well. Last Sunday was a little noisier.

TALIB TABATABAIE, CHAIRMAN, IRAQ STOCK EXCHANGE: We were selling and buying, and around us there was fighting. And bombs and explosions. And nobody cared. Nobody gave it a second thought.

HOLMES: Say the words Iraqi Stock Exchange and the next word out of a lot of mouths may well be "sell." But let's remember this, Iraq was before the bombs and bullets and has the potential to again become a very, very wealthy country.

TABATABAIE: Iraq is not a newcomer to it. Iraq is one of the wealthiest countries in the world. It used to be.

HOLMES: The market opens just twice a week for two hours, and with only 27 companies trading so far, mostly banks, utilities, and a chemical company. But by the end of the year, Mr. Talib hopes to have nearly 200 companies listed and be trading six days a week in brand new headquarters. He says the exchange has to succeed for Iraq's sake.

TABATABAIE: Very important. Essential. It is vital.

HOLMES: Back in the '90s, when the exchange was first launched, there were ordinary investors, plenty of them. But the big-timers were members of Saddam's regime, many of them now either dead or in jail. And Mr. Talib says all of them having seen their shares confiscated. Other ordinary investors however, will have their old shares recognized on the new boards.

In the old days there were price controls, too. Limiting fluctuations to five percent. No more. The second trading session saw the index rise 20 percent. At session five, it's clearly a full market in Baghdad.

Michael Holmes, CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: Also in Iraq, it looks like the Iraqis are going to be investing in freedom of the press. Because the newspaper that became the mouthpiece of a radical Shiite cleric may soon be up and running again. When coalition forces shut it down in a campaign to undermine Muqtada al-Sadr last March, protests and months of fighting between U.S. forces and militants followed. Now in a statement today, the Prime Minister's office said he is dedicated to the freedom of press. We'll see what happens.

But a different sort of shutdown has the Pentagon -- or at least Pentagon workers in a fury. Not because of more terror threats, but how their bosses are dealing with them and their children. Sean Callebs tells us more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The Wood family's comfortable, organized daily routine has become a casualty of national security concerns. Jill works at the Pentagon. She and her husband Marshall relish the convenience of a Pentagon daycare. That's changing. Defense department officials say they are closing the daycare within two months for security reasons.

JILL WOOD, PARENT: We've been being briefed. As parents, for two- and-a-half years that the center is secured strengthened, fortified, and to use the defense department's own words, the safest child care center in the country. So I don't know what happened between then and last Wednesday when they made the announcement.

CALLEBS: That's the day the parents of the 115 or so children here were told to look for an alternative. During the attack on 9/11, no children were hurt. With new heightened security concerns raised by U.S. officials, authorities say the Pentagon could be targeted again. And, say they don't want to put children at risk.

They don't want to relive images of children hurt and killed during Timothy McVeigh's attack on the Oklahoma City Federal Building. Many parents believe their children are safe here. And point out area daycare centers have long waiting lists, and openly wonder why now, and why only 60 days' notice?

REP. JIM MORAN, (D) VIRGINIA: I think that most of the parents when presented with the situation would have said well, let's move or children to a safer location that's not as likely to be a target of terrorists. But let's work out a timeframe so that we can find some alternative location.

LARRY DI RITA, PENTAGON SPOKESPERSON: I know there's been a lot of discussions about alternative sites.

CALLEBS: DOD officials contend they've been working to find alternative. In a July 16th memo saying, we have been aggressively working toward this goal over the last week. And have been in communication with many of you.

WOOD: There should have been a way to involve the parents early on in this decision. And also do some contingency planning. Have an interim plan for us.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CALLEBS: Military officials say they want to build a new daycare center for Pentagon parents nearby. Parents argue that will take time. By the time construction is complete, many of the children in need now will be in grade school -- Carol.

LIN: Sean, are any of the employees you are talking about thinking about taking any action against the employers? Do they have any resource?

CALLEBS: Very little recourse. Some people that we talked to actually say they're considering quitting. Because the Pentagon is sort of out of the way. So if they have to drive somewhere else to drop a child off at daycare, then drive over to the Pentagon, then at the end of the day go back to pick up a child, it's inconvenient. Also it's subsidized at the Pentagon. And there is no guarantee in the future they will have that same kind of luxury.

