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CNN Live Today
Terrorists Storm American Consulate in Saudi Arabia; President Bush Hosts Leaders From Middle East
Aired December 06, 2004 - 10:59 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: Is the nation's food supply a target for terrorists?
RICK SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: We're going to take a look as we begin a series of special reports, well timed, might you say, after the comments by Tommy Thompson. This will be a special for you right here on CNN.
KAGAN: We're going to take a look right now of what's happening "Now in the News."
A deadly gun battle at the American Consulate in Saudi Arabia. Saudi officials say five militants attacked the heavily-fortified consulate in Jeddah today. We're told that the militants threw explosives at the compound, then shot their way inside. Saudi officials say several people were killed, including three militants.
To Europe now, where seven bombs exploded in cities across Spain after warnings from the Basque separatist group, ETA. At least five were hurt in a series of explosions that came as the country celebrated a national holiday. Today's blast followed similar bombings Friday where five bombs were simultaneously detonated at five gas stations throughout Spain.
And in Maryland, an investigation is under way into the cause of a raging fire in an affluent area under development. The blaze began near Indian Head, and officials say it burned at least 11 unoccupied homes. There were no reported injuries.
To California. A tough tide tugged an SUV into the ocean. Police say it was illegally parked on Sunset Beach in Orange County when the tide came in. Rescue crews struggled to tow the Ford Expedition out of the water.
News reports say that several passengers were inside drinking beer at the time -- uh-oh -- looked around, and found themselves floating in the water. No injuries reported, however.
You know you've had too much beer when...
SANCHEZ: When you wake up and suddenly you're in salt water.
KAGAN: Note to self.
We are a minute past 11:00 a.m. on the East Coast. On the West Coast, where there's SUVs floating in the ocean, it is just past 8:00 a.m.
From the CNN Center in Atlanta, good morning. I'm Daryn Kagan.
SANCHEZ: Yes, you are. And I'm Rick Sanchez. And here we go.
Let's get started with this bold attack that we've been telling you about on a heavily-guarded U.S. diplomatic post -- or consulate in the heart of Saudi Arabia. Terrorists stormed the walled compound of the American Consulate near the Red Sea city of Jeddah. And were told the three attackers were killed in the gun battle, as well as several Saudi security forces and five non-U.S. employees.
Now, State Department correspondent Andrea Koppel is joining us live. She's been following the story from her post there at the State Department and joins us from Washington.
Andrea, to you.
ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN STATE DEPT. CORRESPONDENT: Rick, there's an awful lot of conflicting information that's out there. And I want to ask our viewers to bear with us because, depending upon who you talk to, either the Saudis or the Americans, you get differing stories and differing numbers. So these numbers may change throughout the day.
What we do know is that five gunmen attacked the U.S. Consulate this morning. A couple of them managed to get inside the consulate. And there were a number of foreign nationals and Saudi citizens, not Americans, who were inside the visa section.
And the Saudis claim that there was some kind of a hostage situation. The bottom line is, no Americans were killed or injured seriously in this attack. But we have a number of foreign nationals and a number of Saudis who were killed.
At the very least, it was an incredibly frightening and traumatic experience surely for all of those who were there. The U.S. has been bracing for an attack of this kind for at least the last year.
Saudi Arabia has suffered a number of attacks. Two western compounds were attacked in 2003, and about 40 people were killed in those attacks.
This is the first time that militants -- and they are believed to be linked to al Qaeda -- have managed to carry out a successful attack against a U.S. installation, a consulate, or an embassy in the Saudi kingdom. Right now, they're already lockdown.
In fact, back in May, Rick, they were so concerned about a potential attack to the U.S. Consulate that they sent home what they -- what they referred to as nonessential American employees at the embassy and all of their family members. So only the most senior people and sort of the core group of diplomats who were needed at the consulate were on site when the attack happened -- Rick.
SANCHEZ: Andrea Koppel following that story for us there from the State Department. We thank you, Andrea. Daryn, over to you.
KAGAN: Well, that Saudi attack comes on a morning when President Bush is hosting a couple of leaders from the Middle East. Our Elaine Quijano is live today at the White House.
Good morning.
ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Daryn.
That's right, the president this morning will be meeting with the king of Jordan, King Abdullah. And on the agenda, of course, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but also the situation in Iraq.
In fact, earlier today, President Bush met with Iraq's interim president, Ghazi al-Yawer. The visit an important symbolic move ahead of January 30. January 30, that, of course, the date for Iraq elections.
Now, symbolic because this is welcoming a member of Iraq's Sunni minority to the White House, a sign the White House wants to send to the Sunnis in Iraq that they will have a part in the political process. Now, both leaders say despite violence in Iraq, they don't want to see a delay of any kind for Iraq's elections. The president also citing the attacks in Saudi Arabia as an example of why he believes elections in Iraq must move ahead as scheduled.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The attacks...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ... who has no object to undermine the political process and inside civil war in Iraq.
