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Safety, Security as Democrats Descend on Boston For Democratic Convention; Special Interests Going All Out This Year to Entertain, Some Say Influence, Politicians

Aired July 20, 2004 - 10:30   ET

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

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


DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: A forensic expert who helped investigate the March train bombings in Madrid said a rush to judgment undermined the credibility of the investigation; 190 people were killed and more than 2,000 wounded when 10 backpack bombs exploded. The expert says official denials of suicide bombers have since been proven true, but they were first made before enough evidence to support the conclusion and win public confidence.
Smoke rises from the ventilation shaft of a Ukrainian coal mine after the deadliest mining explosion in two years. At least 31 miners are believed dead, another five missing, in a methane blast that sent the temperature soaring to some 2,200-degrees Fahrenheit. Ukraine's accident is the highest in Europe. The cause of the blast is under investigation.

Also facing questions today, Halliburton, the private contractor that has done extensive work for the U.S. military in Iraq. Federal prosecutors are investigating possible overcharges by the company, and have subpoenaed a former employee. The Justice Department is also seeking documents from the company in regard to Iran. Vice President Dick Cheney used to head up that firm.

Safety and security, as Democrats descend on Boston for next week's Democratic Convention. A massive security force is already there, putting the final touches on a tide grid designed to thwart any potential attacks.

Our Louise Schiavone has that story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LOUISE SCHIAVONE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Underneath its placid exterior, Boston is bracing for the first post-9/11 convention with the help of 50 million federal dollars for unprecedented security.

MYR. THOMAS MENINO, BOSTON: We have to worry about more things now than they ever had in the past. I just say it's a challenge we face. We'll get through it the time best we can, and it will be a better city afterwards.

SCHIAVONE: In a city where highways, subways, a convention center, a major hospital, the airport and a harbor coexist uneasily within a downtown radius of just a few miles, a fallout of a terrorist attack could be catastrophic. And memories of Spain's train bombing are ever present.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's no question that the Madrid bombing had a significant impact.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If you see something, say something.

SCHIAVONE: Boston's public transportation system is equipped with one of the most sophisticated command centers in the nation. Transit officials expect to sink as least $5 million into security- related costs. With 35,000 visitors expected, the six-mile span of heavily traveled Interstate 93, that winds pass the Fleet Center, will close every afternoon. Airspace around the FleetCenter will be closed to private aircraft. Commuter ferries nearby will also close.

(on camera): No trains will stop here at North Station for almost eight days. It is right under the Fleet Center. As a result, about 20,000 daily commuters will be out of luck.

(voice-over): Not far from the FleetCenter, and just off Route 93, Massachusetts General Hospital will be standing by with a staff of 15,000.

BONNIE MICHAELMAN, HEAD OF SECURITY MASSACHUSETTS: We have done a lot of testing, we've done a lot of drills with our employees, so we're really in good shape for any contingency that may come our way.

SCHIAVONE: Mass. General, meanwhile, has in hand its CDC shipment of antidotes to chemical attacks.

Ask any official what they look forward to most? They'll tell you, the end of the convention.

Louise Schiavone, CNN Financial News, Boston.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: And if you think there's a lot of effort going into convention security, you should see the preparation underway for the convention parties. Special interests are going all out this year to entertain and some say influence politicians.

Bill Allison is managing editor of the Center of Public Integrity. He is in D.C. to talk about who is inviting, who is paying for these gala events.

Bill, good morning.

BILL ALLISON, CENTER FOR PUBLIC INTEGRITY: Good morning, Daryn.

KAGAN: First, we should say, of course the Democrats are coming up this week, but when we talk about the party situation, the Republicans are going to have their turn next month as well.

ALLISON: That's absolutely right, and both conventions are swarming with lobbyists and corporations, sponsoring parties for lawmakers. These are -- you know, one event that we found is going to cost a half-million dollars. That's in Boston. There are galas to celebrate the financial services industry that are attended by the chair of the House Financial Committee. It's -- this is the stuff that goes on at the convention, which you don't see on TV, but in some ways is the main event, the access that lobbyists and special interests get to lawmakers through throwing these elaborate parties.

KAGAN: I think we get your take by the way you say "swarming with lobbyists," as if they are vermin crawling up from the gutters of D.C. to these conventions.

But on a serious note here, what you're saying is this is basically a way to get around perhaps campaign finance reform. I can't give you a chunk of money that I want, but perhaps I can throw a party in your honor?

