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CNN Wolf Blitzer Reports

Bush Attempts to Reconcile With Europe; Syria Announces Plans to Pull Out of Lebanon; Mudslides Strike Southern California

Aired February 21, 2005 - 17:00   ET

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

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


WOLF BLITZER, HOST: Happening now, horrible weather and a California hazard. A deluge drags on, putting drivers and even those who stay at home at serious risk. We're getting some new pictures.
Stand by for hard news on WOLF BLITZER REPORTS.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): A fence-mending visit to Europe, and tough words on Syria.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Syria must also end its occupation of Lebanon.

BLITZER: President Bush's stern warning comes amid a massive anti-Syria protest march in Beirut.

The Bush tapes. Revealing conversations secretly recorded and now made public.

DOUG WEAD, FORMER BUSH ADVISER: I didn't want them to become public.

MILES O'BRIEN, HOST, "CNN LIVE FROM": Why not?

WEAD: Well, they're personal.

BLITZER: Then why did Doug Wead give excerpts of the tapes to the media?

Missing. A Texas woman's SUV is found. But the hunt goes on for her and her 7-year-old son.

The counterculture writer who was one of the creators of gonzo journalism is dead. A look back at the life and times of Hunter S. Thompson.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANNOUNCER: This is WOLF BLITZER REPORTS for Monday, February 21, 2005.

BLITZER: It's being called a charm offensive: President Bush delivering a dramatic appeal to the European allies. In Belgium, he called on France, Germany and America's other so- called old European allies to help spread democracy across the Middle East. The European leaders seemed receptive, a far cry from the heated disagreements that clearly overshadowed the transatlantic relationship since the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq almost two years ago.

Our White House correspondent, Suzanne Malveaux, is traveling with the president. She's joining us now live from Brussels -- Suzanne.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, it is really just day one of President Bush's reconciliation tour, but already some U.S. officials are declaring success and the skeptics are saying, hold on.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MALVEAUX (voice-over): President Bush, in the heart of Europe, called for America and its European allies to put aside differences over the Iraq war and to begin a new era of transatlantic unity.

BUSH: No temporary debate, no passing disagreement of governments, no power on earth will ever divide us. America and Europe face a moment of consequence and opportunity.

MALVEAUX: But not everyone is buying it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, no, no, no.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, no, no, no.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, no, no, no.

MALVEAUX: Several thousand protesters gathered outside the U.S. embassy in Brussels, urging Mr. Bush to take his message back home.

Setting a more civil tone with Europe and rebuilding Iraq are at the top of Mr. Bush's agenda. To make that point, the president met with one of his harshest critics of the Iraq war, French President Jacques Chirac. Both leaders took pains to convey the rift between them is over.

BUSH: This is my first dinner since I've been re-elected on European soil, and it's with Jacques Chirac. And that ought to say something.

MALVEAUX: President Bush wants more help in training Iraqi troops and is expected to get it when NATO and European Union officials sit down with Mr. Bush on Tuesday. In return, the president addressed what many Europeans were waiting to hear: an unequivocal commitment from the U.S. on Middle East peace.

BUSH: Our greatest opportunity and immediate goal is peace in the Middle East. A settlement of the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians is now within reach.

MALVEAUX: But Mr. Bush issued stern warnings to those countries he considers emerging threats.

BUSH: The Iranian regime must end its support for terrorism and must not develop nuclear weapons.

MALVEAUX: A shared desire between the allies, but a source of disagreement, as well. The E.U. is in negotiations with Iran to abandon its nuclear ambitions, but the U.S. won't take part in the talks, believing they will bear little fruit.

Mr. Bush also warned Syria it must end its occupation of Lebanon or face growing international isolation, a view not shared by some E.U. members, who believe that offers of trade incentives will entice Syria to cooperate.

Mr. Bush also put his friend, Russian president Vladimir Putin, on notice. The two leaders are scheduled to meet Tuesday. And Mr. Bush said Moscow's backslide in democratic reforms would not be tolerated.

BUSH: The Russian government must renew a commitment to democracy and the rule of law.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MALVEAUX: Now, tomorrow President Bush underscores that point when he meets with Ukraine's newly elected leader, Viktor Yushchenko. Of course, he only won after the initially tainted election results were overturned. Those election results were supported by Putin -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Suzanne Malveaux in Brussels. Thanks very much.

President Bush's demand that Syria pull its troops out of Lebanon was loudly repeated in Beirut today in a huge anti-Syria protest march.

CNN's Ben Wedeman is in the Lebanese capital.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): You'd have to be deaf and blind not to catch the message coming from the heart of Beirut, where tens of thousands flocked to the center of the city to mark a week since the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik al Hariri.

Student Hassam (ph) wears a mask with the word "Syria" written on it to symbolize Syrian oppression. "The time of silence is over," he says. "Every Lebanese must now speak the truth."

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And we will not shut up. We will not turn away from this. This is the first opportunity we've had in my lifetime to make a stand and be heard.

WEDEMAN: Red and white scarves have become the symbol of protest here. A movement joining Muslims and Christians, who just a few years ago, were at one another's throats.

"Islam and Christianity call for liberty," they chant.

And in the square that was a battlefield between Muslims and Christians during the civil war, they came together, flying Lebanese flags from a statue still scarred with bullets.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is from the heart for what the Lebanese people really want. We want to live in peace and harmony.

WEDEMAN: Despite earlier fears of a confrontation, security forces stayed on the sidelines of what appears to be a growing protest movement that is being watched closely throughout the area.

(on camera) Activities (ph) like these, where tens of thousands of ordinary citizens speak freely and make blunt demands are a rarity in the Arab world and may well be sending shivers of fear through the palaces of the region's many dictators.

Ben Wedeman, CNN, Beirut.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Massive street protests in Lebanon, intense pressure from the United States and Europe, but is Syria starting to get the message? Maybe. But will it take action any time soon?

CNN's senior international correspondent Brent Sadler reports from Damascus.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRENT SADLER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In Damascus, President Bashar al-Assad signals a possible change in direction, telling the Arab League Syrian troops will leave Lebanon, giving no timetable.

But in Brussels, the U.S. president levels harsh words at Syria.

BUSH: Our shared commitment to democratic progress is being tested in Lebanon, a once thriving country that now suffers under the influence of an oppressive neighbor.

SADLER: A neighbor still enjoying strong political support in Lebanon, especially from powerful Shia Muslim parties, staunchly pro- Syrian.

In Beirut, a giant image of the Syrian leader overlooks a seafront boulevard, vying for attention with a road named after the assassinated former prime minister.

Street protests have swept through Beirut since Rafik Hariri's murder. Demonstrators turning on Syria and, they claim, its puppet government in Beirut. Hariri's death unleashing a predictable fallout affecting Syria. AMR MOUSSA, ARAB LEAGUE SECRETARY GENERAL: There is no sense of panic, but there is a sense of determination that serious steps will have to be taken in order to deal with that situation.

SADLER: Syria is already hit by U.S. sanctions, but tougher measures could be imposed, if President Bush and French President, Jacques Chirac, a close personal friend of the Hariris, agree that increased economic pressure might pay off.

(on camera) Syria faces dramatic upheaval on its doorstep. Fledgling democracy in Iraq, pro-freedom rallies in Beirut and a chorus of U.S.-led international demands on Syria to pull its troops from Lebanon.

(voice-over) Some 40,000 troops at one time, scaled down to around a third of that number today.

BOUTHEINA SHAABAN, SYRIAN CABINET MINISTER: The issue is not here, it is not the troops. The issue is not the assassination of Hariri. The issue is to take Syria and Lebanon into a very unstable and chaotic future.

SADLER: To weaken Syria, argue officials here, and destroy its strategic alliance with Lebanon, two countries technically in a state of war with their powerful neighbor, Israel.

Brent Sadler, CNN, Damascus.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Joining us now to discuss Lebanon, Syria, their impact on America's Middle East policy and more, our world affairs analyst, William Cohen. He's a former defense secretary, chairman and CEO of the Cohen Group.

Mr. Secretary, thanks for joining us.

WILLIAM COHEN, CNN WORLD AFFAIRS ANALYST: Good to be here, Wolf.

BLITZER: Is Syria going to get the message, get out of Lebanon, any time soon?