BUSH: Free countries. They want us to leave Saudi Arabia. They want to us leave Iraq. They want us to grow timid and weary in the face of their willingness to kill randomly and kill innocent people. And that's why these elections in Iraq are very important.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
QUIJANO: Now, Mr. Bush has steadily maintained that success in Iraq can be an example for other countries in that region to follow. The Bush administration obviously very much hoping that democracy will take root in that country. But the White House continues to face criticism that it did not have an adequate plan in place for post-war Iraq.
In the meantime, as we said, the president meeting with the king of Jordan this morning. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict continues to be another issue the president very much wants to focus on.
He has made clear in his second term he would like to see movement on the so-called roadmap for peace. And, of course, Daryn, that roadmap for peace, part of what the president envisions is a two- state solution, an Israeli state and a Palestinian state co-existing side by side peacefully -- Daryn.
KAGAN: Elaine Quijano at the White House. Elaine, thank you.
SANCHEZ: Well, it's do or die for the intelligence reform bill that we've been telling you so much about. The House returns this afternoon to try and deal with this bill. Maybe a compromise. But certainly not there yet, at least from -- as far as we know at this point.
Let's go to CNN congressional correspondent Ed Henry. He's been checking up on this thing all day long.
What do you know at this point, Ed?
ED HENRY, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Rick.
You're right, we are literally down to the final hours on this 9/11 intelligence reform bill. President Bush gave it another push this morning, telling reporters he wants Congress to deal with this before they head out of town for the holidays this week. They only have two days left to this lame duck session.
And I can tell you, I've been talking to key lawmakers and staffers. And there's cautious optimism right now in the Senate that they can get a deal. But obviously still in the House.
Republican Congressman Duncan Hunter, Republican Congressman James Sensenbrenner, they have been holding this up because of various objections they have. But there is cautious optimism in various camps that I can go through suggesting they think they can get a deal this afternoon.
I just spoke to the lead Senate negotiator, for example, Senator Susan Collins of Maine. She said that there were talks all weekend between the White House and Congressman Hunter. She feels progress is being made, but again, it's cautious optimism at this point.
But she feels progress is being made about Congressman Duncan Hunter's concern that a new director of national intelligence could interfere with the chain of command -- command at the military, could hurt troops in the field. Senator Collins thinks progress has been made on that. And she said the talks have gone -- so far, she cannot see how they can fail at this point.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. SUSAN COLLINS (R), MAINE: I just can't contemplate Congress leaving town without passing this bill. That would represent a truly shameful failure on the part of Congress.
We know we need to reform our intelligence community. We know the status quo has failed us. These reforms have been called for over the years, and we cannot delay any longer.
(END VIDEO CLIP) HENRY: Another key point, I just spoke to a staffer for Senate Armed Services chairman John Warner of Virginia. Now, on Friday, Senator Warner put out a statement saying that he had similar concerns as Congressman Hunter about this chain of command issue.
But I can tell you that this staffer for Senator Warner is telling CNN that Senator Warner is not trying to block the bill. He's trying to bring it along -- in the words of this staffer, he is trying to "improve the bill" so that the military will be satisfied, so that the White House will be satisfied, and that everyone can be brought together. In fact, this staffer said Senator Warner over the weekend had a conversation with Vice President Cheney, who, as you know, has been making call pushing to get this legislation passed, and that conversation, according to Warner's office, was positive between Senator Warner and Vice President Cheney.
But here's the problem, is that Duncan Hunter has still not signed off on it. And what we're hearing from various sources in the House and Senate is that the clock is literally ticking.
The House is coming in about 3:00 p.m. today to vote on the vast budget omnibus bill. They'll probably vote around 5:00 or 6:00 p.m. tonight. And people in the House and Senate are both confirming to us that they believe that if a deal on intelligence reform is not cut by about 5:00 p.m. or 6:00 p.m. tonight, House members are going to start streaming out of town, going home for the holidays.
So regardless of what the Senate wants to do, whether or not Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist wants to have a vote, if there's no deal by 5:00 or 6:00 tonight, House members will start going home and this issue will very likely be dead for the year. So literally, the clock is ticking at this point -- Rick.
SANCHEZ: You know what's interesting? Members of the 9/11 Commission pushed this thing through. They thought it was a no- brainer. They thought for sure it would be passed.
They're extremely disappointed. We just got some sound in just a little while ago that we'll share with you and our viewers, Ed. This is from a former congressman of Indiana, Tim Roemer. Let's hear what he had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TIMOTHY ROEMER, 9/11 COMMISSION: We have a 57-year-old system that is the status quo that allowed 3,000 people to die on our homeland. We need to change it.