LIN: Yes. Ok. A dilemma every parents faces. Thank you very much, Sean Callebs.

It was an out of this world stroll 35 years ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Very, very fine-grained, as you get close to it, almost like a powder.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIN: There you go. We're going to examine a moment in history that kept America's space program reaching for the stars.

Also, with the Democratic convention fast approaching, John Edwards is on the road again. The latest from the campaign trail just ahead.

And it's the latest drama to debut on HBO, and "Deadwood" already has an Emmy nomination. We're going to find out how the show stacked up against the competition.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: It is just more than a week before the Democratic convention. And there is a buzz about poll numbers and how the 9/11 report may actually affect the election. CNN's senior political analyst Bill Schneider here today. Looking dapper as always.

WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANAYLIST: Thank you.

LIN: bill, that report is expected to come out on Thursday. Some of the conclusions in there. Are Democrats relieved first of all, that the report is going to come out early? And second of all, what's already been leaked in?

SCHNEIDER: I think they are relieved that it is coming out early. The first day of the convention would sort of absorb all the news. They want the whole convention to be an introduction of John Kerry to the American people. Or a reintroduction of Kerry. And they don't want several days of distraction by the news from the 9/11 committee. So I think they want this commission report to come out as quickly as possible.

LIN: Was there a request from the Democrats to the 9/11 commission? Or was it just a coincidence that it's coming out, and not coinciding with the convention?

SCHNEIDER: I don't think they had to make a request. There are Democrats sitting on the commission. They knew the political consequences of this report coming out at the same time as the convention. So therefore, they are smart enough to know the two stories needed to be separated.

LIN: The leaks that have come out early on the 9/11 Commission, for example, the recommendation that there be a national intelligence director. Isn't this something similar to the committee that John Kerry sat on? It was a joint congressional committee investigating 9/11? And isn't this likely to boost, you know, his profile at the convention, and his stature on the international stage?

SCHNEIDER: I think it's kind of interesting that John Kerry has been making speeches this week. Or last week really, about his desire to reform intelligence. To put it under one central authority. To give that central authority cabinet status.

It's interesting that he's come out with these recommendations which are likely to echo what is reported to be in the 9/11 Commission findings.

He has been on fact-finding commissions on this same matter. There appears to be a universal desire, including that of President Bush, to reform the intelligence community. The question is how centralized will these intelligence functions be?

If you want to put one guy in charge of the CIA and FBI and defense intelligence, and all these various functions now spread out over 12 agencies, you're going to step on a lot of bureaucratic toes. And that's exactly what Kerry has proposed.

LIN: Are you feeling some momentum leading up to this convention?

SCHNEIDER: Momentum? Yes there is. Of course a lot of it -- the momentum was dispelled by the selection of Edwards three weeks before the convention. That sort of took all the suspense away. There really isn't any news coming out of this convention. It really is an infomercial to introduce John Kerry.

A lot of Americans barely remember him back in the winter when he won the primaries. One analyst commenting today in "The New York Times" said it's sort of like John Kerry's his bar mitzvah. Everybody knows what to expect, but they want to watch and see how he does.

LIN: Sure. It's the ceremonial coming up age, I suppose.

SCHNEIDER: Exactly.

LIN: What about John Edwards? Has he really provided much of a bounce in the polls?

SCHNEIDER: Not really. About 3 points is what we found which is a modest bounce. People have picked their sides very clearly in this election. Basically for or against President Bush. And that choice is very, very close right now.

Elections are won or lost on the margins. So Edwards appears to have given Kerry a little bit if a marginal boost. Enough to put him ahead, but only slightly ahead in the various national polls. People vote for president, not for vice president. I think what Edwards did do is get people to take another look at John Kerry. And he's very good at advertising John Kerry in a way that Kerry can't really do it for himself.

LIN: But after the convention, likely a double-digit bounce in the polls for John Kerry?