COHEN: It's unlikely they're going to do anything substantive. So far they've hinted that they would redeploy their troops east in the Bekaa Valley, where the Hezbollah basically operate.

Syria has been supporting the Hezbollah, the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) in Lebanon, then into northern Israel. Hezbollah, of course, is supported by Iran. And so it's interesting to see that Iran immediately came out and pledged its support for Syria. So we're looking at something that could build up into quite a confrontation in the coming weeks and months.

BLITZER: The fact that tens of thousands of Lebanese had the guts to go out on the streets and say, "Syria out." That is a huge, huge change in what has happened over the past 15, 20 years since the Syrians moved in militarily and occupied chunks of Lebanon.

COHEN: It's a huge change, but you have to remember that even if the 15,000 were to be pulled out in the near future, the infrastructure below those 15,000 troops remains. And so Hezbollah will continue to be a political force, infiltrating much of Lebanese life. So enough there may be some surface change, underneath you have to really be careful what's taking place.

BLITZER: Let's talk about the president's visit to Europe. Started off, seemingly, on a pretty positive note with a speech he delivered today. Do you think that tangibly, though, it's going to result in a completely patched over, patched up relationship between the so-called old Europe and the Bush administration?

COHEN: Well, one speech doesn't a reconciliation make. But I thought it was interested that the president began by talking about something the Europeans are firmly committed to, and that is a Middle East peace settlement.

BLITZER: Between the Israelis and the Palestinians.

COHEN: He started off in a very positive note, to which they all applauded.

He ended up, ironically enough, quoting a French Algerian existentialist philosopher, Albert Camus. And I thought perhaps that was a message to the French, as well. But he cited -- talking about the road to freedom is a long one. Camus also wrote about Sisyphus forever rolling that rock up the hill and only to have it roll back down.

So perhaps, the president was saying, "We're rolling the rock up. We need some help. And we'd like to you be more helpful in Iraq and elsewhere."

BLITZER: Is there a serious split between the U.S. on the one hand, the British, the French, the Germans, let's say, on the other when it comes to Iran and its nuclear ambitions?

COHEN: But you might note that during the course of the speech, the audience applauded when he mentioned the Middle East peace process, also when he talked about Syria getting out of Lebanon as an occupying power. Third point was that Iran cannot continue to support terrorism and build nuclear weapons. He was applauded on those accounts.

Plus, when he talked about Russia needing to really hew the line toward democracy and not toward autocracy.

So you had some real strong support expressed within the confines of that particular audience. Whether it's going to translate into a much broader political support remains to be seen.

But I thought it was a very important speech, well delivered, well read. And I think it be the beginning of at least a thaw. He'll have to work, along with his administration, much harder in the coming weeks and months to sustain the momentum.

BLITZER: He's getting a lot of praise even in Europe for that speech.

The Thursday meeting between President Bush and Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, could be very, very significant. Right now there seems to be a serious strain in that relationship.

COHEN: There is a serious strain, not only what's taking place inside of Russia pertaining to the rule of law, the breakup of Yukos, the oil giant, as such, and the way in which its leadership was treated, but also that Russia still has troops in Georgia. Georgia is a free republic but nonetheless occupied by -- in part by Russian troops.

Russia has also pledged to continue to support the nuclear ambitions of Iran, saying they're not going to develop nuclear weapons. And Russia has continued to indicate its support for Syria, pledging to sell Syria anti-aircraft missiles. All of this, I think, spells some trouble in terms of our relationship with Russia.

BLITZER: And they're cracking down on what we used to call dissidents but on the media and other aspects of the Russian society.

COHEN: Exactly. They're headed in the wrong direction. And the president tried to indicate that if they're really going to be part of the international community in a major way, as far as attracting investment, support from the European allies, the United States, they're going to have to change course.

BLITZER: Secretary Cohen, thanks for joining us.

President Bush's words on drugs and on gays. We'll hear some newly released secret audiotapes.

Also, new clues in the search for a missing pregnant woman and her young son. Investigators giving an update to the news media this hour.

And the ground gives way in Southern California, inundated once again by another storm.

Plus this...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They were horrified. It disrupted their relationship. They lost a lot of sleep.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: A very unusual lawsuit. We'll show you what the plaintiffs say they were asked to do and with whom.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) BLITZER: In waterlogged Southern California, a dramatic swift water rescue today. Days of heavy rain have flooded streams and ditches across the region.

And when a motorist in Thousand Palms tried to drive through one of the flooded ditches, he got stuck. Rescue workers pulled the man to safety. You're seeing that now.

A flash flood watch for all of southwestern California is in effect until tomorrow evening.

Dozens of people across southern California have had to flee to higher ground as this latest round of very bad weather batters the region. A major problem today: mudslides.

CNN's Miguel Marquez reports from Glendale.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: To give you a sense of what's sort of typical for these mudslide situations, the mud here is very thick, sort of like a sponge almost when you step into it. It's spongy and gooey. You can see how it kind of just slides off that hill once it gets heavy with water.

This is a cul-de-sac, just a normal cul-de-sac in any neighborhood that you would have. If it was a normal day all this mud and these trees and debris is coming off this mountain here, this hillside.

Two different areas have been sliding for much of the night. We talked to one homeowner who heard it all coming down last night.

And here's what he heard.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The noise was just deafening. Sounded like thunder, trees cracking, boulders coming down. And the scariest part was that we couldn't see.

MARQUEZ: The city of Glendale says there's been two more evacuations for this area. This comes to a total of about 12 mandatory and voluntary evacuations. And as the rain keeps coming, the evacuations and the concerns will only grow.

Miguel Marquez, CNN, Glendale, California.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: There's been an important development in the search for a pregnant Texas woman and her 7-year-old son.

CNN's Ed Lavandera standing by live in Dallas with more -- Ed.

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Wolf.

Well, authorities have been saying since Saturday night that they were looking for the SUV of the missing Fort Worth woman and her 7- year-old son. A short while ago, police confirming they found it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SGT. RENEE KAMPER, FORT WORTH POLICE: We're here today to tell you that we have located the car. We have confirmed that it is the vehicle that we've been looking for in the Amber Alert.

We have not located anyone or any body around the vehicle. We are coordinating our efforts with area agencies, and we will continue looking until we find them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LAVANDERA: Now, that SUV belonging to 34-year-old Lisa Underwood was found in this creeky area away from any major roads from what we've been able to tell. It was partially submerged in the creek. The back tailgate of the SUV was found open.

Now, 34-year-old Lisa Underwood has been missing, last seen Friday night but reported missing Saturday night after her and her son failed to show up for a baby shower that was thrown -- was being thrown in her honor. Lisa Underwood is seven months pregnant.

And there was also a birthday party they should have attended in the morning. They missed that. But the search continues for the mother and son at this hour -- Wolf.

BLITZER: CNN's Ed Lavandera in Dallas, thanks very much. We'll get back to you if there's new -- if there's additional information.

When we come back, joyous celebrations marking a crucial step on the road toward Middle East peace. We'll take you live there.

Who made secret recordings of President Bush, and why is he releasing them now?

Plus, he pioneered a new style of journalism, and earned a true cult following. The life and death of gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson.

All that coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: A former Palestinian man -- Palestinian prisoner held in Israel says he cannot describe his joy at smelling the air of freedom.

Israel has started making good on a promise made at this month's summit with Palestinian leaders, releasing hundreds of captives today. For one of them, the homecoming celebration in the West Bank was an unforgettable experience.

CNN's Guy Raz has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) GUY RAZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The sounds echoing across the West Bank today. As they kiss their sons and brothers, gunfire salutes to welcome them home.

And they paid their respects at the tomb of the late Yasser Arafat.

Sakher Hanatsheh's wife and five children held vigil here, waiting to greet Daddy. Sakher's been in and out of Israeli jails seven times since 1985. His first stop on this day, the tomb of a comrade killed by Israeli forces.

SAKHER HANATSHEH, FREED PRISONER (through translator): Salem Yakoub (ph) was a friend. We became very close in prison. He was a good man, a respected man.

RAZ: Sakher calls him a martyr.

Back at home, wives and mothers wail in joy. Sakher is reminded of the comforts of home life. But even with Daddy home, "Tom and Jerry" still win out with the kids.

Though Sakher wasn't involved in violence, he had to sign a form renouncing militant activity.