If Congress and the White House doesn't change it, they've preserved the status quo and more body bags may have to happen before we get changes in the future. That should not take place.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: Those are strong words. One wonders what other pressure could be applied to get this thing through and to whom. HENRY: You're right. You cannot put it any starker than that. Tim Roemer as a former 9/11 commissioner is literally saying there will be more terrorist attacks, there will be more deaths if this bill does not pass.
But he was appearing with some 9/11 families who believe that this particular bill that's on the table right now will work and will improve the system. But I can tell you, it's very important to note, there are other 9/11 families who have come forward and say they support Congressman Hunter, they support Congressman Sensenbrenner in saying the current bill on the table is not good enough.
And these 9/11 families say they would rather nothing pass than bad reform. So that's the rub for some of these lawmakers -- Rick.
SANCHEZ: Point well made. Ed Henry following the story throughout the day. Should there be a development on it, we'll get back to you. I thank you.
HENRY: Thank you.
SANCHEZ: Daryn, over to you.
KAGAN: To Iraq now. A violent three-day span. Five U.S. forces die in violence in the Al Anbar province, and some employees on their way to work are killed in the hail of bullets.
For the latest, we head to Baghdad. That's where CNN's Karl Penhaul is standing by -- Karl.
KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Daryn.
In a number of attacks on Saturday and Sunday, more than 50 people were killed and more than 100 others wounded. The dead include, yes, U.S. servicemen, but the bulk of them are both Iraqi security forces and Iraqi civilians.
The biggest -- one of the biggest attacks was here in Baghdad, in the heart of Baghdad on Saturday. Sixteen people killed in a car bomb attack on a police station close to the Green Zone.
Then there was a drive-by shooting in the city of Tikrit. Seventeen civilian contractors were killed in that one. There was also a car bomb up north in the city of Mosul, where 15 Kurdish security guards were killed.
All of this, of course, stoking the debate about whether Iraq's elections should be held on January the 30th or not. Lakhdar Brahimi, the U.N. special envoy to Iraq, has said that he believes the situation is currently too violent for elections to take place. But we have heard from Iraq's president, Ghazi al-Yawer, who's visited with George Bush today, that he believes that things should go ahead on January the 30th as planned.
That said, we've been talking to a constitutional lawyer here in Baghdad. His view is, looking at the Iraqi constitution as it stands at present, that there is no legal provision for a postponement. That elections must go ahead on or by January 31, otherwise there will be a huge legal vacuum and it will call into credibility the Iraqi government itself, according to this constitutional lawyer -- Daryn.
KAGAN: So Karl, that sounds like whether some people like it or not, elections do have to be a go at the end of January.
PENHAUL: Indeed. Of course, most of the attention is focused on the debate about Sunni groups calling for a postponement or even a boycott of the elections, efforts by insurgents to derail the vote, and then calls by the Shiite majority parties to get elections on at the first possible opportunity. But it could really come down to a legal debate, really not just a political debate -- Daryn.
KAGAN: Karl Penhaul in Baghdad. Thank you.
SANCHEZ: Well, you heard what the cabinet member, secretary of Health and Human Services, Tommy Thompson, had to say about the food we eat and how we may be vulnerable there. We're going to have a special segment on this. We call it "Protecting the Food You Eat."
What's going on behind the scenes to secure our nation's food supply? And we ask, is it enough?
KAGAN: Also, in California, Robert Blake set to go on trial for murder three years after his wife was killed. Could a new twist force yet another delay?
SANCHEZ: Also, it's being described as a huge bomb on the horizon. We're going to tell you what you need to know about fighting the flu.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAGAN: Big day at the White House concerning Middle East leaders. First, earlier this morning, we saw President Bush greet the acting interim president of Iraq, Ghazi al-Yawer, and then King Abdullah of Jordan.
SANCHEZ: Yes. And this is an important meeting for the president. I mean, the idea that he can sit down with the leader of -- of Jordan is important, especially for everything that the United States is trying to accomplish with the election.
Most people who follow that would say he needs to have members or leaders of all the countries, including Jordan, on board to make those elections happen. And that seems to be the issue of the day.
KAGAN: Yes. And when we talk about elections, we're talking about holding elections in Iraq on January 30.
We just heard from Karl Penhaul in Baghdad. There's a belief that there's no constitutional provision that you could delay it even if the belief was that things aren't secure enough and not enough people could participate, as some are claiming. SANCHEZ: As we understand, we should be having some tape that we're going to be sharing with you. It's coming over, oh, in just about a minute or so from now of the president sitting down with King Abdullah of Jordan, both of them discussing what we expect will be matters related to Iraq.
KAGAN: Right. King Abdullah was -- not that long ago, in May, paid a visit to the White House. And we expect that tape.