ALLISON: Absolutely. The lawmakers themselves now, thanks to the campaign finance reform, can't solicit donations for these parties, but their friends certainly can, and that's what ends up happening. There's a half dozen media lobbyists that are throwing a party for Senator John Breaux. There's a dozen corporations and unions throwing an event, where the Boston Pops are going to play, to honor Senator Kennedy.

KAGAN: Yes, what about this one for Ted Kennedy? Now, my friends have thrown me a party, but I don't think we're talking about the same kind of scale, are we?

ALLISON: Well, most likely not. Most of your parties probably weren't held at a symphony hall and put on at a cost of several hundred thousand dollars.

KAGAN: No, can't say that that's happened.

ALLISON: And you don't have John Williams, the "Star Wars" composer, writing your happy birthday tune either.

KAGAN: No, 4th of July was on the deck of my house, and we had a boom box. So yes, a different type of scale.

ALLISON: Absolutely.

KAGAN: But the concern here is that they're buying influence?

ALLISON: Well, I mean that's, you know, this is what -- you know, any time you have a situation where you have special interests able to funnel hundreds of thousands of dollars to wine and dine lawmakers and get the access, and the people going to these parties, you know, it's not just people off the street, I mean...

KAGAN: Celebrities -- who are some of the celebrities we're expecting to show up at the Democratic -- let's get to the good stuff, like who are the celebs who are going to show up at the Democratic Convention?

ALLISON: Well, we're not really a celebrity tracking group, but Bono, the U2 singer, is going at a different reception for Senator Kennedy. You've got Ben Affleck coming to a party sponsored by the Creative Coalition. Janeane Garofalo, the comedian, Los Lobos will be playing at that. There is parties where Buckwheat, Zaidako (ph) and Ziggy Marley are playing. I mean, it's a star-studded weekend.

KAGAN: Sounds like it.

ALLISON: And you know, the Republicans, for their part, have Lynyrd Skynyrd playing, among others. You know, it definitely draws celebrities, and this is part of, you know, the attraction of these parties is that they are these lavish bashes, which are thrown and, again, all of them sponsored and paid for by interests that have business before Washington, companies like American International Group, Raytheon, the defense contractor, unions, like the AFL-CIO. I mean, it is a chance for these interests to give something to most lawmakers and most Americans, you know, ordinarily don't have, one heck of a party.

KAGAN: It will be one heck of a party. And as we said, happening on both sides of the aisles. Democrats next week. Next month, the Republicans with their own party.

Bill, thanks for stopping by and pointing out the story behind all the hoopla, and all the parties.

ALLISON: Thank you.

KAGAN: Bill Allison, with the Center for the Public Integrity. You can stay up on conventional wisdom and all things politics by visiting CNN.com/politics. There you'll learn why Senators Kerry and Edwards are taking their campaign to the front porches of America, and how Kerry and President Bush are faring in national polls. Again, that's CNN.com/politics.

High profile case here, a pressing question, will Martha Stewart appeal her sentence for lying about a stock sale? On "LARRY KING LIVE" last night, Stewart says she is mulling over whether to simply serve the jail time.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARTHA STEWART: I have not made up my mind one way or the other.

LARRY KING, HOST: You mean you might serve?

STEWART: Well, again, there's a conundrum. My company needs me. I would like to get back to work. I would like this to be over. This has been a long, drawn-out process. And I would like very much to go back to work. On the one hand, business, Wall Street, advertising, they would like to see finality, they would like to see an end to all of this.

KING: Obviously.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: The domestic diva also talked about the names that she has been called.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STEWART: I think that there've been so many kind of misrepresentations of me.

KING: What's the biggest misconception?

STEWART: Meanie!

KING: Meanie?

STEWART: I'm a softie.

KING: How did that begin?

STEWART: I don't know.

KING: Where did that start?

STEWART: Where does stuff like that start? I don't know.

KING: Maybe it's because you're a perfectionist, and perfectionists can get labeled meanie because they will say move that tray, right?

Are you a perfectionist?

STEWART: I am a perfectionist, but I want to make sure that everybody understands that I'm not personally perfect.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: You heard it here, Martha is not perfect.

All right, more from that interview later this morning. Also, a high-speed chase -- you're going to have to watch these pictures -- ends in a dramatic rescue, all caught on tape. The state trooper who saved this woman's life, he's my guest just ahead.