HANATSHEH (through translator): The paper doesn't mean much to me. I signed it. But it doesn't mean much.

RAZ: Israel wants men like Sakher to serve as advocates for peace and promises to release 400 more in the coming months.

(on camera) Are you prepared now to be an ambassador for peace?

HANATSHEH (through translator): Once we feel that our rights are restored, we can definitely be ambassadors for peace.

RAZ (voice-over): There is still bitterness. Sakher was an administrative detainee. He only served five months this time, but he was never charged, never told why he was arrested. Sakher's lawyer was told the evidence was classified.

(on camera) The released prisoners are home now, back with their families, but not without mixed feelings. They left behind thousands of others still incarcerated in prisons like this one, waiting for their moment to finally be free, as well.

Guy Raz, CNN, outside Ofer (ph) prison in the West Bank.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Caught on tape: newly revealed recordings offer some insight into the president's past and political future.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DOUG WEAD, FORMER BUSH ADVISER: I think it matters that he was young and irresponsible. I think that's a key to his life.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: But were these tapes made public to promote a new book? We'll examine. That's coming up. And discuss the implications with a presidential historian.

No. 1 threat. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns that health officials may not be prepared to fight what it calls the single biggest threat to world health. You'll hear what it is.

And later, believe it or not, a very bizarre lawsuit involving Koko. You're seeing Koko right now, the world famous gorilla. We'll tell you what's going on.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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

BLITZER: Welcome back.

Private conversations with then-Governor Bush secretly recorded. The former confidant who made the tapes speaks out to CNN. We'll get to that. First, though, a quick check of this story now in the news.

The world may be on the brink of a major health disaster. The head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Julie Gerberding, says experts are concerned that bird flu could soon spread around the world. The virus has already swept through chickens and other poultry in Asia. And there's growing concern right now it could mutate and spread into humans, possibly killing millions of people.

There's a lot of talk here in Washington today about some newly released audiotapes. A longtime Bush family friend says he recorded them during telephone conversations with George W. Bush before he became president.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): Doug Wead was an aide to former President George Bush and he's known George W. Bush for years. He says he began taping his phone conversations with George W. Bush in 1998, when the younger Bush was running for his second term as governor of Texas.

The tapes appear to offer some insights on some issues, such as the president's refusal to respond to questions about past drug use.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

BUSH: But you got to understand, I want to be president. I want to lead. I want to set -- Do you want your little kid say, Hey, Daddy, President Bush tried marijuana; I think I will?

(END AUDIO CLIP) BLITZER: A White House spokesman characterized the tapes as -- quote -- "casual conversations with someone Mr. Bush considered a friend."

Audio expert Tom Owen authenticated the tapes for "The New York Times."

TOM OWEN, PRESIDENT, OWL INVESTIGATIONS: These tapes are for real. And the mission or the quest was, is this really George Bush? I've determined that it is absolutely George Bush.

BLITZER: The tapes also touch on gay rights. In one phone conversation, we quoted a religious leader as saying Mr. Bush would bar homosexuals from taking government jobs.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

DOUG WEAD, AUTHOR: He's saying that you promised you would not appoint gays to office.

BUSH: No. What I said was, I wouldn't fire gays. I'm not going to discriminate against people.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

BLITZER: Wead is the author of a new book, "The Raising of a President: The Mothers and Fathers of Our Nation's Leaders." He denies releasing the tapes to promote the book.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "AMERICAN MORNING")

WEAD: Well, this isn't about money. I could sell tapes. You've only seen..

(CROSSTALK)

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Well, it's going help your book, isn't it?

WEAD: Well, my book could have been released before the election. It would have been a runaway bestseller. It would have been driven by partisan...

O'BRIEN: But clearly people are going to go buy that book today after seeing this, right?

WEAD: My publicist said I lost a million dollars by delaying the book after the election, where it would have been driven by partisan interests.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Rick Shenkman is a presidential historian at George Mason University. He's joining us now live from Seattle, Washington. Rick, thanks very much for joining us. In the scheme of things, as seen from the eyes of a historian, how big a deal are these secretly recorded audiotapes?

RICK SHENKMAN, PRESIDENTIAL HISTORIAN: This is a big deal.

Look, you know, after Nixon and Watergate, historians thought, that's it. We are not going to get presidential tape recordings anymore. We had them for FDR. We had them for Eisenhower. We had them for Lyndon Johnson, John Kennedy, Nixon. We thought, OK, that's it. And here we have now got a presidential tape recording or at least a recording made two years before he became president. It's extraordinary.

BLITZER: So what specifically would historians be looking for in reviewing these audiotapes?

SHENKMAN: Well, now what needs to happen is to go back to the campaign and back to what President Bush was saying publicly in 1998, 1999 and 2000 and compare what he said publicly with what was being said privately, to see if there's a gap.

BLITZER: And also to compare the dates, because these recordings went over about two years, from '98 to 2000, right into the campaign. So, you could make comparisons of the public statements and the private statements made in these telephone conversations.

From what I can tell, though, there doesn't seem to be a lot of daylight, a lot of differences between what the president was saying, the then-governor, was saying privately and what he was saying publicly.

SHENKMAN: Well, the one part that really caught my attention was what he had to say about Steve Forbes and talking about how you play rough in politics. Sometimes, you have to rough up your opponent, he said.

And he was recalling how Steve Forbes in '96 had really roughed up Bob Dole. And he said going, you know, into this campaign, if Steve Forbes tries that on me, I'm going to really go after him. My father had to go after Dukakis and be really rough. And I'm going to go after Steve Forbes and be really rough. And if he got the nomination, I'm going to sit on my hands in Texas and not help him win the presidency. And my brother in Florida is also going to sit on his hands.

This is how politics is played. This is never shown to the public. That's why this tape in particular is, I think, extraordinary in the glimpse it shows behind the scenes of what's really going on.

BLITZER: But we did learn in the 2000 campaign that then- candidate Bush, he can get pretty tough. If you remember South Carolina and John McCain, when he faced that challenge, there were some pretty tough moments.

SHENKMAN: There was, but there was always a distance between what the campaign was doing privately, secretly and kind of just subterraneously and what George W. Bush was saying publicly. That's where this tape fills in that gap between those two things.

BLITZER: The argument is that these are historically very valuable tapes, and you would agree with that. But is there a betrayal, if you will, that was committed in making these tapes public now?

SHENKMAN: I don't think there's any question about it. Doug Wead says that he was doing this for history. Well, if he was doing it for history, then he should have waited until George W. Bush was out of office.

And then historians would be happy to have it. At this point, it is not really all that helpful to historians, so much as it is helpful to journalists who are looking for a story. This isn't going to change the legacy of George W. Bush. We eventually would have had this, apparently. So, this is about journalism. It's about of the moment. And I can't help but conclude that it's about selling his book.

BLITZER: Doug Wead argues that he could have released it before the election and made $1 million if he had released it then, instead of waiting until now, when his book is coming out on presidential families.

SHENKMAN: Yes, I don't know why he didn't release his book before the election. We'd have to investigate that. And maybe we'll find out a little bit more from his publisher. Maybe there was -- maybe it wasn't finished. Who knows.

But the fact that he's bringing the tapes out when his book is coming out, you know, I'm fairly cynical about this kind of thing.

BLITZER: Historically speaking, compare this so-called betrayal to other betrayals.

SHENKMAN: Well, let's, first of all, talk about when presidents record other people. Those people subsequently found out about it, and they felt betrayed. Presidents said they were doing it for history.

Certainly, Nixon said he was doing it for history. Lyndon Johnson said he was doing it for history. But when the people who were taped found out that the president secretly had been taping them, they were appalled. I can remember William Safire just being furious when he found out that Henry Kissinger was secretly taping people on his own staff to try and find out who had been a leaker during the Nixon years, the Nixon-Ford years.

So, I think there's just, on a very personal, basic level, we like to feel that our privacy is assured when we're having a conversation with somebody. We don't want to feel that there's someone on the other end who is secretly making a recording of it.

And, on those grounds, the White House has to be peeved about this, even though the tapes work both for and against the president in different constituencies.

BLITZER: I suspect, and I think you'll agree, that the -- that all politicians today are going to be a lot more circumspect in their telephone conversations, especially if they're plotting for higher office.