SANCHEZ: And the backdrop of this is interesting, when you consider all the things that have been going on, even in just the last three days in the area of Iraq. We have a list here that we were kind of looking at earlier in the day of what had happened around Iraq. And it's quite interesting when you consider that since Friday...
KAGAN: Can you hold that?
SANCHEZ: Yes, we've got the tape. We've got the tape.
KAGAN: It's ready to go.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BUSH: It is my honor to receive -- to receive you here again. And every time you come, I enjoy our conversations and am impressed by the progress that your good country is making.
Today we had a chance to talk about the Jordanian economy. And the growth of the economy and the amount of trade between our countries is growing, which is to the benefit of the Jordanian people, as well as to the American people. And I appreciate your leadership.
And we also talked about, of course, Iraq. I expressed my -- my strong belief that the Iraqi elections must go forward on time. And I appreciate his majesty listening to my -- my beliefs.
And I assured his majesty that the United States and my government will be involved with Middle Eastern peace, and that I believe two states living side by side in peace, a Palestinian state and an Israeli state, is necessary for there to be peace. And that we have a moment, a window of opportunity, and I intend to work very closely with his majesty to seize that moment for the good of the Palestinian people and for the good of the Israelis so that we can achieve peace that I know is on your mind.
So welcome -- welcome, sir. I'm really glad to have you back.
GHAZI AL-Yawer, INTERIM PRESIDENT OF IRAQ: Thank you. Thank you, Mr. President.
A real delight to be back here. And to thank you, Mr. President, for really the outstanding support that you are giving our part of the world, and the president's dedication to bring hope and peace, hopefully, to Israelis and Palestinians. I know that you have been committed in the past four years in identifying a future for the Israelis and the Palestinians and the Israelis and the Arabs. And again, the president today brought home to me how important that is. And I'm very delighted with that strong stand that you've always taken for a better Middle East.
As you mentioned, sir, when we talked about the future of Iraq, and we work very closely together to bring a transition in Iraq as quickly as possible, and a future for the Iraqi people. And I tremendously appreciate the effort that you've given all of us and your vision for a better world for all of us in our part of the world.
BUSH: Thank you, sir. Welcome. Appreciate it. Thank you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAGAN: Well, it looks like the president will not take any questions in that session there. King Abdullah of Jordan paying a visit to the White House and President Bush. More on that ahead, live from the White House.
SANCHEZ: We're also going to have the very latest on a special report that we have prepared for you on making sure that your food sources in the United States are secure. We'll have that.
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAGAN: Starting this morning, we're going to bring you a series of special reports called "CNN Security Watch." We're going to focus on the potential threat to the nation's food supply.
Just last week, outgoing Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson had this head-scratching comment, saying, "I cannot understand why terrorists have not attacked our food supply. It's so easy to do."
CNN correspondent Tom Foreman looks at the threat and the protections that are already in place.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): More pork, more beef, more vegetables, fruit, wine and cheese. American consumption of foreign food is rising rapidly. The Department of Agriculture says next year America will import as much food as it exports, unheard of for generations. And in Washington, alarm bells are ringing.
SEN. BILL FRIST (R-TN) MAJORITY LEADER: We know that at least three of the major pathogens or germs that could be used as bioterror agents can be put in food.
SEN. HARRY REID (D-NV), INCOMING MINORITY LEADER: I'm worried about it, as all the American people are worried about it.
FOREMAN: Security around foreign food is tightening. Suppliers must now register with the U.S. government, and inspections of shipments have increased from 12,000 a year to 98,000. A fact noted by the outgoing secretary of Health and Human Services, even as he said the food supply is vulnerable to terrorists.
THOMPSON: We've increased the number and the percentage, but it still is a very minute amount that we're doing.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We're a large company -- country, with all kinds of avenues where somebody could inflict harm. And we're doing everything we can to -- to protect the American people.
FOREMAN: The greatest bulk of America's imported food comes from the European Union. Canada is next, then Mexico. The Middle East sends very little food to the U.S., and most of that is from the country of Turkey.
Still, lawmakers say, at very least, all food should bear explicit labels, showing the country of origin as Americans consume more of everything foreign, from soup to nuts.
Tom Foreman, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAGAN: Our "Security Watch" will continue throughout the day. We'll bring you a food safety fact check at 7:00 Eastern on "ANDERSON COOPER 360." And then Paula Zahn takes a look at the bureaucratic roadblocks at 8:00 Eastern. At 10:00 Eastern, "NEWSNIGHT WITH AARON BROWN" investigates bioterrorism.
SANCHEZ: The Scott Peterson murder trial. Just how much longer will the penalty phase of this case continue? We're going to have a live report from California next.
KAGAN: The baseball steroid scandal is grabbing Capitol Hill's attention. Still to come, why Senator John McCain thinks Congress should get involved.