And later, where is Lance Armstrong? We'll tell you in our special look at the Tour de France.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: The state trooper who saved this woman's life? He's my guest just ahead.

And later, where is Lance Armstrong? We'll tell you in our special look at the Tour de France.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(STOCK MARKET UPDATE)

KAGAN: Let's take a look at some other stories making news coast to coast. A day-long hostage standoff comes to a dramatic end in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Police move in first with a bulldozer and then shoot the gunman in the shoulder when he appears with the hostage, who happened to be the convenient store owner. She flees, he's arrested, and now faces kidnapping and assault charges. She's going to be OK, by the way.

Next stop, Loxahatchee, Florida and the odyssey of Steve Sipek, whose escaped tiger was shot and killed a week ago by wildlife officials. Well, yesterday, an electrical fire engulfed his home, and he and a lioness escaped by crashing through a window. The former actor says that in 1972, a tiger pulled him from a fire on a Tarzan movie set.

Singer Linda Ronstadt had struck a sour note with both audience and employers in Las Vegas. The Aladdin Casino basically threw Ronstadt out after a performance in which she dedicated a song to Michael Moore; he, of course, the filmmaker behind the anti-Bush movie "Fahrenheit 9/11.". A casino spokeswoman says the gesture enraged some guests who threw cocktails, ripped down posters, and demanded refunds.

And now, a story of high risk and selfless heroics. A trooper grabs a woman as she plunges off of a bridge, and his dashboard camera captures the entire rescue. We get details now from reporter Scott Hurley. He is with our affiliate, WLUK, in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SGT. DAVID CATALANO, WISCONSIN STATE PATROL: here's a report of a possible suicidal subject traveling west -- east on 29 coming out to 41.

SCOTT HURLEY, REPORTER, WLUK: Near Velpe (ph) Avenue, Boldt spotted the car.

CATALANO: He notices that this white vehicle cuts literally at the very last second to the exit ramp to 43, cutting a couple of vehicles off.

HURLEY: By the time the woman turned onto I-43, the chase was on.

CATALANO: Continued to accelerate, speed up to about 105 miles per hour. And you'll notice, you know, trucks going the speed limit and how fast that pass is going.

HURLEY: Then, a sign of trouble. It looks like she's going to hit a dump truck.

CATALANO: The trooper's about to fall way back, just because he thinks she's going to run into the back of that -- back of that truck.

HURLEY: Instead, she stops and gets out.

CATALANO: Listen to his voice. He knows something's wrong when she gets out. LES BOLDT, WISCONSIN STATE TROOPER: I have the subject stopped right on top of Telegraph (ph) Bridge.

HURLEY: And in just seconds...

CATALANO: I don't know how the trooper could have possibly caught her. At this point, you can see the trooper's feet aren't on the ground. The deputy and the sergeant from the sheriff's department are able to get up and give him a hand, literally saving her life.

HURLEY: His supervisor says Trooper Boldt did something nearly impossible to train for.

CATALANO: Thank God he was paying attention, because had he been a fraction of a second later, it would have resulted differently.

I think did he such an outstanding job; words can't say what a hero this individual is.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: Well, we are going to hear from that trooper. He is being praised as a hero. Les Boldt -- Trooper Boldt will be my guest in the next hour of CNN LIVE TODAY.

Meanwhile, it was a close call. The latest on Dale Earnhardt, Jr. condition after a fiery crash.

Also, this is what we're working on for next hour...

ANNOUNCER: The stories CNN is following today, July 20th.

Iraqi insurgents follow through and release the Filipino hostage. At 11, CNN has the latest information.

Then: The biggest weapon in its arsenal? What does the U.S. Military plan to do with a 30,000 pound bomb.

And at noon: Find out why a former national security adviser is under investigation by the Justice Department.

Stay with CNN, the most trusted name in news.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: You can call us our racing segment. An update first for you on NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. He was injured in this fiery crash during a practice run over the weekend. He's been discharged from the California hospital where he's been treated for second degree burns to his chin and his legs. He does, by the way, plan to compete on Sunday in a NASCAR race in New Hampshire. Earnhardt's father, Dale Sr. died in a race car crash back in 2001.

Now to the Tour de France and American Lance Armstrong's quest to win a record sixth title. That accomplishment seems even more likely after today's withdrawal by a leading rival in Spain. Armstrong began today in second place, just a few days after he was mired in sixth, and appeared to some headed to defeat. Come on, not believing in Lance?

