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Lou Dobbs Tonight
Bush Optimistic on Democracy in Middle East; U.S., Italy Disagree on Facts of Checkpoint Shooting
Aired March 08, 2005 - 18:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LOU DOBBS, HOST: Tonight our special report, "Broken Borders," our border patrol agents are overwhelmed, not only by illegal aliens but also by illegal drugs. Incredibly, the White House says only a few more border patrol agents are required. Tonight, we report from the wide-open border with Mexico where we've lost the drug war. Have we also lost our sovereignty?
Free trade giveaways. So-called free trade agreements are already exporting millions of American jobs to cheap labor markets overseas. Now it turns out that free trade may also be a threat to the security and safety of our food supplies. The president of the National Family Farm Coalition is our guest.
And making English the official language of the Unites States. It's a bold and, some might say, shocking proposal. Tonight I'll be talking with a congressman who's introduced legislation to do just that, to require the federal government to conduct business in English.
ANNOUNCER: This is Lou Dobbs, for news, debate and opinion, tonight.
DOBBS: Good evening.
Also tonight, Teresa Heinz Kerry still can't accept certain reality. She suggests the presidential election may have been rigged. We'll have that story.
The Bush administration ordering the state of Texas to conduct new hearings for 51 Mexican nationals on death row. We'll tell you why this case raises critical questions about U.S. sovereignty.
And we'll have the amazing story of a group of government scientists who say there's no conflict of interest between their lucrative consulting contracts with pharmaceutical companies and their responsibility to assess the safety of our drugs and medicines.
But first President Bush today escalated his campaign to defeat global terrorism by encouraging the spread of democracy in the Middle East. President Bush declared his strategy is to eliminate terrorist threats abroad, so we don't have to face them at home.
President Bush again insisted that Syria withdraw completely from Lebanon, and the president demanded that Syria and Iran must stop using murder as a tool of policy. Senior White House correspondent John King reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHN KING, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The president had stern words for Syria and Iran, but was for the most part optimistic, suggesting a wave of political change in the Middle East might ultimately be the most powerful weapon in the war on terror.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: By now it should be clear that authoritarian rule is not the wave of the future. It is the last gasp of a discredited past.
KING: But as Mr. Bush spoke, this scene in Lebanon: tens of thousands at a pro-Syria anti-American rally organized by Hezbollah, vivid proof free speech in the Middle East hardly guarantees an embrace of U.S. policy.
Mr. Bush focused instead on recent anti-Syria demonstrations, repeating his demand that Syria withdraw all troops and intelligence personnel from Lebanon before May elections, and calling a redeployment within Lebanon an unacceptable delaying tactic.
BUSH: Today I have a message for the people of Lebanon -- all the world is witnessing your great movement of conscience. Lebanon's future belongs in your hands.
KING: At the National Defense University in Washington, Mr. Bush nudged not only Iran and Syria but also two traditional allies in the region. To Saudi Arabia, this suggestion for the next round of municipal elections.
BUSH: No society can advance with only half of its talent and energy, and that demands the full participation of women.
KING: And to Egypt, a promise to monitor a recent commitment to hold open presidential elections.
BUSH: These require freedom of assembly, multiple candidates, free access by those candidates to the media, and the right to form political parties.
KING: Past updates on the war on terror have been dominated by assessments of military progress. This time Mr. Bush spoke of what he called a sudden thaw after decades of political stagnation in the Middle East, citing recent elections in Afghanistan, Iraq, and the Palestinian territories and promising support for reformers elsewhere.
BUSH: Our security increasingly depends on the hope and progress of other nations now simmering in despair and resentment. And that hope and progress is found only in the advance of freedom.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KING: Now, the president said there are many reasons for these remarkable political shifts. And he was careful not to take any personal credit. Both Bush supporters and critics see both those dramatic changes in the region and, Lou, what they call an aggressive effort by the Bush White House to wrap the still controversial war in Iraq in a much more favorable context -- Lou.
DOBBS: And John, any reaction by the White House, specifically to the half million person display of support for Syria, led principally by the Hezbollah?