SANCHEZ: Also, the government issues a warning to the nation about the flu.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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Aired December 6, 2004 - 10:59 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Is the nation's food supply a target for terrorists?
RICK SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: We're going to take a look as we begin a series of special reports, well timed, might you say, after the comments by Tommy Thompson. This will be a special for you right here on CNN.
KAGAN: We're going to take a look right now of what's happening "Now in the News."
A deadly gun battle at the American Consulate in Saudi Arabia. Saudi officials say five militants attacked the heavily-fortified consulate in Jeddah today. We're told that the militants threw explosives at the compound, then shot their way inside. Saudi officials say several people were killed, including three militants.
To Europe now, where seven bombs exploded in cities across Spain after warnings from the Basque separatist group, ETA. At least five were hurt in a series of explosions that came as the country celebrated a national holiday. Today's blast followed similar bombings Friday where five bombs were simultaneously detonated at five gas stations throughout Spain.
And in Maryland, an investigation is under way into the cause of a raging fire in an affluent area under development. The blaze began near Indian Head, and officials say it burned at least 11 unoccupied homes. There were no reported injuries.
To California. A tough tide tugged an SUV into the ocean. Police say it was illegally parked on Sunset Beach in Orange County when the tide came in. Rescue crews struggled to tow the Ford Expedition out of the water.
News reports say that several passengers were inside drinking beer at the time -- uh-oh -- looked around, and found themselves floating in the water. No injuries reported, however.
You know you've had too much beer when...
SANCHEZ: When you wake up and suddenly you're in salt water.
KAGAN: Note to self.
We are a minute past 11:00 a.m. on the East Coast. On the West Coast, where there's SUVs floating in the ocean, it is just past 8:00 a.m.
From the CNN Center in Atlanta, good morning. I'm Daryn Kagan.
SANCHEZ: Yes, you are. And I'm Rick Sanchez. And here we go.
Let's get started with this bold attack that we've been telling you about on a heavily-guarded U.S. diplomatic post -- or consulate in the heart of Saudi Arabia. Terrorists stormed the walled compound of the American Consulate near the Red Sea city of Jeddah. And were told the three attackers were killed in the gun battle, as well as several Saudi security forces and five non-U.S. employees.
Now, State Department correspondent Andrea Koppel is joining us live. She's been following the story from her post there at the State Department and joins us from Washington.
Andrea, to you.
ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN STATE DEPT. CORRESPONDENT: Rick, there's an awful lot of conflicting information that's out there. And I want to ask our viewers to bear with us because, depending upon who you talk to, either the Saudis or the Americans, you get differing stories and differing numbers. So these numbers may change throughout the day.
What we do know is that five gunmen attacked the U.S. Consulate this morning. A couple of them managed to get inside the consulate. And there were a number of foreign nationals and Saudi citizens, not Americans, who were inside the visa section.
And the Saudis claim that there was some kind of a hostage situation. The bottom line is, no Americans were killed or injured seriously in this attack. But we have a number of foreign nationals and a number of Saudis who were killed.
At the very least, it was an incredibly frightening and traumatic experience surely for all of those who were there. The U.S. has been bracing for an attack of this kind for at least the last year.
Saudi Arabia has suffered a number of attacks. Two western compounds were attacked in 2003, and about 40 people were killed in those attacks.
This is the first time that militants -- and they are believed to be linked to al Qaeda -- have managed to carry out a successful attack against a U.S. installation, a consulate, or an embassy in the Saudi kingdom. Right now, they're already lockdown.
In fact, back in May, Rick, they were so concerned about a potential attack to the U.S. Consulate that they sent home what they -- what they referred to as nonessential American employees at the embassy and all of their family members. So only the most senior people and sort of the core group of diplomats who were needed at the consulate were on site when the attack happened -- Rick.
SANCHEZ: Andrea Koppel following that story for us there from the State Department. We thank you, Andrea. Daryn, over to you.
KAGAN: Well, that Saudi attack comes on a morning when President Bush is hosting a couple of leaders from the Middle East. Our Elaine Quijano is live today at the White House.
Good morning.
ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Daryn.
That's right, the president this morning will be meeting with the king of Jordan, King Abdullah. And on the agenda, of course, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but also the situation in Iraq.
In fact, earlier today, President Bush met with Iraq's interim president, Ghazi al-Yawer. The visit an important symbolic move ahead of January 30. January 30, that, of course, the date for Iraq elections.
Now, symbolic because this is welcoming a member of Iraq's Sunni minority to the White House, a sign the White House wants to send to the Sunnis in Iraq that they will have a part in the political process. Now, both leaders say despite violence in Iraq, they don't want to see a delay of any kind for Iraq's elections. The president also citing the attacks in Saudi Arabia as an example of why he believes elections in Iraq must move ahead as scheduled.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The attacks...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ... who has no object to undermine the political process and inside civil war in Iraq.