Let's get the inside track on today's leg and Lance Armstrong's bid for history. Bringing back avid endurance athlete who displays his knowledge of the Tour de France in the book "The Race: A Novel of Grit, Tactics and Tour de France." Dave Shields is back with us today in the New York bureau.

DAVID SHIELDS, "THE RACE": Good morning. How are you doing today?

KAGAN: I'm doing good. Apparently not as well as Lance Armstrong, however. Let's talk about the leg of the Tour de France just ending just minutes ago.

SHIELDS: Well, he has been incredible. I think that lots -- you and I talked, and you said Lance is going to win six, and I said, it's just not that easy. Now he's still got a lot of difficult stages ahead of him and all sorts of things can go wrong. It's such a hard event. But, holy cow, he has performed so well. He has just exceeded every expectation.

KAGAN: Well, and today he reclaims the yellow jersey, right?

SHIELDS: Yes, he does. I just got an update off Daily Teleton (ph) just before we got on, and he's got the yellow jersey back. It's a very, very pivotal stage is coming tomorrow. He's got some tough, tough stages ahead, so it's not a done deal yet, and I'm sure that he's nowhere near relaxed. but it looks like he's going to make history, and it's going to be an incredible, incredible accomplishment.

KAGAN: So clearly, and I think that's a good point, it's not done, but compare where he is at this point in the race to year's past?

SHIELDS: Well, his first four years in the Tour de France, he absolutely dominated, he just looked unbeatable. Last year, there were lots of chinks in the armor. He ultimately won the race, but he didn't look nearly as good doing it. He didn't look nearly as in control of the entire event. And as a result of that, many, many competitors felt like he was aging and this was the time they were going to get him.

KAGAN: Let's talk about some of the rivals that are out there, Tyler Hamilton, Jan Ulrich. We talked about one from Spain who has now dropped out. So who is still his main threat.

SHIELDS: Well, Tyler Hamilton unfortunately withdrew a couple days ago. He got in a crash, and I saw some photos of his back. Terrible pictures. I don't know -- hopefully he's going to be all right, because he suffered a very major injury. Ivan Mile (ph), who was one of the major rivals, pulled out today. He lost lots of minutes. Roberto Heras, who was one of the major rivals, has really disappeared from view. Jan Ulrich is way back. There's really one guy left, and that's Ivan Basso, and Basso would have been. Most people would have considered him like a second- tier rival before this started. However, he's on a team that is a spectacular team. They've performed incredibly well. So Basso is about a minute and a half back. I don't know if he lost any more time today, but he's the one guy Armstrong has to worry about. Most of us believe that Armstrong is a far better time trialist than Basso, so...

KAGAN: And we are getting word that Basso finished second, and even with Lance Armstrong. So whatever he was back, he still is back.

And you're still steadfast. So you believe history will be made, and on Sunday, we will see a sixth Tour de France championship for Lance Armstrong?

SHIELDS: Well, I sure believe it's a possibility. I mean, I would -- I don't think you can put your bet anywhere else. Disaster would have to strike in order for him to not make it. His form looks spectacular. Tomorrow's going to be an incredibly exciting stage. If you want to tune in to any stage of the Tour de France, watch tomorrow, a time trial at Valquez (ph). It is one of the most storied climbs in the history of cycling, and it happens to be the stage that my book is about. But my book is not a time trial. The Tour de France changes every year. But you know, my book, they've said the description is the most dramatic description ever of this particular climb, and so I hope that he can ride it as dramatically as I tried to write it.

KAGAN: To ride as well as you try to write.

SHIELDS: There you go.

KAGAN: Thank you. Dave Shields, thanks for your expertise on Tour de France.

SHIELDS: Thanks, Daryn. Good to be here.

KAGAN: Appreciate that.

And you can follow Armstrong's progress on our Web site. You'll find a map there showing the entire race, a breakdown of each stage, and you can even get e-mail alerts. Log on to CNN.com, click on "sports," and look for the link to Tour de France. We are back in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: We turn our cameras outdoors. First this is a Fairfax, Virginia, a live picture from I-66. We're showing you this. It looks like a very serious car crash.