SCHNEIDER: Yes. The Republicans have already spun that. They said we expect the Kerry-Edwards ticket to be 15 points ahead at the end of the convention. So therefore, what they're saying is, number one, to Republicans, don't be dismayed. Don't be perturbed. It's bound to happen. And to the news media, well, if he is 15 points ahead, that's what we expect.

But there's a warning here. After the 1988 Democratic convention in Atlanta, Michael Dukakis was17 points ahead of the Bush's father. And of course he blew that lead. So there's a message here. Even if you're 15 or 17 points ahead, it's not safe.

LIN: All right. Bill, are you going to be on the Election Express?

SCHNEIDER: Yes, we're going to go to Boston. And the Election Express will be there. We'll be on the bus.

LIN: On the bus with Bill Schneider and the gang. Thanks so much Bill. Looking forward to your coverage of the convention.

Starting Monday, CNN's Election Express. That bus will hit the political road. Judy Woodruff of "INSIDE POLITICS," Tucker Carlson, Paul Begala of "CROSSFIRE" will report the latest campaign news from Concord, New Hampshire.

And then they will roll toward Boston. They have been doing this since Concord. Come along for the ride as CNN heads to the Democratic National Convention. To find out where it actually is so you can meet up with the team, go to cnn.com/bus.

There are a lot of interesting stories across America this weekend. Vice Presidential Candidate John Edwards promises supporters in Orlando that Florida Democrats, their votes will be counted this time around. No more hanging chads.

You might remember also that some in the state were barred from voting, because they were listed as convicted felons.

Now, racecar driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. is in Sacramento, California hospital with minor burns from an accident on the track. He spun and hit a barrier today during practice for a NASCAR race at Sonoma. He walked away from the crash, if you can believe that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There was this one guy a long time ago.

(END VIDEO CLIP) LIN: "I, Robot" opens top in the weekend box office receipts, earning more than $52 million. "Spiderman II" is number two. Followed by "A Cinderella Story", "Anchorman", and "Fahrenheit 9/11."

NASA gets ready to celebrate a memorable first step. We're going to take a look back in history at one of the defining moments of the U.S. space program.

Also, with his trial on rape charges approaching, Kobe Bryant's defense team tries to get over another legal hurdle. Details straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: A lot is happening around the world right now including in Gaza, where some Palestinians are rising up against Yasser Arafat. Members of Arafat's own Fatah party and the al-Aqsa Martyr's Brigade are demanding that he end what they call "years of corruption." An uprising followed some staffing changes Arafat announced yesterday, including the appointment of his cousin as security chief.

More militants are taking advantage of Saudi Arabia's offer of leniency. Twenty-seven wanted men surrendered to Saudi security officials in the past few days. They only have another week to surrender. In exchange the Saudis will exempt terror suspects from the death penalty.

And on a much lighter note, former South African President Nelson Mandela turned 86 today. The Nobel Prize laureate has been cutting back on his public appearances, so his birthday celebration was pretty low-key.

This week could be a nostalgic one for NASA. Tuesday is going to mark 35 years since Neil Armstrong's historic moonwalk. The achievement captivated the world, and inspired some pretty big dreams. At least for a while anyway.

CNN's Bruce Morton explains.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRUCE MORTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): John Kennedy said the U.S. would do it, proving America was ahead of the Soviet Union in what back then was called the space race.

JOHN F KENNEDY, FORMER PRESIDENT, UNITED STATES: I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal before this decade is out of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the earth.

MORTON: The United States did it.

NEIL ARMSTRONG: It's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.

MORTON: Thirty-five years ago, Neil Armstrong stepped onto of the moon. Almost a powdery surface, he reported. And spoke words he knew would be in the history books.

The country held its breaths. TV networks stayed on the air the whole time, 21 hours or so, Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin were on the moon. And it all worked. Some skeptics that first time said it was a fake, but the astronauts came back, and moon rocks came back, and Apollo 13 proved it wasn't easy.

We have a problem Houston, the commander messaged. The crew lived in a lunar module, conserving fuel on the way home. No landing that time.

And then, maybe the first real surprise, America got bored with the moon. The last few planned flights were canceled, and Americans went back to sit-coms, or football, or whatever. The space program turned into the shuttle flights which were dangerous, but not dramatic somehow.