SHENKMAN: Yes. It's unfortunate for historians, you know, because we'd love to actually have this stuff, because what do have you to go on these days? Presidents have learned, you can't keep a diary. You can't tape your phone calls. The special prosecutors are possibly going to be out there subpoenaing all this stuff.

So, we've been getting less and less real raw data. And now, as a result of this, it is great to have the data for this president. But it means that the presidents will be even less forthcoming in the future, where we really won't find out what's happening. And in a world where Madison Avenue politics drives so much of Washington behavior, where everybody is worrying about spinning and putting a nice face on things, it means that we'll be getting further away from the truth.

BLITZER: Rick Shenkman, thanks very much for joining us.

SHENKMAN: All right, thank you.

BLITZER: And to our viewers, here is your chance to weigh in on this story. Our Web question of the day is: Was it appropriate for a friend to secretly record telephone conversations with George Bush before he became president? You can vote right now. Go to CNN.com/Wolf. We'll have the results for you later in this broadcast.

Let's take a quick look now at some other stories making headlines around the world.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): Breakout. Police in Haiti are searching for almost 500 inmates who escaped after an armed attack on the national prison. Two key allies of ousted President Jean-Bertrand Aristide have been returned to the prison after being rushed to a secure location during the attacks. At least one guard was killed.

Deadly avalanches. More than 100 people have been killed in avalanches in Kashmir. Hundreds of people are missing. And many roads in the disputed territory between India and Pakistan have been cut off. The avalanches were triggered by heavy snow.

Bush-Clinton tour. Former Presidents George Bush and Bill Clinton are visiting areas hit hard by tsunamis in South Asia. In Sri Lanka, they spent time with child survivors and visited facilities built with U.S. government aid. The two men are heading up the drive for private support for tsunami relief.

And that's our look around the world.

(END VIDEOTAPE) BLITZER: He was the original gonzo journalist. Why did Hunter S. Thompson apparently kill himself?

And she was a teen idol as Gidget and as Tammy. A look at the life of Sandra Dee.

Plus, this:

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STEPHEN SOMMERS, ATTORNEY FOR PLAINTIFFS: I mean, at first, it was just shock, like oh, my God, I can't believe this just happening.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Two women asked to bond with a famous gorilla in a way they considered out of bounds. We'll have details of an unusual lawsuit.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: We're just getting this in to CNN, a potentially very significant development.

The North Korean leader, Kim Jong Il, says he's ready to resume six-party talks on the north's nuclear weapons program. But, once again, Kim says the talks will happen only if the United States -- and I'm quoting now -- "would show trustworthy sincerity."

The north's official news agency says Pyongyang is even willing to stand for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. North Korea announced in December it was withdrawing from the six-party talks with the U.S., China, Japan, South Korea and Russia. We're following this story. We'll get some more information, but, once again, a potentially very significant development in the standoff with North Korea on its nuclear weapons program.

He was a hard-partying rebel and a journalistic trail blazer doing things his way to the very end. Hunter S. Thompson killed himself yesterday at his home near Aspen, Colorado.

CNN's Brian Todd has more on the original gonzo journalist.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Scene, messy and awkward, the tape, old and damaged, the subject, brilliant, almost incoherent.

HUNTER S. THOMPSON, AUTHOR: Oh, man.

TODD: During this book signing in June 1997, Hunter S. Thompson was asked to define the term he inspired, gonzo journalism.

THOMPSON: It's just a word that popped up that at the time. It's a fraud. It's a sham. I lied the whole time. TODD: Straightens up, smiles, takes a drink, moves on. Hunter S. Thompson made a career out of that sort of thing.

From riding with the Hell's Angels to covering a presidential campaign and writing defining books about both, Thompson, along with authors like Tom Wolfe, chronicled American counterculture by throwing himself into it. Journalists who knew him say it never bothered them that he made himself an essential character in his stories. Writing for "Rolling Stone" magazine gave him that license.

CNN's Bruce Morton traveled occasionally with Thompson during the 1972 presidential campaign.

BRUCE MORTON, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: He was doing this gonzo journalism, which meant, it's the way I see it and, if the facts get in the way, well, we'll get rid of the facts. And he had a lot of fun with it. And he'd liven up the bus or the airplane. And we were always kind of glad to see him, I think.

TODD: From that campaign came Thompson's book "Fear and Loathing: On the Campaign Trail '72," the beginning of a legendary hatred of Richard Nixon. The feeling was reportedly mutual.

But his best-known work had come earlier. In the book "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas," Thompson wrote darkly of how the optimism of the 1960s slid into the casual desperation of drug and alcohol use in the '70s. Those who knew him say he lived that story as well.

Stephen Nemeth produced the 1998 film version of "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas."

STEPHEN NEMETH, PRODUCER: He didn't hide it. He was -- he lived hard. And he used it in his work. And, frankly, it made who he was more authentic.

TODD: He may have embraced the hard living, gun-loving caricature of himself, to a point. Near the end of this interview, Thompson was asked where he stood compared to the great American writers.

THOMPSON: That really is for others to judge. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) I'm the man. No, I -- yes, I am the man now. How do I fit in? I should probably ask you that.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TODD: That tape never before seen until right now.

Police say Hunter S. Thompson died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound at his home near Aspen, Colorado. The reasons are somewhat of a mystery still. A statement issued by his son simply asks that friends and admirers respect the family's privacy -- Wolf.

BLITZER: We'll do that. Brian Todd, thanks very much for that report.

Now here is a look at some other stories you may have missed this past weekend.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): The entertainment world is mourning the deaths of some big stars. Actor and singer John Raitt died yesterday from pneumonia complications. His daughter is singer Bonnie Raitt. On Broadway, he created the role of Billy Bigelow in the original New York production of "Carousel." On the big screen, Raitt co-starred with Doris Day in "The Pajama Game."

Sixties teen idol Sandra Dee died yesterday from kidney disease and pneumonia complications. The actress starred in some major hit films, including "A Summer Place" and "Gidget." Sandra Dee was in her 60s.

The most heavily armed submarine ever built has joined the U.S. Navy's fleet. The USS Jimmy Carter was commissioned Saturday in Groton, Connecticut. Is it the last of the Seawolf class of attack subs the Pentagon ordered during the Cold War's final years.

In Florida, NASCAR star Jeff Gordon won his third Daytona 500 yesterday. Gordon edged Kurt Busch by about two car lengths.

And that's our weekend snapshot.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: And when we come back, a controversy surrounding the popular gorilla Koko. You'll find out why the Gorilla Foundation is facing a million-dollar lawsuit. That's coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Here's a very weird story, a famous gorilla and a bizarre allegation, two components of an unusual lawsuit unfolding south of San Francisco. It hinges on the plaintiffs' claim that they were asked to undress for the ape.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How about I? All right, how about ear? Right. OK. You're doing real good, Koko.

BLITZER (voice-over): She's known worldwide for her sign language vocabulary of more than 1,000 words. But lawsuit probably is not one of them.

Still, Koko the gorilla and her trainer, Penny Patterson, are at the center of a million-dollar case against the Gorilla Foundation. That's the Northern California organization that started in 1976 to promote the preservation and study of gorillas.

Two women hired and fired by the foundation last year are now suing, claiming they were pressured to expose their breasts to Koko on multiple occasions, being told it was a way to bond with the animal. SOMMERS: They were horrified. It disrupted their relationships. They lost a lot of sleep. I mean, at first, it was just shock, like oh, my God, I can't believe that just happened. And then the second time, it was like, you know, I'm really starting to feel pressured to do this. And the third time, it was like, if I don't do this, I'm going to get fired.

BLITZER: They say they never disrobed. The lawsuit also claims the women were wrongfully terminated after reporting alleged health and safety violations at the foundation.

We contacted the organization's lawyer, who said in a statement -- quote -- "We unequivocally deny these allegations and are confident that this case lacks merit." It is not the kind of publicity Koko is used to. With her unusual ability to communicate with humans, the 33- year-old lowland gorilla has been the subject of numerous documentaries and stories.

And the Gorilla Foundation has used Koko's fame to promote conservation and communication between species.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: One of the foundation's latest projects is an effort to establish a 70-acre gorilla preserve on the island of Maui.

The results of our Web question of the day, that's coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Here's how you're weighing in our Web question of the day. Take a look at this, though, remember, not a scientific poll.