But most importantly, besides the potential loss of life, is that all the westbound lanes heading out of Washington D.C. have been shut down. The picture focusing on the accident doesn't give us an actual picture of how big the traffic situation is heading out of our nation's capital. We thought we'd bring you the latest there. (WEATHER REPORT)

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 20, 2004 - 10:30   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: A forensic expert who helped investigate the March train bombings in Madrid said a rush to judgment undermined the credibility of the investigation; 190 people were killed and more than 2,000 wounded when 10 backpack bombs exploded. The expert says official denials of suicide bombers have since been proven true, but they were first made before enough evidence to support the conclusion and win public confidence.
Smoke rises from the ventilation shaft of a Ukrainian coal mine after the deadliest mining explosion in two years. At least 31 miners are believed dead, another five missing, in a methane blast that sent the temperature soaring to some 2,200-degrees Fahrenheit. Ukraine's accident is the highest in Europe. The cause of the blast is under investigation.

Also facing questions today, Halliburton, the private contractor that has done extensive work for the U.S. military in Iraq. Federal prosecutors are investigating possible overcharges by the company, and have subpoenaed a former employee. The Justice Department is also seeking documents from the company in regard to Iran. Vice President Dick Cheney used to head up that firm.

Safety and security, as Democrats descend on Boston for next week's Democratic Convention. A massive security force is already there, putting the final touches on a tide grid designed to thwart any potential attacks.

Our Louise Schiavone has that story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LOUISE SCHIAVONE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Underneath its placid exterior, Boston is bracing for the first post-9/11 convention with the help of 50 million federal dollars for unprecedented security.

MYR. THOMAS MENINO, BOSTON: We have to worry about more things now than they ever had in the past. I just say it's a challenge we face. We'll get through it the time best we can, and it will be a better city afterwards.

SCHIAVONE: In a city where highways, subways, a convention center, a major hospital, the airport and a harbor coexist uneasily within a downtown radius of just a few miles, a fallout of a terrorist attack could be catastrophic. And memories of Spain's train bombing are ever present.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's no question that the Madrid bombing had a significant impact.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If you see something, say something.

SCHIAVONE: Boston's public transportation system is equipped with one of the most sophisticated command centers in the nation. Transit officials expect to sink as least $5 million into security- related costs. With 35,000 visitors expected, the six-mile span of heavily traveled Interstate 93, that winds pass the Fleet Center, will close every afternoon. Airspace around the FleetCenter will be closed to private aircraft. Commuter ferries nearby will also close.

(on camera): No trains will stop here at North Station for almost eight days. It is right under the Fleet Center. As a result, about 20,000 daily commuters will be out of luck.

(voice-over): Not far from the FleetCenter, and just off Route 93, Massachusetts General Hospital will be standing by with a staff of 15,000.

BONNIE MICHAELMAN, HEAD OF SECURITY MASSACHUSETTS: We have done a lot of testing, we've done a lot of drills with our employees, so we're really in good shape for any contingency that may come our way.

SCHIAVONE: Mass. General, meanwhile, has in hand its CDC shipment of antidotes to chemical attacks.

Ask any official what they look forward to most? They'll tell you, the end of the convention.

Louise Schiavone, CNN Financial News, Boston.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: And if you think there's a lot of effort going into convention security, you should see the preparation underway for the convention parties. Special interests are going all out this year to entertain and some say influence politicians.

Bill Allison is managing editor of the Center of Public Integrity. He is in D.C. to talk about who is inviting, who is paying for these gala events.

Bill, good morning.

BILL ALLISON, CENTER FOR PUBLIC INTEGRITY: Good morning, Daryn.

KAGAN: First, we should say, of course the Democrats are coming up this week, but when we talk about the party situation, the Republicans are going to have their turn next month as well.

ALLISON: That's absolutely right, and both conventions are swarming with lobbyists and corporations, sponsoring parties for lawmakers. These are -- you know, one event that we found is going to cost a half-million dollars. That's in Boston. There are galas to celebrate the financial services industry that are attended by the chair of the House Financial Committee. It's -- this is the stuff that goes on at the convention, which you don't see on TV, but in some ways is the main event, the access that lobbyists and special interests get to lawmakers through throwing these elaborate parties.

KAGAN: I think we get your take by the way you say "swarming with lobbyists," as if they are vermin crawling up from the gutters of D.C. to these conventions.

But on a serious note here, what you're saying is this is basically a way to get around perhaps campaign finance reform. I can't give you a chunk of money that I want, but perhaps I can throw a party in your honor?