And when President Bush said recently Americans must go back to the moon, you could almost hear the country yawn. Thirty-five years ago it was magical. Man in the heavens. That was then, this is now.

Bruce Morton, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: Raging wildfires in the west. Dozens are forced from their homes tonight. We're live from Southern California with the latest.

Also, an accused U.S. Army deserter has resurfaced 40 years later. We're going to examine his fate up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: More of CNN LIVE SUNDAY in just a moment. But first a quick look at what's happening now in the news. The California fires. In Riverside County, 2000 people who had been in the path of wildfires are going home. But in Los Angeles County, some residents who had been allowed to go home are once again in danger, and have to leave.

And here is the latest scene in Iraq where a U.S. air strike today killed at least 14 people, and wounded three. Iraq's interim government authorized the strike in a clear message that the United States is a key partner to fighting terrorists in Fallujah.

Acting CIA director John McLaughlin says the country does not need a cabinet level position to oversee the nation's 15 spy agencies. The 9/11 Commission in a soon-to-be released report, says it does. But McLaughlin said the CIA is already changing in response to the criticism in that report.

A probe into lack security at Los Alamos National Laboratory. The national nuclear security chief is there to find out how two electronic devices storing classified data managed to go missing this month. Most work at the lab has been suspended until the investigation is complete. Now, we want to move on to the California wildfires. Over the past week, fires have erupted nearly every day in Southern California, charring thousands of acres, and threatening hundreds of homes. More than 1,000 firefighters are battling a fire in Santa Clarita right now. Our Donna Tetreault is there with the latest.

Donna, that is desert country out there. How is the weather holding up?

DONNA TETREAULT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The weather is the problem here in Santa Clarita. And that Santa Clarita is about 20 miles north of Los Angeles. Right now the winds are shifting, and it's 96 degrees here. With me is Jerry Fernandez with the California Department of Forestry. He is here to give us some updated details.

Now can you tell us, earlier people were told they can go back to their homes. But now there are some more evacuations because of the weather?

JERRY FERNANDEZ, CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY: Right. The weather has changed and we've had some strong winds. Erratic wind shifts. We've had spotting problems, which means the fire is throwing embers ahead of it due to the winds, and starting fires ahead of it. So we do have a mandatory evacuation going on at this time.

TETREAULT: Can you tell us a little about the heat as well? This is the time of the day when things have really picked up.

FERNANDEZ: Right. Usually around noon, during the day we start getting the weather changes that aren't very favorable. We did notice a significant wind change, gusts up to probably 20 miles per hour or higher. And then the fuels get dryer, the moisture comes out of the fuels. So that causes tinder-dry conditions with the conditions we've already been experiencing over the past few years. It's just a lot of dangerous potential and we just ask everybody to please be careful out there.

TETREAULT: Can you tell us a little about evacuations? People were told earlier they could leave, and now so many people -- hundreds of people are being evacuated.

FERNANDEZ: Right. Due to the weather changes, and with that, we've had mandatory evacuations of the Plusreda (ph) Canyon area, the Shopwell (ph) area, Upper Sand Canyon area, and Fair Oaks area. That is due to the wind and conditions are just not helping us right now.

TETREAULT: And can you tell mea little bit about the back fires that you're now lighting?

FERNANDEZ: OK. What we do is we cut lines, using dozers. Then we have crews lighting fire to fight fire. So we burn out the unburned area that gets near that line, so we'll hold it right there. It's kind of like putting water down, but in a different way.

The weather is steady, so we don't light fires where the wind's going to kick it back over. So there are numerous crews from all over the state of California and the United States working on this. And we want to try to get this under control as soon as possible.

TETREAULT: Along with all the other people there's animals, horses, dogs, all sorts of animals here in this part of Southern California. Tell us how you're evacuating the animals?

FERNANDEZ: Law enforcement will notify the residents of what they need to do. But it is a good idea for the residents to pre-plan already. Start getting their animals loaded into the trailers, into their cages, whatever. And plan on moving them out with them immediately.

TETREAULT: Thank you so much. Again, the winds here are shifting. The temperature is rising. And in Santa Clarita, the fire continues to cause evacuations.