BUSH: Free countries. They want us to leave Saudi Arabia. They want to us leave Iraq. They want us to grow timid and weary in the face of their willingness to kill randomly and kill innocent people. And that's why these elections in Iraq are very important.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
QUIJANO: Now, Mr. Bush has steadily maintained that success in Iraq can be an example for other countries in that region to follow. The Bush administration obviously very much hoping that democracy will take root in that country. But the White House continues to face criticism that it did not have an adequate plan in place for post-war Iraq.
In the meantime, as we said, the president meeting with the king of Jordan this morning. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict continues to be another issue the president very much wants to focus on.
He has made clear in his second term he would like to see movement on the so-called roadmap for peace. And, of course, Daryn, that roadmap for peace, part of what the president envisions is a two- state solution, an Israeli state and a Palestinian state co-existing side by side peacefully -- Daryn.
KAGAN: Elaine Quijano at the White House. Elaine, thank you.
SANCHEZ: Well, it's do or die for the intelligence reform bill that we've been telling you so much about. The House returns this afternoon to try and deal with this bill. Maybe a compromise. But certainly not there yet, at least from -- as far as we know at this point.
Let's go to CNN congressional correspondent Ed Henry. He's been checking up on this thing all day long.
What do you know at this point, Ed?
ED HENRY, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Rick.
You're right, we are literally down to the final hours on this 9/11 intelligence reform bill. President Bush gave it another push this morning, telling reporters he wants Congress to deal with this before they head out of town for the holidays this week. They only have two days left to this lame duck session.
And I can tell you, I've been talking to key lawmakers and staffers. And there's cautious optimism right now in the Senate that they can get a deal. But obviously still in the House.
Republican Congressman Duncan Hunter, Republican Congressman James Sensenbrenner, they have been holding this up because of various objections they have. But there is cautious optimism in various camps that I can go through suggesting they think they can get a deal this afternoon.
I just spoke to the lead Senate negotiator, for example, Senator Susan Collins of Maine. She said that there were talks all weekend between the White House and Congressman Hunter. She feels progress is being made, but again, it's cautious optimism at this point.
But she feels progress is being made about Congressman Duncan Hunter's concern that a new director of national intelligence could interfere with the chain of command -- command at the military, could hurt troops in the field. Senator Collins thinks progress has been made on that. And she said the talks have gone -- so far, she cannot see how they can fail at this point.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. SUSAN COLLINS (R), MAINE: I just can't contemplate Congress leaving town without passing this bill. That would represent a truly shameful failure on the part of Congress.
We know we need to reform our intelligence community. We know the status quo has failed us. These reforms have been called for over the years, and we cannot delay any longer.
(END VIDEO CLIP) HENRY: Another key point, I just spoke to a staffer for Senate Armed Services chairman John Warner of Virginia. Now, on Friday, Senator Warner put out a statement saying that he had similar concerns as Congressman Hunter about this chain of command issue.
But I can tell you that this staffer for Senator Warner is telling CNN that Senator Warner is not trying to block the bill. He's trying to bring it along -- in the words of this staffer, he is trying to "improve the bill" so that the military will be satisfied, so that the White House will be satisfied, and that everyone can be brought together. In fact, this staffer said Senator Warner over the weekend had a conversation with Vice President Cheney, who, as you know, has been making call pushing to get this legislation passed, and that conversation, according to Warner's office, was positive between Senator Warner and Vice President Cheney.
But here's the problem, is that Duncan Hunter has still not signed off on it. And what we're hearing from various sources in the House and Senate is that the clock is literally ticking.
The House is coming in about 3:00 p.m. today to vote on the vast budget omnibus bill. They'll probably vote around 5:00 or 6:00 p.m. tonight. And people in the House and Senate are both confirming to us that they believe that if a deal on intelligence reform is not cut by about 5:00 p.m. or 6:00 p.m. tonight, House members are going to start streaming out of town, going home for the holidays.
So regardless of what the Senate wants to do, whether or not Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist wants to have a vote, if there's no deal by 5:00 or 6:00 tonight, House members will start going home and this issue will very likely be dead for the year. So literally, the clock is ticking at this point -- Rick.
SANCHEZ: You know what's interesting? Members of the 9/11 Commission pushed this thing through. They thought it was a no- brainer. They thought for sure it would be passed.
They're extremely disappointed. We just got some sound in just a little while ago that we'll share with you and our viewers, Ed. This is from a former congressman of Indiana, Tim Roemer. Let's hear what he had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TIMOTHY ROEMER, 9/11 COMMISSION: We have a 57-year-old system that is the status quo that allowed 3,000 people to die on our homeland. We need to change it.