"LOU DOBBS TONIGHT" starts right now.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com


Aired February 21, 2005 - 17:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
WOLF BLITZER, HOST: Happening now, horrible weather and a California hazard. A deluge drags on, putting drivers and even those who stay at home at serious risk. We're getting some new pictures.
Stand by for hard news on WOLF BLITZER REPORTS.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): A fence-mending visit to Europe, and tough words on Syria.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Syria must also end its occupation of Lebanon.

BLITZER: President Bush's stern warning comes amid a massive anti-Syria protest march in Beirut.

The Bush tapes. Revealing conversations secretly recorded and now made public.

DOUG WEAD, FORMER BUSH ADVISER: I didn't want them to become public.

MILES O'BRIEN, HOST, "CNN LIVE FROM": Why not?

WEAD: Well, they're personal.

BLITZER: Then why did Doug Wead give excerpts of the tapes to the media?

Missing. A Texas woman's SUV is found. But the hunt goes on for her and her 7-year-old son.

The counterculture writer who was one of the creators of gonzo journalism is dead. A look back at the life and times of Hunter S. Thompson.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANNOUNCER: This is WOLF BLITZER REPORTS for Monday, February 21, 2005.

BLITZER: It's being called a charm offensive: President Bush delivering a dramatic appeal to the European allies. In Belgium, he called on France, Germany and America's other so- called old European allies to help spread democracy across the Middle East. The European leaders seemed receptive, a far cry from the heated disagreements that clearly overshadowed the transatlantic relationship since the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq almost two years ago.

Our White House correspondent, Suzanne Malveaux, is traveling with the president. She's joining us now live from Brussels -- Suzanne.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, it is really just day one of President Bush's reconciliation tour, but already some U.S. officials are declaring success and the skeptics are saying, hold on.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MALVEAUX (voice-over): President Bush, in the heart of Europe, called for America and its European allies to put aside differences over the Iraq war and to begin a new era of transatlantic unity.

BUSH: No temporary debate, no passing disagreement of governments, no power on earth will ever divide us. America and Europe face a moment of consequence and opportunity.

MALVEAUX: But not everyone is buying it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, no, no, no.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, no, no, no.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, no, no, no.

MALVEAUX: Several thousand protesters gathered outside the U.S. embassy in Brussels, urging Mr. Bush to take his message back home.

Setting a more civil tone with Europe and rebuilding Iraq are at the top of Mr. Bush's agenda. To make that point, the president met with one of his harshest critics of the Iraq war, French President Jacques Chirac. Both leaders took pains to convey the rift between them is over.

BUSH: This is my first dinner since I've been re-elected on European soil, and it's with Jacques Chirac. And that ought to say something.

MALVEAUX: President Bush wants more help in training Iraqi troops and is expected to get it when NATO and European Union officials sit down with Mr. Bush on Tuesday. In return, the president addressed what many Europeans were waiting to hear: an unequivocal commitment from the U.S. on Middle East peace.

BUSH: Our greatest opportunity and immediate goal is peace in the Middle East. A settlement of the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians is now within reach.

MALVEAUX: But Mr. Bush issued stern warnings to those countries he considers emerging threats.

BUSH: The Iranian regime must end its support for terrorism and must not develop nuclear weapons.

MALVEAUX: A shared desire between the allies, but a source of disagreement, as well. The E.U. is in negotiations with Iran to abandon its nuclear ambitions, but the U.S. won't take part in the talks, believing they will bear little fruit.

Mr. Bush also warned Syria it must end its occupation of Lebanon or face growing international isolation, a view not shared by some E.U. members, who believe that offers of trade incentives will entice Syria to cooperate.

Mr. Bush also put his friend, Russian president Vladimir Putin, on notice. The two leaders are scheduled to meet Tuesday. And Mr. Bush said Moscow's backslide in democratic reforms would not be tolerated.

BUSH: The Russian government must renew a commitment to democracy and the rule of law.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MALVEAUX: Now, tomorrow President Bush underscores that point when he meets with Ukraine's newly elected leader, Viktor Yushchenko. Of course, he only won after the initially tainted election results were overturned. Those election results were supported by Putin -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Suzanne Malveaux in Brussels. Thanks very much.

President Bush's demand that Syria pull its troops out of Lebanon was loudly repeated in Beirut today in a huge anti-Syria protest march.

CNN's Ben Wedeman is in the Lebanese capital.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): You'd have to be deaf and blind not to catch the message coming from the heart of Beirut, where tens of thousands flocked to the center of the city to mark a week since the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik al Hariri.

Student Hassam (ph) wears a mask with the word "Syria" written on it to symbolize Syrian oppression. "The time of silence is over," he says. "Every Lebanese must now speak the truth."

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And we will not shut up. We will not turn away from this. This is the first opportunity we've had in my lifetime to make a stand and be heard.

WEDEMAN: Red and white scarves have become the symbol of protest here. A movement joining Muslims and Christians, who just a few years ago, were at one another's throats.

"Islam and Christianity call for liberty," they chant.

And in the square that was a battlefield between Muslims and Christians during the civil war, they came together, flying Lebanese flags from a statue still scarred with bullets.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is from the heart for what the Lebanese people really want. We want to live in peace and harmony.

WEDEMAN: Despite earlier fears of a confrontation, security forces stayed on the sidelines of what appears to be a growing protest movement that is being watched closely throughout the area.

(on camera) Activities (ph) like these, where tens of thousands of ordinary citizens speak freely and make blunt demands are a rarity in the Arab world and may well be sending shivers of fear through the palaces of the region's many dictators.

Ben Wedeman, CNN, Beirut.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Massive street protests in Lebanon, intense pressure from the United States and Europe, but is Syria starting to get the message? Maybe. But will it take action any time soon?

CNN's senior international correspondent Brent Sadler reports from Damascus.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRENT SADLER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In Damascus, President Bashar al-Assad signals a possible change in direction, telling the Arab League Syrian troops will leave Lebanon, giving no timetable.

But in Brussels, the U.S. president levels harsh words at Syria.

BUSH: Our shared commitment to democratic progress is being tested in Lebanon, a once thriving country that now suffers under the influence of an oppressive neighbor.

SADLER: A neighbor still enjoying strong political support in Lebanon, especially from powerful Shia Muslim parties, staunchly pro- Syrian.

In Beirut, a giant image of the Syrian leader overlooks a seafront boulevard, vying for attention with a road named after the assassinated former prime minister.

Street protests have swept through Beirut since Rafik Hariri's murder. Demonstrators turning on Syria and, they claim, its puppet government in Beirut. Hariri's death unleashing a predictable fallout affecting Syria. AMR MOUSSA, ARAB LEAGUE SECRETARY GENERAL: There is no sense of panic, but there is a sense of determination that serious steps will have to be taken in order to deal with that situation.

SADLER: Syria is already hit by U.S. sanctions, but tougher measures could be imposed, if President Bush and French President, Jacques Chirac, a close personal friend of the Hariris, agree that increased economic pressure might pay off.

(on camera) Syria faces dramatic upheaval on its doorstep. Fledgling democracy in Iraq, pro-freedom rallies in Beirut and a chorus of U.S.-led international demands on Syria to pull its troops from Lebanon.

(voice-over) Some 40,000 troops at one time, scaled down to around a third of that number today.

BOUTHEINA SHAABAN, SYRIAN CABINET MINISTER: The issue is not here, it is not the troops. The issue is not the assassination of Hariri. The issue is to take Syria and Lebanon into a very unstable and chaotic future.

SADLER: To weaken Syria, argue officials here, and destroy its strategic alliance with Lebanon, two countries technically in a state of war with their powerful neighbor, Israel.

Brent Sadler, CNN, Damascus.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Joining us now to discuss Lebanon, Syria, their impact on America's Middle East policy and more, our world affairs analyst, William Cohen. He's a former defense secretary, chairman and CEO of the Cohen Group.

Mr. Secretary, thanks for joining us.

WILLIAM COHEN, CNN WORLD AFFAIRS ANALYST: Good to be here, Wolf.

BLITZER: Is Syria going to get the message, get out of Lebanon, any time soon?

COHEN: It's unlikely they're going to do anything substantive. So far they've hinted that they would redeploy their troops east in the Bekaa Valley, where the Hezbollah basically operate.