ALLISON: Absolutely. The lawmakers themselves now, thanks to the campaign finance reform, can't solicit donations for these parties, but their friends certainly can, and that's what ends up happening. There's a half dozen media lobbyists that are throwing a party for Senator John Breaux. There's a dozen corporations and unions throwing an event, where the Boston Pops are going to play, to honor Senator Kennedy.

KAGAN: Yes, what about this one for Ted Kennedy? Now, my friends have thrown me a party, but I don't think we're talking about the same kind of scale, are we?

ALLISON: Well, most likely not. Most of your parties probably weren't held at a symphony hall and put on at a cost of several hundred thousand dollars.

KAGAN: No, can't say that that's happened.

ALLISON: And you don't have John Williams, the "Star Wars" composer, writing your happy birthday tune either.

KAGAN: No, 4th of July was on the deck of my house, and we had a boom box. So yes, a different type of scale.

ALLISON: Absolutely.

KAGAN: But the concern here is that they're buying influence?

ALLISON: Well, I mean that's, you know, this is what -- you know, any time you have a situation where you have special interests able to funnel hundreds of thousands of dollars to wine and dine lawmakers and get the access, and the people going to these parties, you know, it's not just people off the street, I mean...

KAGAN: Celebrities -- who are some of the celebrities we're expecting to show up at the Democratic -- let's get to the good stuff, like who are the celebs who are going to show up at the Democratic Convention?

ALLISON: Well, we're not really a celebrity tracking group, but Bono, the U2 singer, is going at a different reception for Senator Kennedy. You've got Ben Affleck coming to a party sponsored by the Creative Coalition. Janeane Garofalo, the comedian, Los Lobos will be playing at that. There is parties where Buckwheat, Zaidako (ph) and Ziggy Marley are playing. I mean, it's a star-studded weekend.

KAGAN: Sounds like it.

ALLISON: And you know, the Republicans, for their part, have Lynyrd Skynyrd playing, among others. You know, it definitely draws celebrities, and this is part of, you know, the attraction of these parties is that they are these lavish bashes, which are thrown and, again, all of them sponsored and paid for by interests that have business before Washington, companies like American International Group, Raytheon, the defense contractor, unions, like the AFL-CIO. I mean, it is a chance for these interests to give something to most lawmakers and most Americans, you know, ordinarily don't have, one heck of a party.

KAGAN: It will be one heck of a party. And as we said, happening on both sides of the aisles. Democrats next week. Next month, the Republicans with their own party.

Bill, thanks for stopping by and pointing out the story behind all the hoopla, and all the parties.

ALLISON: Thank you.

KAGAN: Bill Allison, with the Center for the Public Integrity. You can stay up on conventional wisdom and all things politics by visiting CNN.com/politics. There you'll learn why Senators Kerry and Edwards are taking their campaign to the front porches of America, and how Kerry and President Bush are faring in national polls. Again, that's CNN.com/politics.

High profile case here, a pressing question, will Martha Stewart appeal her sentence for lying about a stock sale? On "LARRY KING LIVE" last night, Stewart says she is mulling over whether to simply serve the jail time.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARTHA STEWART: I have not made up my mind one way or the other.

LARRY KING, HOST: You mean you might serve?

STEWART: Well, again, there's a conundrum. My company needs me. I would like to get back to work. I would like this to be over. This has been a long, drawn-out process. And I would like very much to go back to work. On the one hand, business, Wall Street, advertising, they would like to see finality, they would like to see an end to all of this.

KING: Obviously.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: The domestic diva also talked about the names that she has been called.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STEWART: I think that there've been so many kind of misrepresentations of me.

KING: What's the biggest misconception?

STEWART: Meanie!

KING: Meanie?

STEWART: I'm a softie.

KING: How did that begin?

STEWART: I don't know.

KING: Where did that start?

STEWART: Where does stuff like that start? I don't know.

KING: Maybe it's because you're a perfectionist, and perfectionists can get labeled meanie because they will say move that tray, right?

Are you a perfectionist?

STEWART: I am a perfectionist, but I want to make sure that everybody understands that I'm not personally perfect.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: You heard it here, Martha is not perfect.

All right, more from that interview later this morning. Also, a high-speed chase -- you're going to have to watch these pictures -- ends in a dramatic rescue, all caught on tape. The state trooper who saved this woman's life, he's my guest just ahead.