If Congress and the White House doesn't change it, they've preserved the status quo and more body bags may have to happen before we get changes in the future. That should not take place.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: Those are strong words. One wonders what other pressure could be applied to get this thing through and to whom. HENRY: You're right. You cannot put it any starker than that. Tim Roemer as a former 9/11 commissioner is literally saying there will be more terrorist attacks, there will be more deaths if this bill does not pass.
But he was appearing with some 9/11 families who believe that this particular bill that's on the table right now will work and will improve the system. But I can tell you, it's very important to note, there are other 9/11 families who have come forward and say they support Congressman Hunter, they support Congressman Sensenbrenner in saying the current bill on the table is not good enough.
And these 9/11 families say they would rather nothing pass than bad reform. So that's the rub for some of these lawmakers -- Rick.
SANCHEZ: Point well made. Ed Henry following the story throughout the day. Should there be a development on it, we'll get back to you. I thank you.
HENRY: Thank you.
SANCHEZ: Daryn, over to you.
KAGAN: To Iraq now. A violent three-day span. Five U.S. forces die in violence in the Al Anbar province, and some employees on their way to work are killed in the hail of bullets.
For the latest, we head to Baghdad. That's where CNN's Karl Penhaul is standing by -- Karl.
KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Daryn.
In a number of attacks on Saturday and Sunday, more than 50 people were killed and more than 100 others wounded. The dead include, yes, U.S. servicemen, but the bulk of them are both Iraqi security forces and Iraqi civilians.
The biggest -- one of the biggest attacks was here in Baghdad, in the heart of Baghdad on Saturday. Sixteen people killed in a car bomb attack on a police station close to the Green Zone.
Then there was a drive-by shooting in the city of Tikrit. Seventeen civilian contractors were killed in that one. There was also a car bomb up north in the city of Mosul, where 15 Kurdish security guards were killed.
All of this, of course, stoking the debate about whether Iraq's elections should be held on January the 30th or not. Lakhdar Brahimi, the U.N. special envoy to Iraq, has said that he believes the situation is currently too violent for elections to take place. But we have heard from Iraq's president, Ghazi al-Yawer, who's visited with George Bush today, that he believes that things should go ahead on January the 30th as planned.
That said, we've been talking to a constitutional lawyer here in Baghdad. His view is, looking at the Iraqi constitution as it stands at present, that there is no legal provision for a postponement. That elections must go ahead on or by January 31, otherwise there will be a huge legal vacuum and it will call into credibility the Iraqi government itself, according to this constitutional lawyer -- Daryn.
KAGAN: So Karl, that sounds like whether some people like it or not, elections do have to be a go at the end of January.
PENHAUL: Indeed. Of course, most of the attention is focused on the debate about Sunni groups calling for a postponement or even a boycott of the elections, efforts by insurgents to derail the vote, and then calls by the Shiite majority parties to get elections on at the first possible opportunity. But it could really come down to a legal debate, really not just a political debate -- Daryn.
KAGAN: Karl Penhaul in Baghdad. Thank you.
SANCHEZ: Well, you heard what the cabinet member, secretary of Health and Human Services, Tommy Thompson, had to say about the food we eat and how we may be vulnerable there. We're going to have a special segment on this. We call it "Protecting the Food You Eat."
What's going on behind the scenes to secure our nation's food supply? And we ask, is it enough?
KAGAN: Also, in California, Robert Blake set to go on trial for murder three years after his wife was killed. Could a new twist force yet another delay?
SANCHEZ: Also, it's being described as a huge bomb on the horizon. We're going to tell you what you need to know about fighting the flu.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAGAN: Big day at the White House concerning Middle East leaders. First, earlier this morning, we saw President Bush greet the acting interim president of Iraq, Ghazi al-Yawer, and then King Abdullah of Jordan.
SANCHEZ: Yes. And this is an important meeting for the president. I mean, the idea that he can sit down with the leader of -- of Jordan is important, especially for everything that the United States is trying to accomplish with the election.
Most people who follow that would say he needs to have members or leaders of all the countries, including Jordan, on board to make those elections happen. And that seems to be the issue of the day.
KAGAN: Yes. And when we talk about elections, we're talking about holding elections in Iraq on January 30.
We just heard from Karl Penhaul in Baghdad. There's a belief that there's no constitutional provision that you could delay it even if the belief was that things aren't secure enough and not enough people could participate, as some are claiming. SANCHEZ: As we understand, we should be having some tape that we're going to be sharing with you. It's coming over, oh, in just about a minute or so from now of the president sitting down with King Abdullah of Jordan, both of them discussing what we expect will be matters related to Iraq.
KAGAN: Right. King Abdullah was -- not that long ago, in May, paid a visit to the White House. And we expect that tape.