KING: Well, the White House choosing to focus, Lou, not on the pro-Syria, anti-American message of those demonstrators, but saying it is a good thing that they have the right to demonstrate, and noting that they were carrying Lebanese, not Syrian flags, the White House preferring to focus on what we have seen over the past week, much more anti-Syrian messages.
But it is proof that the president may get democracy, but from democracy, he may not necessarily get a friend.
DOBBS. Absolutely. Thank you very much, John. John King, senior White House correspondent.
The U.S. Army today launched a formal investigation into the wounding of a freed Italian journalist hostage at a military checkpoint in Baghdad. An Italian security agent was killed in that incident.
The top U.S. general in Iraq said the investigation will also look into other shooting incidents at U.S. military checkpoints.
Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr has the report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BARBARA STARR, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The U.S. military and Italian government now fundamentally disagree over what happened on the road to the Baghdad airport, when soldiers shot and killed an Italian security agent and wounded journalist Giuliana Sgrena at a checkpoint Friday night.
Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini is emphasizing his account does not coincide with the U.S.
The central point: did the Italians notify the U.S. they would be on that dangerous road? The foreign minister says U.S. military authorities at the airport were contacted, but the head of U.S. forces in Iraq says initial indications he has are that the Italians did not tell the U.S. they were traveling.
GEN. GEORGE CASEY, COMMANDER, MULTINATIONAL FORCES: I'm saying I personally have no information that that is the case, OK?
STARR (on camera): Would it have come to you if there was information? Would you know?
CASEY: I would have hoped so. STARR (voice-over): According to the Italian government, the vehicle was traveling at no more than 25 miles an hour. The U.S. military says it was over 50 miles an hour.
The Italians report an explosion of gunfire. The U.S. says fewer than a dozen rounds were fired.
The Italians report when the vehicle was 33 feet away, a warning light was flashed, giving little time for them to react. The U.S. says warnings lights were flashed when the car was 410 feet away.
Casey has ordered a review of all checkpoint incidents in the last six months to see if changes are need. Commanders insist that checkpoints are clearly marked, but a soldier, writing on the Central Command's web site, tells of one nighttime operation when a checkpoint was set up on a desolate road, troops turned all the lights off, except for a soldier holding a flashlight.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
STARR: Lou, the Unites States and Italy are now undertaking a joint investigation to try and determine what happened. Results are expected within the month -- Lou.
DOBBS: Barbara, thank you. These checkpoints were beefed up following a number of casualties, wounds and death to U.S. forces. Is there a sense there that something has to be done broadly, or is this looked upon as simply a tragic accident?
STARR: Well, General Casey made it clear today he is concerned, and there's a very interesting reason why.
Last Friday, on the same day, there was another incident. A Bulgarian soldier was killed in an apparent friendly fire exchange with U.S. forces. General Casey said all of this is troublesome to him. He wants to take a thorough look at all of it.
So far, no change in the rules of engagement. U.S. soldiers are authorized to defend themselves if they feel threatened, but General Casey making it very clear today he wants to take another hard look at the entire situation at these checkpoints, Lou.
DOBBS: And a full investigation will be, of course, as you reported, concluded. Thank you very much. Barbara Starr from the Pentagon.
The Unites States tonight is facing a major new challenge, politically, potentially militarily from China. China today unveiled legislation that would authorize an attack against Taiwan. Taiwan denounced the Chinese move as a blank check to invade. The White House declared only that the law is unhelpful.
Kitty Pilgrim reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) KITTY PILGRIM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): China is introducing a law to allow it to use force against Taiwan if Taiwan moves towards formal independence.
RICHARD FISHER, INTERNATIONAL ASSESSMENT AND STRATEGY CENTER: They want control of Taiwan and they want it soon. There is a real danger that China's leadership is considering a real war in the next few years.
PILGRIM: An estimated 700 to 800 Chinese missiles are now pointed at Taiwan. China's military spending is now growing, at 13 percent this year. Western experts say the total, some $80 billion, is actually several times what the Chinese admit to spending.
In recent hearings, CIA Director Porter Goss warned China's military buildup is changing the balance of power across the 100-mile Taiwan Strait. U.S. forces are obliged to defend Taiwan. U.S. Navy battleships patrol the region, including the when tensions hit crisis levels in 1996.