Carol, back to you.

LIN: Thanks very much. Donna Tetreault reporting live out there in Santa Clarita.

Some fire crews in Western Nevada are heading home today. This after getting a handle on an erratic wild fire that was burning in the Sierra foothills near Carson City. The blaze destroyed 15 homes and had for a time threatened the governor's mansion. But fire officials now say the danger from that fire has passed. They expect to have it fully contained by Tuesday.

You can keep up with the progress of fire crews and what they're doing out there against the wild fires at cnn.com. And there you can look at the latest video of how they're battling the blazes, and can even sign up for e-mail alerts to keep you informed.

In the meantime we want to update you on a big story yesterday. A children's museum in Baltimore won't be offering any more balloon rides until investigators determine why one went out of control yesterday. Four of the 20 passengers on board suffered minor injuries as high winds tossed the balloon around for a terrifying 90 minutes. Sarah Parker of affiliate WMAR reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KEVIN PHELPS, BALLOON PASSENGER: I thought we were going to die. It was pretty tough.

UNIDENTIFIED CHILD: I thought we were going to get killed or get hurt.

SARAH PARKER, WMAR REPORTER (voice-over): Fear flying high over 350 feet above ground. It was the first Kevin Phelps couldn't promise his little girl everything would be OK.

PHELPS: It was tough. The worst part was hitting the building. That was a big problem for us.

PARKER: Wind whipping over 50 miles per hour slammed the massive Port Discovery (ph) balloon into the roof of Baltimore's police headquarters.

CHRIS GORMAN, BALLOON OPERATOR: I just told them stay down in case another gust comes. Just be calm.

PARKER: Calm amid chaos. Chris Gorman was helming the balloon, A balancing act between his terrified passengers, and communicating to ground crews, the balloon at the mercy of the wind.

GORMAN: We were just being pulled --it was so bad that the cable was actually bending. It wasn't straight. We were bending and we were dipping down below like way where we should have been.

PARKER: Fire officials say it may have been a mechanical malfunction paralyzing the controls that bring the balloon back to ground. .

KEVIN CARTWRIGHT, BALTIMORE FIRE DEPARTMENT: It appears that there had been some problem with the retractor to the cable, had some type of interruption and it was not retracting as it ordinarily would.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You must leave the area, that way.

PARKER: All eyes on the sky. Crowds stopped to stare. Relief rippled through tourists next in line for a ride.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We were packing up. And if we would have been a couple minutes earlier, we would have been up there. So I'm glad we were not.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: Thanks to reporter Sarah Parker of WMAR in Baltimore. The balloon will stay grounded as federal, state, and city officials investigate that mishap.

More than 200 marines are back home in California at this hour from service in the Iraq conflict. Members of the 3rd marine aircraft wing arrived minutes ago at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego. Welcome home.

The United States still plans to prosecute Charles Jenkins for deserting to North Korea more than 40 years. But what will really happen is still being debated around the world. It is a compelling story as he arrived in Japan to be reunited with his wife.

Atika Shubert picks up the story from there.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Charles Robert Jenkins stepped off the plane looking frail. Taking his first steps in Japan with the help of a cane and the support of his Japanese wife, Hitomi Soga.

Their two daughters followed closely behind. When asked how he felt, Jenkins shook his head. There were no police waiting to arrest him. No sign that he would be handed over to U.S. authorities. Instead, Jenkins was whisked Tokyo hospital for immediate medical treatment.

The U.S. position remains unchanged. Jenkins is a wanted man for allegedly deserting his military post, and defecting to North Korea in 1965 at the age of 24. Now, 64, Jenkins is wanted in U.S. custody to face a military trial. Japan's extradition treaty requires the country to hand him over. But with the Japanese public closely following the case, sympathizing with the family, the government is under pressure to find a way to keep Jenkins and Soga united in Japan.

The temporary solution it seems is medical. Japanese officials insist Jenkins needs hospital treatment in Japan as a result of abdominal surgery in North Korea

SHUBERT (on-camera): It seems that as long as Jenkins receives medical treatment here there's still time to negotiate a solution. But the U.S. maintains the former army sergeant will eventually have to face charges of deserting his military post nearly 40 years ago.