SANCHEZ: And the backdrop of this is interesting, when you consider all the things that have been going on, even in just the last three days in the area of Iraq. We have a list here that we were kind of looking at earlier in the day of what had happened around Iraq. And it's quite interesting when you consider that since Friday...
KAGAN: Can you hold that?
SANCHEZ: Yes, we've got the tape. We've got the tape.
KAGAN: It's ready to go.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BUSH: It is my honor to receive -- to receive you here again. And every time you come, I enjoy our conversations and am impressed by the progress that your good country is making.
Today we had a chance to talk about the Jordanian economy. And the growth of the economy and the amount of trade between our countries is growing, which is to the benefit of the Jordanian people, as well as to the American people. And I appreciate your leadership.
And we also talked about, of course, Iraq. I expressed my -- my strong belief that the Iraqi elections must go forward on time. And I appreciate his majesty listening to my -- my beliefs.
And I assured his majesty that the United States and my government will be involved with Middle Eastern peace, and that I believe two states living side by side in peace, a Palestinian state and an Israeli state, is necessary for there to be peace. And that we have a moment, a window of opportunity, and I intend to work very closely with his majesty to seize that moment for the good of the Palestinian people and for the good of the Israelis so that we can achieve peace that I know is on your mind.
So welcome -- welcome, sir. I'm really glad to have you back.
GHAZI AL-Yawer, INTERIM PRESIDENT OF IRAQ: Thank you. Thank you, Mr. President.
A real delight to be back here. And to thank you, Mr. President, for really the outstanding support that you are giving our part of the world, and the president's dedication to bring hope and peace, hopefully, to Israelis and Palestinians. I know that you have been committed in the past four years in identifying a future for the Israelis and the Palestinians and the Israelis and the Arabs. And again, the president today brought home to me how important that is. And I'm very delighted with that strong stand that you've always taken for a better Middle East.
As you mentioned, sir, when we talked about the future of Iraq, and we work very closely together to bring a transition in Iraq as quickly as possible, and a future for the Iraqi people. And I tremendously appreciate the effort that you've given all of us and your vision for a better world for all of us in our part of the world.
BUSH: Thank you, sir. Welcome. Appreciate it. Thank you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAGAN: Well, it looks like the president will not take any questions in that session there. King Abdullah of Jordan paying a visit to the White House and President Bush. More on that ahead, live from the White House.
SANCHEZ: We're also going to have the very latest on a special report that we have prepared for you on making sure that your food sources in the United States are secure. We'll have that.
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAGAN: Starting this morning, we're going to bring you a series of special reports called "CNN Security Watch." We're going to focus on the potential threat to the nation's food supply.
Just last week, outgoing Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson had this head-scratching comment, saying, "I cannot understand why terrorists have not attacked our food supply. It's so easy to do."
CNN correspondent Tom Foreman looks at the threat and the protections that are already in place.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): More pork, more beef, more vegetables, fruit, wine and cheese. American consumption of foreign food is rising rapidly. The Department of Agriculture says next year America will import as much food as it exports, unheard of for generations. And in Washington, alarm bells are ringing.
SEN. BILL FRIST (R-TN) MAJORITY LEADER: We know that at least three of the major pathogens or germs that could be used as bioterror agents can be put in food.
SEN. HARRY REID (D-NV), INCOMING MINORITY LEADER: I'm worried about it, as all the American people are worried about it.
FOREMAN: Security around foreign food is tightening. Suppliers must now register with the U.S. government, and inspections of shipments have increased from 12,000 a year to 98,000. A fact noted by the outgoing secretary of Health and Human Services, even as he said the food supply is vulnerable to terrorists.
THOMPSON: We've increased the number and the percentage, but it still is a very minute amount that we're doing.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We're a large company -- country, with all kinds of avenues where somebody could inflict harm. And we're doing everything we can to -- to protect the American people.
FOREMAN: The greatest bulk of America's imported food comes from the European Union. Canada is next, then Mexico. The Middle East sends very little food to the U.S., and most of that is from the country of Turkey.
Still, lawmakers say, at very least, all food should bear explicit labels, showing the country of origin as Americans consume more of everything foreign, from soup to nuts.
Tom Foreman, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAGAN: Our "Security Watch" will continue throughout the day. We'll bring you a food safety fact check at 7:00 Eastern on "ANDERSON COOPER 360." And then Paula Zahn takes a look at the bureaucratic roadblocks at 8:00 Eastern. At 10:00 Eastern, "NEWSNIGHT WITH AARON BROWN" investigates bioterrorism.
SANCHEZ: The Scott Peterson murder trial. Just how much longer will the penalty phase of this case continue? We're going to have a live report from California next.
KAGAN: The baseball steroid scandal is grabbing Capitol Hill's attention. Still to come, why Senator John McCain thinks Congress should get involved.
SANCHEZ: Also, the government issues a warning to the nation about the flu.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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