Syria has been supporting the Hezbollah, the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) in Lebanon, then into northern Israel. Hezbollah, of course, is supported by Iran. And so it's interesting to see that Iran immediately came out and pledged its support for Syria. So we're looking at something that could build up into quite a confrontation in the coming weeks and months.

BLITZER: The fact that tens of thousands of Lebanese had the guts to go out on the streets and say, "Syria out." That is a huge, huge change in what has happened over the past 15, 20 years since the Syrians moved in militarily and occupied chunks of Lebanon.

COHEN: It's a huge change, but you have to remember that even if the 15,000 were to be pulled out in the near future, the infrastructure below those 15,000 troops remains. And so Hezbollah will continue to be a political force, infiltrating much of Lebanese life. So enough there may be some surface change, underneath you have to really be careful what's taking place.

BLITZER: Let's talk about the president's visit to Europe. Started off, seemingly, on a pretty positive note with a speech he delivered today. Do you think that tangibly, though, it's going to result in a completely patched over, patched up relationship between the so-called old Europe and the Bush administration?

COHEN: Well, one speech doesn't a reconciliation make. But I thought it was interested that the president began by talking about something the Europeans are firmly committed to, and that is a Middle East peace settlement.

BLITZER: Between the Israelis and the Palestinians.

COHEN: He started off in a very positive note, to which they all applauded.

He ended up, ironically enough, quoting a French Algerian existentialist philosopher, Albert Camus. And I thought perhaps that was a message to the French, as well. But he cited -- talking about the road to freedom is a long one. Camus also wrote about Sisyphus forever rolling that rock up the hill and only to have it roll back down.

So perhaps, the president was saying, "We're rolling the rock up. We need some help. And we'd like to you be more helpful in Iraq and elsewhere."

BLITZER: Is there a serious split between the U.S. on the one hand, the British, the French, the Germans, let's say, on the other when it comes to Iran and its nuclear ambitions?

COHEN: But you might note that during the course of the speech, the audience applauded when he mentioned the Middle East peace process, also when he talked about Syria getting out of Lebanon as an occupying power. Third point was that Iran cannot continue to support terrorism and build nuclear weapons. He was applauded on those accounts.

Plus, when he talked about Russia needing to really hew the line toward democracy and not toward autocracy.

So you had some real strong support expressed within the confines of that particular audience. Whether it's going to translate into a much broader political support remains to be seen.

But I thought it was a very important speech, well delivered, well read. And I think it be the beginning of at least a thaw. He'll have to work, along with his administration, much harder in the coming weeks and months to sustain the momentum.

BLITZER: He's getting a lot of praise even in Europe for that speech.

The Thursday meeting between President Bush and Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, could be very, very significant. Right now there seems to be a serious strain in that relationship.

COHEN: There is a serious strain, not only what's taking place inside of Russia pertaining to the rule of law, the breakup of Yukos, the oil giant, as such, and the way in which its leadership was treated, but also that Russia still has troops in Georgia. Georgia is a free republic but nonetheless occupied by -- in part by Russian troops.

Russia has also pledged to continue to support the nuclear ambitions of Iran, saying they're not going to develop nuclear weapons. And Russia has continued to indicate its support for Syria, pledging to sell Syria anti-aircraft missiles. All of this, I think, spells some trouble in terms of our relationship with Russia.

BLITZER: And they're cracking down on what we used to call dissidents but on the media and other aspects of the Russian society.

COHEN: Exactly. They're headed in the wrong direction. And the president tried to indicate that if they're really going to be part of the international community in a major way, as far as attracting investment, support from the European allies, the United States, they're going to have to change course.

BLITZER: Secretary Cohen, thanks for joining us.

President Bush's words on drugs and on gays. We'll hear some newly released secret audiotapes.

Also, new clues in the search for a missing pregnant woman and her young son. Investigators giving an update to the news media this hour.

And the ground gives way in Southern California, inundated once again by another storm.

Plus this...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They were horrified. It disrupted their relationship. They lost a lot of sleep.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: A very unusual lawsuit. We'll show you what the plaintiffs say they were asked to do and with whom.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) BLITZER: In waterlogged Southern California, a dramatic swift water rescue today. Days of heavy rain have flooded streams and ditches across the region.

And when a motorist in Thousand Palms tried to drive through one of the flooded ditches, he got stuck. Rescue workers pulled the man to safety. You're seeing that now.

A flash flood watch for all of southwestern California is in effect until tomorrow evening.

Dozens of people across southern California have had to flee to higher ground as this latest round of very bad weather batters the region. A major problem today: mudslides.

CNN's Miguel Marquez reports from Glendale.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: To give you a sense of what's sort of typical for these mudslide situations, the mud here is very thick, sort of like a sponge almost when you step into it. It's spongy and gooey. You can see how it kind of just slides off that hill once it gets heavy with water.

This is a cul-de-sac, just a normal cul-de-sac in any neighborhood that you would have. If it was a normal day all this mud and these trees and debris is coming off this mountain here, this hillside.

Two different areas have been sliding for much of the night. We talked to one homeowner who heard it all coming down last night.

And here's what he heard.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The noise was just deafening. Sounded like thunder, trees cracking, boulders coming down. And the scariest part was that we couldn't see.

MARQUEZ: The city of Glendale says there's been two more evacuations for this area. This comes to a total of about 12 mandatory and voluntary evacuations. And as the rain keeps coming, the evacuations and the concerns will only grow.

Miguel Marquez, CNN, Glendale, California.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: There's been an important development in the search for a pregnant Texas woman and her 7-year-old son.

CNN's Ed Lavandera standing by live in Dallas with more -- Ed.

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Wolf.

Well, authorities have been saying since Saturday night that they were looking for the SUV of the missing Fort Worth woman and her 7- year-old son. A short while ago, police confirming they found it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SGT. RENEE KAMPER, FORT WORTH POLICE: We're here today to tell you that we have located the car. We have confirmed that it is the vehicle that we've been looking for in the Amber Alert.

We have not located anyone or any body around the vehicle. We are coordinating our efforts with area agencies, and we will continue looking until we find them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LAVANDERA: Now, that SUV belonging to 34-year-old Lisa Underwood was found in this creeky area away from any major roads from what we've been able to tell. It was partially submerged in the creek. The back tailgate of the SUV was found open.

Now, 34-year-old Lisa Underwood has been missing, last seen Friday night but reported missing Saturday night after her and her son failed to show up for a baby shower that was thrown -- was being thrown in her honor. Lisa Underwood is seven months pregnant.

And there was also a birthday party they should have attended in the morning. They missed that. But the search continues for the mother and son at this hour -- Wolf.

BLITZER: CNN's Ed Lavandera in Dallas, thanks very much. We'll get back to you if there's new -- if there's additional information.

When we come back, joyous celebrations marking a crucial step on the road toward Middle East peace. We'll take you live there.

Who made secret recordings of President Bush, and why is he releasing them now?

Plus, he pioneered a new style of journalism, and earned a true cult following. The life and death of gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson.

All that coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: A former Palestinian man -- Palestinian prisoner held in Israel says he cannot describe his joy at smelling the air of freedom.

Israel has started making good on a promise made at this month's summit with Palestinian leaders, releasing hundreds of captives today. For one of them, the homecoming celebration in the West Bank was an unforgettable experience.

CNN's Guy Raz has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) GUY RAZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The sounds echoing across the West Bank today. As they kiss their sons and brothers, gunfire salutes to welcome them home.

And they paid their respects at the tomb of the late Yasser Arafat.

Sakher Hanatsheh's wife and five children held vigil here, waiting to greet Daddy. Sakher's been in and out of Israeli jails seven times since 1985. His first stop on this day, the tomb of a comrade killed by Israeli forces.

SAKHER HANATSHEH, FREED PRISONER (through translator): Salem Yakoub (ph) was a friend. We became very close in prison. He was a good man, a respected man.

RAZ: Sakher calls him a martyr.

Back at home, wives and mothers wail in joy. Sakher is reminded of the comforts of home life. But even with Daddy home, "Tom and Jerry" still win out with the kids.

Though Sakher wasn't involved in violence, he had to sign a form renouncing militant activity.

HANATSHEH (through translator): The paper doesn't mean much to me. I signed it. But it doesn't mean much.