Atika Shubert, CNN Tokyo.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: it's been a busy week for the Lakers' star Kobe Bryant. He's scheduled for another court appearance in his upcoming rape trial. Just days after the Lakers extended his multiyear contract. We're going to find out what effect if any, it could play on the jury.

Also, who's going home with hat? We'll examine the nominations from this year's primetime Emmy Awards.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: This could be a good time to ask Shaquille O'Neal whether he misses Los Angeles. Traded to Miami last week, he can now bask the in the South Florida sun without worrying about the Lakers and all the legal problems facing their marquee player. The team's future is certainly hinging on what happens in Kobe Bryant's rape case. Jury selection still six weeks away, which must seem like an eternity to a franchise trying to rebuild its nucleus. Right now, let's look at the basketball angle to this courtroom drama. Rob Becker is a sports commentator and a litigation attorney, so he has special credentials for this segment. He joins us from New York today.

Hi, Rob.

ROB BECKER, SPORTS COMMENTATOR: How are you, Carol?

LIN: I'm doing just fine. What do you make of the seven-year contract? And frankly the people who are going to be sitting jury in this case are reading all about it right now. How is that likely to affect his criminal case?

BECKER: I don't think it will have much effect. It certainly would not be allowed in the case itself. I don't think it's really relevant to any issue. And he's rich enough as it is to have the best attorneys. But the fact that the Lakers signed him to this contract tells you that they're pretty confident that he is not going to be convicted.

And indeed they hired a lawyer right at the out set in Colorado, a criminal lawyer, to tell them objectively how this case would go. And right from the beginning, that lawyer advised him that he thought probably that Kobe was going to get off, and be acquitted.

And I think as time has gone by, that advise has only grown stronger.

LIN: How long do you think this trial is going to last? Because frankly, the Lakers are counting on him to show up.

BECKER: Well, the court says it's going to take four weeks, including picking the jury. I think that that is really borderline crazy. This will take a lot longer than that. Particularly the jury selection, they've allotted a week. I think it couldn't possibly be done in less than two weeks. The case itself, there's going to be all sorts of expert testimony. It's not just he said, she said. I think it will take at least two months.

LIN: Really? At least two months. For jury selection or the entire trial?

BECKER: No. No. For the whole case, two months. But I say at least two weeks for the jury selection.

LIN: What does that do to the franchise?

BECKER: You know, if they have to wait a little while, it is not going to make a big difference right at the beginning of the season. They might still be able to get him back before the beginning. But they've shown they can afford to have a situation with him in two courts at once as it were.

LIN: All right. Let's talk about how the trial is shaping up. And what evidence is likely going to be presented. The alleged victim, the accuser's sexual history, that still hasn't been determined whether that is going to be part of the case. Do you have predictions?

BECKER: Yes. I predict her immediate sexual past, that is to say 48 hours before hand will be allowed in, because if she had other partners that could be an alternative explanation for any bruising on her, and therefore is relevant. I think the judge will definitely let that in.

There's also this issue about whether there was someone else between Kobe and the rape examination. And if there was, I don't think you're going to be able to find a jury that convict this woman. Because people believe, rightly or wrongly, that a raped woman would not engage in voluntary sex immediately thereafter.

LIN: Really? But what difference does it make? I mean if there are two yeses, but one no. Than no is where the crime lays. BECKER: That is absolutely true. But the thing is, most jurors, I think in terms of their analysis of the woman's personality will say to themselves, a woman who has been raped will not within the next 12 hours have voluntary sex. I don't personally agree that's correct, but I think that's what most people think. And remember, it's what the lay person thinks who is going to be on the jury.

LIN: Got you. OK. Prosecutors can actually use Kobe Bryant's statements -- recorded statements to police. Also some other physical evidence. His T-shirt that has a bloodstain on it.

BECKER: Right. This was a helpful thing for the prosecutors to get this bloody shirt. Of course there is always going to be some alternative explanation. That perhaps blood can come from voluntary sex. More interesting perhaps is his statements.