And later, where is Lance Armstrong? We'll tell you in our special look at the Tour de France.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: The state trooper who saved this woman's life? He's my guest just ahead.

And later, where is Lance Armstrong? We'll tell you in our special look at the Tour de France.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(STOCK MARKET UPDATE)

KAGAN: Let's take a look at some other stories making news coast to coast. A day-long hostage standoff comes to a dramatic end in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Police move in first with a bulldozer and then shoot the gunman in the shoulder when he appears with the hostage, who happened to be the convenient store owner. She flees, he's arrested, and now faces kidnapping and assault charges. She's going to be OK, by the way.

Next stop, Loxahatchee, Florida and the odyssey of Steve Sipek, whose escaped tiger was shot and killed a week ago by wildlife officials. Well, yesterday, an electrical fire engulfed his home, and he and a lioness escaped by crashing through a window. The former actor says that in 1972, a tiger pulled him from a fire on a Tarzan movie set.

Singer Linda Ronstadt had struck a sour note with both audience and employers in Las Vegas. The Aladdin Casino basically threw Ronstadt out after a performance in which she dedicated a song to Michael Moore; he, of course, the filmmaker behind the anti-Bush movie "Fahrenheit 9/11.". A casino spokeswoman says the gesture enraged some guests who threw cocktails, ripped down posters, and demanded refunds.

And now, a story of high risk and selfless heroics. A trooper grabs a woman as she plunges off of a bridge, and his dashboard camera captures the entire rescue. We get details now from reporter Scott Hurley. He is with our affiliate, WLUK, in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SGT. DAVID CATALANO, WISCONSIN STATE PATROL: here's a report of a possible suicidal subject traveling west -- east on 29 coming out to 41.

SCOTT HURLEY, REPORTER, WLUK: Near Velpe (ph) Avenue, Boldt spotted the car.

CATALANO: He notices that this white vehicle cuts literally at the very last second to the exit ramp to 43, cutting a couple of vehicles off.

HURLEY: By the time the woman turned onto I-43, the chase was on.

CATALANO: Continued to accelerate, speed up to about 105 miles per hour. And you'll notice, you know, trucks going the speed limit and how fast that pass is going.

HURLEY: Then, a sign of trouble. It looks like she's going to hit a dump truck.

CATALANO: The trooper's about to fall way back, just because he thinks she's going to run into the back of that -- back of that truck.

HURLEY: Instead, she stops and gets out.

CATALANO: Listen to his voice. He knows something's wrong when she gets out. LES BOLDT, WISCONSIN STATE TROOPER: I have the subject stopped right on top of Telegraph (ph) Bridge.

HURLEY: And in just seconds...

CATALANO: I don't know how the trooper could have possibly caught her. At this point, you can see the trooper's feet aren't on the ground. The deputy and the sergeant from the sheriff's department are able to get up and give him a hand, literally saving her life.

HURLEY: His supervisor says Trooper Boldt did something nearly impossible to train for.

CATALANO: Thank God he was paying attention, because had he been a fraction of a second later, it would have resulted differently.

I think did he such an outstanding job; words can't say what a hero this individual is.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: Well, we are going to hear from that trooper. He is being praised as a hero. Les Boldt -- Trooper Boldt will be my guest in the next hour of CNN LIVE TODAY.

Meanwhile, it was a close call. The latest on Dale Earnhardt, Jr. condition after a fiery crash.

Also, this is what we're working on for next hour...

ANNOUNCER: The stories CNN is following today, July 20th.

Iraqi insurgents follow through and release the Filipino hostage. At 11, CNN has the latest information.

Then: The biggest weapon in its arsenal? What does the U.S. Military plan to do with a 30,000 pound bomb.

And at noon: Find out why a former national security adviser is under investigation by the Justice Department.

Stay with CNN, the most trusted name in news.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: You can call us our racing segment. An update first for you on NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. He was injured in this fiery crash during a practice run over the weekend. He's been discharged from the California hospital where he's been treated for second degree burns to his chin and his legs. He does, by the way, plan to compete on Sunday in a NASCAR race in New Hampshire. Earnhardt's father, Dale Sr. died in a race car crash back in 2001.

Now to the Tour de France and American Lance Armstrong's quest to win a record sixth title. That accomplishment seems even more likely after today's withdrawal by a leading rival in Spain. Armstrong began today in second place, just a few days after he was mired in sixth, and appeared to some headed to defeat. Come on, not believing in Lance?