RAZ: Israel wants men like Sakher to serve as advocates for peace and promises to release 400 more in the coming months.

(on camera) Are you prepared now to be an ambassador for peace?

HANATSHEH (through translator): Once we feel that our rights are restored, we can definitely be ambassadors for peace.

RAZ (voice-over): There is still bitterness. Sakher was an administrative detainee. He only served five months this time, but he was never charged, never told why he was arrested. Sakher's lawyer was told the evidence was classified.

(on camera) The released prisoners are home now, back with their families, but not without mixed feelings. They left behind thousands of others still incarcerated in prisons like this one, waiting for their moment to finally be free, as well.

Guy Raz, CNN, outside Ofer (ph) prison in the West Bank.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Caught on tape: newly revealed recordings offer some insight into the president's past and political future.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DOUG WEAD, FORMER BUSH ADVISER: I think it matters that he was young and irresponsible. I think that's a key to his life.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: But were these tapes made public to promote a new book? We'll examine. That's coming up. And discuss the implications with a presidential historian.

No. 1 threat. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns that health officials may not be prepared to fight what it calls the single biggest threat to world health. You'll hear what it is.

And later, believe it or not, a very bizarre lawsuit involving Koko. You're seeing Koko right now, the world famous gorilla. We'll tell you what's going on.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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

BLITZER: Welcome back.

Private conversations with then-Governor Bush secretly recorded. The former confidant who made the tapes speaks out to CNN. We'll get to that. First, though, a quick check of this story now in the news.

The world may be on the brink of a major health disaster. The head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Julie Gerberding, says experts are concerned that bird flu could soon spread around the world. The virus has already swept through chickens and other poultry in Asia. And there's growing concern right now it could mutate and spread into humans, possibly killing millions of people.

There's a lot of talk here in Washington today about some newly released audiotapes. A longtime Bush family friend says he recorded them during telephone conversations with George W. Bush before he became president.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): Doug Wead was an aide to former President George Bush and he's known George W. Bush for years. He says he began taping his phone conversations with George W. Bush in 1998, when the younger Bush was running for his second term as governor of Texas.

The tapes appear to offer some insights on some issues, such as the president's refusal to respond to questions about past drug use.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

BUSH: But you got to understand, I want to be president. I want to lead. I want to set -- Do you want your little kid say, Hey, Daddy, President Bush tried marijuana; I think I will?

(END AUDIO CLIP) BLITZER: A White House spokesman characterized the tapes as -- quote -- "casual conversations with someone Mr. Bush considered a friend."

Audio expert Tom Owen authenticated the tapes for "The New York Times."

TOM OWEN, PRESIDENT, OWL INVESTIGATIONS: These tapes are for real. And the mission or the quest was, is this really George Bush? I've determined that it is absolutely George Bush.

BLITZER: The tapes also touch on gay rights. In one phone conversation, we quoted a religious leader as saying Mr. Bush would bar homosexuals from taking government jobs.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

DOUG WEAD, AUTHOR: He's saying that you promised you would not appoint gays to office.

BUSH: No. What I said was, I wouldn't fire gays. I'm not going to discriminate against people.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

BLITZER: Wead is the author of a new book, "The Raising of a President: The Mothers and Fathers of Our Nation's Leaders." He denies releasing the tapes to promote the book.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "AMERICAN MORNING")

WEAD: Well, this isn't about money. I could sell tapes. You've only seen..

(CROSSTALK)

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Well, it's going help your book, isn't it?

WEAD: Well, my book could have been released before the election. It would have been a runaway bestseller. It would have been driven by partisan...

O'BRIEN: But clearly people are going to go buy that book today after seeing this, right?

WEAD: My publicist said I lost a million dollars by delaying the book after the election, where it would have been driven by partisan interests.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Rick Shenkman is a presidential historian at George Mason University. He's joining us now live from Seattle, Washington. Rick, thanks very much for joining us. In the scheme of things, as seen from the eyes of a historian, how big a deal are these secretly recorded audiotapes?

RICK SHENKMAN, PRESIDENTIAL HISTORIAN: This is a big deal.

Look, you know, after Nixon and Watergate, historians thought, that's it. We are not going to get presidential tape recordings anymore. We had them for FDR. We had them for Eisenhower. We had them for Lyndon Johnson, John Kennedy, Nixon. We thought, OK, that's it. And here we have now got a presidential tape recording or at least a recording made two years before he became president. It's extraordinary.

BLITZER: So what specifically would historians be looking for in reviewing these audiotapes?

SHENKMAN: Well, now what needs to happen is to go back to the campaign and back to what President Bush was saying publicly in 1998, 1999 and 2000 and compare what he said publicly with what was being said privately, to see if there's a gap.

BLITZER: And also to compare the dates, because these recordings went over about two years, from '98 to 2000, right into the campaign. So, you could make comparisons of the public statements and the private statements made in these telephone conversations.

From what I can tell, though, there doesn't seem to be a lot of daylight, a lot of differences between what the president was saying, the then-governor, was saying privately and what he was saying publicly.

SHENKMAN: Well, the one part that really caught my attention was what he had to say about Steve Forbes and talking about how you play rough in politics. Sometimes, you have to rough up your opponent, he said.

And he was recalling how Steve Forbes in '96 had really roughed up Bob Dole. And he said going, you know, into this campaign, if Steve Forbes tries that on me, I'm going to really go after him. My father had to go after Dukakis and be really rough. And I'm going to go after Steve Forbes and be really rough. And if he got the nomination, I'm going to sit on my hands in Texas and not help him win the presidency. And my brother in Florida is also going to sit on his hands.

This is how politics is played. This is never shown to the public. That's why this tape in particular is, I think, extraordinary in the glimpse it shows behind the scenes of what's really going on.

BLITZER: But we did learn in the 2000 campaign that then- candidate Bush, he can get pretty tough. If you remember South Carolina and John McCain, when he faced that challenge, there were some pretty tough moments.

SHENKMAN: There was, but there was always a distance between what the campaign was doing privately, secretly and kind of just subterraneously and what George W. Bush was saying publicly. That's where this tape fills in that gap between those two things.

BLITZER: The argument is that these are historically very valuable tapes, and you would agree with that. But is there a betrayal, if you will, that was committed in making these tapes public now?

SHENKMAN: I don't think there's any question about it. Doug Wead says that he was doing this for history. Well, if he was doing it for history, then he should have waited until George W. Bush was out of office.

And then historians would be happy to have it. At this point, it is not really all that helpful to historians, so much as it is helpful to journalists who are looking for a story. This isn't going to change the legacy of George W. Bush. We eventually would have had this, apparently. So, this is about journalism. It's about of the moment. And I can't help but conclude that it's about selling his book.

BLITZER: Doug Wead argues that he could have released it before the election and made $1 million if he had released it then, instead of waiting until now, when his book is coming out on presidential families.

SHENKMAN: Yes, I don't know why he didn't release his book before the election. We'd have to investigate that. And maybe we'll find out a little bit more from his publisher. Maybe there was -- maybe it wasn't finished. Who knows.

But the fact that he's bringing the tapes out when his book is coming out, you know, I'm fairly cynical about this kind of thing.

BLITZER: Historically speaking, compare this so-called betrayal to other betrayals.

SHENKMAN: Well, let's, first of all, talk about when presidents record other people. Those people subsequently found out about it, and they felt betrayed. Presidents said they were doing it for history.

Certainly, Nixon said he was doing it for history. Lyndon Johnson said he was doing it for history. But when the people who were taped found out that the president secretly had been taping them, they were appalled. I can remember William Safire just being furious when he found out that Henry Kissinger was secretly taping people on his own staff to try and find out who had been a leaker during the Nixon years, the Nixon-Ford years.

So, I think there's just, on a very personal, basic level, we like to feel that our privacy is assured when we're having a conversation with somebody. We don't want to feel that there's someone on the other end who is secretly making a recording of it.

And, on those grounds, the White House has to be peeved about this, even though the tapes work both for and against the president in different constituencies.

BLITZER: I suspect, and I think you'll agree, that the -- that all politicians today are going to be a lot more circumspect in their telephone conversations, especially if they're plotting for higher office.