Because if you looked at the judge's opinion from the suppression hearing this week, he gave away a couple things that were going on between Kobe and the police. Kobe was trying to explain to the police in his hotel room that the sex was consensual. He was also trying to demonstrate where he and the girl were in the room. He was confident that he could somehow explain himself.

A bit over confident. And the problem is if he said something that stems from a misunderstanding of rape law, he could have hurt himself. So we don't know yet, but the old advice is don't talk to the cops, call your lawyer. And he didn't do that because he's headstrong guy.

LIN: Right. But then again, his attorneys may argue well, it's because he has nothing to hide. He wasn't afraid of talking to you. And we weren't present. You shouldn't allow those -- you shouldn't allow that statement at the end.

BECKER: Well, we're beyond that now, because the judge has said that this can come in. And look, regardless of what his mindset was, what would be more important is what he actually said about the facts of the case.

LIN: OK Rob. Are you watching the Heat, or you watching the Lakers this coming fall??

BECKER: No. I'm going to watch the Knicks, Carol.

LIN: Good choice, Mr. New Yorker. Thanks very much. Rob Becker.

A week ago if you mentioned Todd Hamilton as a possible contender to win the British Open, the experts would have laughed. But they're not laughing now. Hamilton is going all the way to the bank. He won the British Open, and hoisted the Claret Jug today. Our Patrick Snell reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PATRICK SNELL, CNN CORREPONDENT: Welcome back to Royal Troon. I'm with the new Open champion Todd Hamilton. Todd, can you actually comprehend what you have now achieved?

TODD HAMILTON, WINNER, BRITISH OPEN: Not right now, no. I know what I did. I don't know what it will mean to me in the future. Everything to me looks like it's in 3-D. People are running around, it looks like a video game to me right now. But I'm very glad that it worked out the way it did for myself.

SNELL: The so-called experts were writing you off. They weren't giving you a chance. Did that motivate you, spur you on?

HAMILTON: Not really. I'm not one to look at the morning paper and see what they're saying about me or other players that are doing well. I just try to stick to my game plan. I enjoy this kind of golf, and I was just fortunate that today worked out.

SNELL: A little bit on your background. In the early 90s you went to Japan, to play in Asia. Are there times when that really got tough for you, periods that were hard to overcome?

HAMILTON: Yes. I played in Japan for 12 years. There was a stretch maybe five or six years ago. I remember going over there for six weeks, and I missed every cut. It seemed like the weeks got longer and longer. But I persevered, believed in my ability. I knew I could do it. It was just a matter of getting some confidence, hitting some good shots. Having some good tournaments. And I'm glad I stuck with it.

SNELL: You have just gone 40 holes with Ernie Els. What do you feel gave you the edge over him? Something mental maybe?

HAMILTON: I probably think that there was more pressure on him to win. He was supposed to beat me. There were probably no people here that expected me to win other than my mother -- or wanted me to win other than my mother, wife, and kids. So maybe the pressure was more on him, or Phil Mickelson. Guys that have proven themselves in these tournaments like this.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: All right. From "Sex in the City" to the "Apprentice", Primetime television's biggest awards are up for grabs. Up next, we're going to take a look at the potential winners and losers.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: Mark your calendar. The 56th annual Primetime Emmy awards airs September 19th. For a look who is nominated to win the golden trophies, we turn to Kristin Veitch with "E! Online" Hi Kristin.

KRISTIN VEITCH, E ONLINE: Hi, how are you?

LIN: I'm doing just fine. I know we can't possibly make it through all of them. So let's talk about some of the more interesting highlights. HBO was just going gangbusters, and yet this is the network you say that really doesn't care much about these awards or go after them.

VEITCH: No. They don't really necessarily need this award recognition. Unlike other networks who are really beholden to advertisers. They are looking for big ratings. Nonetheless, HBO got a whopping 124 nominations Thursday morning. So it's really tough to beat that.

LIN: And taking a lot of risks. I mean, "Deadwood" "Angels in America", talk to me about some of these shows, and why there is such an appeal for example, "Angels in America." I mean, this is a story about angels and ghosts dealing with AIDS.