Let's get the inside track on today's leg and Lance Armstrong's bid for history. Bringing back avid endurance athlete who displays his knowledge of the Tour de France in the book "The Race: A Novel of Grit, Tactics and Tour de France." Dave Shields is back with us today in the New York bureau.

DAVID SHIELDS, "THE RACE": Good morning. How are you doing today?

KAGAN: I'm doing good. Apparently not as well as Lance Armstrong, however. Let's talk about the leg of the Tour de France just ending just minutes ago.

SHIELDS: Well, he has been incredible. I think that lots -- you and I talked, and you said Lance is going to win six, and I said, it's just not that easy. Now he's still got a lot of difficult stages ahead of him and all sorts of things can go wrong. It's such a hard event. But, holy cow, he has performed so well. He has just exceeded every expectation.

KAGAN: Well, and today he reclaims the yellow jersey, right?

SHIELDS: Yes, he does. I just got an update off Daily Teleton (ph) just before we got on, and he's got the yellow jersey back. It's a very, very pivotal stage is coming tomorrow. He's got some tough, tough stages ahead, so it's not a done deal yet, and I'm sure that he's nowhere near relaxed. but it looks like he's going to make history, and it's going to be an incredible, incredible accomplishment.

KAGAN: So clearly, and I think that's a good point, it's not done, but compare where he is at this point in the race to year's past?

SHIELDS: Well, his first four years in the Tour de France, he absolutely dominated, he just looked unbeatable. Last year, there were lots of chinks in the armor. He ultimately won the race, but he didn't look nearly as good doing it. He didn't look nearly as in control of the entire event. And as a result of that, many, many competitors felt like he was aging and this was the time they were going to get him.

KAGAN: Let's talk about some of the rivals that are out there, Tyler Hamilton, Jan Ulrich. We talked about one from Spain who has now dropped out. So who is still his main threat.

SHIELDS: Well, Tyler Hamilton unfortunately withdrew a couple days ago. He got in a crash, and I saw some photos of his back. Terrible pictures. I don't know -- hopefully he's going to be all right, because he suffered a very major injury. Ivan Mile (ph), who was one of the major rivals, pulled out today. He lost lots of minutes. Roberto Heras, who was one of the major rivals, has really disappeared from view. Jan Ulrich is way back. There's really one guy left, and that's Ivan Basso, and Basso would have been. Most people would have considered him like a second- tier rival before this started. However, he's on a team that is a spectacular team. They've performed incredibly well. So Basso is about a minute and a half back. I don't know if he lost any more time today, but he's the one guy Armstrong has to worry about. Most of us believe that Armstrong is a far better time trialist than Basso, so...

KAGAN: And we are getting word that Basso finished second, and even with Lance Armstrong. So whatever he was back, he still is back.

And you're still steadfast. So you believe history will be made, and on Sunday, we will see a sixth Tour de France championship for Lance Armstrong?

SHIELDS: Well, I sure believe it's a possibility. I mean, I would -- I don't think you can put your bet anywhere else. Disaster would have to strike in order for him to not make it. His form looks spectacular. Tomorrow's going to be an incredibly exciting stage. If you want to tune in to any stage of the Tour de France, watch tomorrow, a time trial at Valquez (ph). It is one of the most storied climbs in the history of cycling, and it happens to be the stage that my book is about. But my book is not a time trial. The Tour de France changes every year. But you know, my book, they've said the description is the most dramatic description ever of this particular climb, and so I hope that he can ride it as dramatically as I tried to write it.

KAGAN: To ride as well as you try to write.

SHIELDS: There you go.

KAGAN: Thank you. Dave Shields, thanks for your expertise on Tour de France.

SHIELDS: Thanks, Daryn. Good to be here.

KAGAN: Appreciate that.

And you can follow Armstrong's progress on our Web site. You'll find a map there showing the entire race, a breakdown of each stage, and you can even get e-mail alerts. Log on to CNN.com, click on "sports," and look for the link to Tour de France. We are back in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: We turn our cameras outdoors. First this is a Fairfax, Virginia, a live picture from I-66. We're showing you this. It looks like a very serious car crash.

But most importantly, besides the potential loss of life, is that all the westbound lanes heading out of Washington D.C. have been shut down. The picture focusing on the accident doesn't give us an actual picture of how big the traffic situation is heading out of our nation's capital. We thought we'd bring you the latest there. (WEATHER REPORT)

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