SHENKMAN: Yes. It's unfortunate for historians, you know, because we'd love to actually have this stuff, because what do have you to go on these days? Presidents have learned, you can't keep a diary. You can't tape your phone calls. The special prosecutors are possibly going to be out there subpoenaing all this stuff.

So, we've been getting less and less real raw data. And now, as a result of this, it is great to have the data for this president. But it means that the presidents will be even less forthcoming in the future, where we really won't find out what's happening. And in a world where Madison Avenue politics drives so much of Washington behavior, where everybody is worrying about spinning and putting a nice face on things, it means that we'll be getting further away from the truth.

BLITZER: Rick Shenkman, thanks very much for joining us.

SHENKMAN: All right, thank you.

BLITZER: And to our viewers, here is your chance to weigh in on this story. Our Web question of the day is: Was it appropriate for a friend to secretly record telephone conversations with George Bush before he became president? You can vote right now. Go to CNN.com/Wolf. We'll have the results for you later in this broadcast.

Let's take a quick look now at some other stories making headlines around the world.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): Breakout. Police in Haiti are searching for almost 500 inmates who escaped after an armed attack on the national prison. Two key allies of ousted President Jean-Bertrand Aristide have been returned to the prison after being rushed to a secure location during the attacks. At least one guard was killed.

Deadly avalanches. More than 100 people have been killed in avalanches in Kashmir. Hundreds of people are missing. And many roads in the disputed territory between India and Pakistan have been cut off. The avalanches were triggered by heavy snow.

Bush-Clinton tour. Former Presidents George Bush and Bill Clinton are visiting areas hit hard by tsunamis in South Asia. In Sri Lanka, they spent time with child survivors and visited facilities built with U.S. government aid. The two men are heading up the drive for private support for tsunami relief.

And that's our look around the world.

(END VIDEOTAPE) BLITZER: He was the original gonzo journalist. Why did Hunter S. Thompson apparently kill himself?

And she was a teen idol as Gidget and as Tammy. A look at the life of Sandra Dee.

Plus, this:

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STEPHEN SOMMERS, ATTORNEY FOR PLAINTIFFS: I mean, at first, it was just shock, like oh, my God, I can't believe this just happening.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Two women asked to bond with a famous gorilla in a way they considered out of bounds. We'll have details of an unusual lawsuit.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: We're just getting this in to CNN, a potentially very significant development.

The North Korean leader, Kim Jong Il, says he's ready to resume six-party talks on the north's nuclear weapons program. But, once again, Kim says the talks will happen only if the United States -- and I'm quoting now -- "would show trustworthy sincerity."

The north's official news agency says Pyongyang is even willing to stand for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. North Korea announced in December it was withdrawing from the six-party talks with the U.S., China, Japan, South Korea and Russia. We're following this story. We'll get some more information, but, once again, a potentially very significant development in the standoff with North Korea on its nuclear weapons program.

He was a hard-partying rebel and a journalistic trail blazer doing things his way to the very end. Hunter S. Thompson killed himself yesterday at his home near Aspen, Colorado.

CNN's Brian Todd has more on the original gonzo journalist.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Scene, messy and awkward, the tape, old and damaged, the subject, brilliant, almost incoherent.

HUNTER S. THOMPSON, AUTHOR: Oh, man.

TODD: During this book signing in June 1997, Hunter S. Thompson was asked to define the term he inspired, gonzo journalism.

THOMPSON: It's just a word that popped up that at the time. It's a fraud. It's a sham. I lied the whole time. TODD: Straightens up, smiles, takes a drink, moves on. Hunter S. Thompson made a career out of that sort of thing.

From riding with the Hell's Angels to covering a presidential campaign and writing defining books about both, Thompson, along with authors like Tom Wolfe, chronicled American counterculture by throwing himself into it. Journalists who knew him say it never bothered them that he made himself an essential character in his stories. Writing for "Rolling Stone" magazine gave him that license.

CNN's Bruce Morton traveled occasionally with Thompson during the 1972 presidential campaign.

BRUCE MORTON, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: He was doing this gonzo journalism, which meant, it's the way I see it and, if the facts get in the way, well, we'll get rid of the facts. And he had a lot of fun with it. And he'd liven up the bus or the airplane. And we were always kind of glad to see him, I think.

TODD: From that campaign came Thompson's book "Fear and Loathing: On the Campaign Trail '72," the beginning of a legendary hatred of Richard Nixon. The feeling was reportedly mutual.

But his best-known work had come earlier. In the book "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas," Thompson wrote darkly of how the optimism of the 1960s slid into the casual desperation of drug and alcohol use in the '70s. Those who knew him say he lived that story as well.

Stephen Nemeth produced the 1998 film version of "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas."

STEPHEN NEMETH, PRODUCER: He didn't hide it. He was -- he lived hard. And he used it in his work. And, frankly, it made who he was more authentic.

TODD: He may have embraced the hard living, gun-loving caricature of himself, to a point. Near the end of this interview, Thompson was asked where he stood compared to the great American writers.

THOMPSON: That really is for others to judge. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) I'm the man. No, I -- yes, I am the man now. How do I fit in? I should probably ask you that.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TODD: That tape never before seen until right now.

Police say Hunter S. Thompson died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound at his home near Aspen, Colorado. The reasons are somewhat of a mystery still. A statement issued by his son simply asks that friends and admirers respect the family's privacy -- Wolf.

BLITZER: We'll do that. Brian Todd, thanks very much for that report.

Now here is a look at some other stories you may have missed this past weekend.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): The entertainment world is mourning the deaths of some big stars. Actor and singer John Raitt died yesterday from pneumonia complications. His daughter is singer Bonnie Raitt. On Broadway, he created the role of Billy Bigelow in the original New York production of "Carousel." On the big screen, Raitt co-starred with Doris Day in "The Pajama Game."

Sixties teen idol Sandra Dee died yesterday from kidney disease and pneumonia complications. The actress starred in some major hit films, including "A Summer Place" and "Gidget." Sandra Dee was in her 60s.

The most heavily armed submarine ever built has joined the U.S. Navy's fleet. The USS Jimmy Carter was commissioned Saturday in Groton, Connecticut. Is it the last of the Seawolf class of attack subs the Pentagon ordered during the Cold War's final years.

In Florida, NASCAR star Jeff Gordon won his third Daytona 500 yesterday. Gordon edged Kurt Busch by about two car lengths.

And that's our weekend snapshot.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: And when we come back, a controversy surrounding the popular gorilla Koko. You'll find out why the Gorilla Foundation is facing a million-dollar lawsuit. That's coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Here's a very weird story, a famous gorilla and a bizarre allegation, two components of an unusual lawsuit unfolding south of San Francisco. It hinges on the plaintiffs' claim that they were asked to undress for the ape.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How about I? All right, how about ear? Right. OK. You're doing real good, Koko.

BLITZER (voice-over): She's known worldwide for her sign language vocabulary of more than 1,000 words. But lawsuit probably is not one of them.

Still, Koko the gorilla and her trainer, Penny Patterson, are at the center of a million-dollar case against the Gorilla Foundation. That's the Northern California organization that started in 1976 to promote the preservation and study of gorillas.

Two women hired and fired by the foundation last year are now suing, claiming they were pressured to expose their breasts to Koko on multiple occasions, being told it was a way to bond with the animal. SOMMERS: They were horrified. It disrupted their relationships. They lost a lot of sleep. I mean, at first, it was just shock, like oh, my God, I can't believe that just happened. And then the second time, it was like, you know, I'm really starting to feel pressured to do this. And the third time, it was like, if I don't do this, I'm going to get fired.

BLITZER: They say they never disrobed. The lawsuit also claims the women were wrongfully terminated after reporting alleged health and safety violations at the foundation.

We contacted the organization's lawyer, who said in a statement -- quote -- "We unequivocally deny these allegations and are confident that this case lacks merit." It is not the kind of publicity Koko is used to. With her unusual ability to communicate with humans, the 33- year-old lowland gorilla has been the subject of numerous documentaries and stories.

And the Gorilla Foundation has used Koko's fame to promote conservation and communication between species.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: One of the foundation's latest projects is an effort to establish a 70-acre gorilla preserve on the island of Maui.

The results of our Web question of the day, that's coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Here's how you're weighing in our Web question of the day. Take a look at this, though, remember, not a scientific poll.

"LOU DOBBS TONIGHT" starts right now.

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