VEITCH: Right, absolutely. It's obviously very heavy material, but you have Al Pacino, Meryl Streep, all these amazing a-list normally big-screen actors that they had signed on. The show actually received 21 nominations. It received the most nominations this year. And it swept the Golden Globes, so we're expecting it to do the same thing this year at the Emmys.

LIN: What about "The Sopranos"? Are they ever going to win best drama? Is it their year?

VEITCH: I hope that it is. If they don't, it would probably be "The West Wing" again, and if "The West Wing" wins, it will actually be it's fifth consecutive win, meaning that it will tie the record with "Frasier" for the most consecutive wins ever.

"Sopranos" actually received 20 nominations this year, they had the second most nominations. But like you said, they don't normally take home the wins. And that's actually very indicative to what we see with HBO. They get a lot of nominations, but then they're sort of over looked and they come home as the biggest snub at the actual awards.

LIN: Which kind of tells you maybe what critics are looking for, they want to acknowledge the risk takers, but they don't necessarily want to reward them.

VEITCH: Right.

LIN: How about reality shows? Donald Trump, I know you've talked to him a couple times. What are his expectations?

VEITCH: You've got to love Donald Trump. Of course no one loves Donald Trump more than Donald Trump. But yes, he is actually up for best reality show this year. And who would have ever thought that Donald Trump would be an Emmy nominee? I think that's stunning.

LIN: He was playing himself. Why would he deserve an Emmy?

VEITCH: He was playing himself. Now he himself was not nominated, but the show was. If you ask Donald, he actually will tell you -- I just met with him last week, and he says he thinks he's one of the best actors. He said I just ran into Michael Douglas, and he said to me, Donald, who do you study with? Because you are a great, great actor.

LIN: That's Hollywood schmooze. Also known as the big lie.

VEITCH: Yes. But also, what's interesting in that category is Mark Burnett is actually going up against himself because both "Survivor" and "The Apprentice" were nominated.

LIN: Right. Reality TV not going away. Kristin, who do you think was ignored? Any snubs?

VEITCH: Actually there were a lot of surprising snubs this year. Two of the most well-known and well respected TV faces out there, Ray Romano and Debra Messing both won Emmys last year, and this year they were completely overlooked. They didn't even receive nominations.

Also a lot of shows that had received a lot of buzz and everyone was expecting to get nominations did not. And those would be "Nip/Tuck" which is definitely on the racier side. Also "The Shield" which falls into that category. They seem to go for more conservative, safer shows, like "Joan of Arcadia." It was a freshman series, and received a nomination, which is pretty much unheard of at the Emmys.

LIN: Yes. John Ritter, who passed away, is going to receive a posthumous award. That will be a really emotional moment at that ceremony.

VEITCH: Absolutely emotional. And actually, his son John Ritter is a cast member on "Joan of Arcadia" as well. So that was obviously a very emotional moving day for the "8 Simple Rules" cast and also Jason Ritter?

LIN: Any predictions Kristin? What are you looking for that night?

VEITCH: I think it will be interesting to see how the sentimental favorites fair this year. Because it is the last year for eligibility for "Sex in the City", "Friends", and "Frasier."

So I am really hoping that one of the girls from "Sex in the City" takes home a win actually. Believe it or not, none of the "Sex in the City" actresses have ever won an Emmy.

LIN: I can't believe that. They're nominated every year. I just assumed they had at one point or another.

VEITCH: The show has won once. But Sara Jessica Parker has never won. None of the girls have ever won. And this is actually Kristin Davis' first year as a nominee. So that was definitely a nice sort of swan song for her.

LIN: Kristin, thanks so much for wrapping it up for us. We'll be looking for you and all of the stories out of September19th.

That's all the time we have for this hour. Coming up next, "PEOPLE IN THE NEWS" featuring Martha Stewart and Scott Peterson. At 8:00 Eastern, "CNN PRESENTS: True Believers" inside the Howard Dean Camp. And at 9:00 Eastern, "LARRY KING WEEKEND." Larry's guest tonight, legendary actor Gene Hackman. And I'm going to be back at 10:00 Eastern with a unique perspective on the daughters of President Bush. W. got the Inside scoop from "Vogue" magazine. The hour's headlines when we come back, and then "PEOPLE IN THE NEWS."

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