Now, experts say China is introducing new rapidly deployed tanks, a new fleet of submarines and surface ships, a buildup that potentially can be used for a naval blockade or invasion of Taiwan.
EDWIN FEULNER, PRESIDENT, HERITAGE FOUNDATION: It does make you worried about whether Hu Jintao, whether he's controlling the military, or whether the military is his boss. And this is -- this is our main concern, I guess, as we look out six or 10 months in the future.
PILGRIM: The Bush administration responded.
SCOTT MCCLELLAN, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: We oppose any attempts to determine the future of Taiwan by anything other than peaceful means.
PILGRIM: But the United States has been taking a nuanced approach to China, hopeful it would be helpful in the crisis on the Korean Peninsula.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PILGRIM: China, however, has not minced words. On Saturday, China's foreign minister issued a warning for the United States and Japan to stay out of its affairs. But with the Chinese military buildup, Lou, that's a warning everyone should take very seriously.
DOBBS: It's also a curious statement because that warning to stay out of Chinese internal affairs referred to a U.S.-Japanese defense agreement and joint shared activities. The Chinese at this point are -- you mentioned the U.S.' nuanced approach. Some are suggesting it is simply confused.
Secretary of State Colin Powell several months ago basically dismissing Taiwan. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice reasserting the independence, the support, U.S. support for the independence of Taiwan. What is going on?
PILGRIM: Well, it seems that there' been a real sea change -- forgive the pun. But when Porter Goss' testimony came on February 17, there was a real recognition that there's an alarming military buildup and it should be paid attention to.
DOBBS: Kitty Pilgrim, thank you.
Still ahead here, "Broken Borders," our special report. Our Border Patrol agents are simply overwhelmed by the number of illegal aliens crossing our borders and illegal drugs as well. Tonight we'll have a special report for you from our wide-open border with Mexico.
And drug money, why some government scientists say there's no conflict of interest between their lucrative consulting contracts with pharmaceutical companies and their responsibility to assess and to assure the safety of pharmaceuticals and medicines.
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
DOBBS: Tonight, an outrageous demand from the Mexican government, which is asking the United States now to help protect illegal aliens who cross our border with Mexico. Mexico's foreign ministry raised its concerns about the upcoming Minuteman Project, which we have reported here extensively. Thousands of volunteers are expected to spend next month monitoring the border and reporting illegal aliens who cross that border.
Mexico is now calling upon U.S. officials to make sure the minutemen "do not abuse" Mexicans who cross the borders illegally. That is despite the fact that the Mexican illegal aliens themselves are abusing U.S. immigration laws. And the minutemen, by the way, refer to themselves not as vigilantes, but rather as undocumented Border Patrol agents.
Our nation's Border Patrol agents are overwhelmed not just by the millions of illegal aliens who are crossing into country. They're also trying to stop millions of dollars in illegal drugs. Yes, the war on drugs remains.
Border agents have seized hundreds of thousands of pounds of marijuana in just the past six months. Casey Wian has the report from Nogales, Arizona.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CASEY WIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Nogales Border Patrol agents have a nickname for the 31-mile stretch of border under their watch, Mogadishu, because here, south of Tucson, agents are under siege from potential terrorists, desperate illegal aliens and violent drug smugglers. Agents took us on patrol Monday evening, and within 10 minutes, the radio comes alive.
The chase is on. Another agent has spotted two suspicious vehicles. When we arrived, two Mexican nationals are already in custody. So is their cargo, nearly 300 pounds of marijuana worth about $250,000.
(on camera): How do you think they got across the border? Any way to tell?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: At this point there's really no way to tell.
WIAN: In just the past six months, Tucson sector Border Patrol agents have seized more than 215,000 pounds of marijuana. This two- ton load was discovered just last week.
(voice-over): The load was packed in two pickups. Sometimes 25- pound bails of pot are strapped two at a time on the backs of illegal aliens, as this agent demonstrates.
(on camera): How long do they walk sometimes?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sometimes up to four days, five days.
WIAN (voice-over): Last summer, as part of the Arizona Border Control Initiative, the Nogales station received more digital remote cameras, monitors and censors. From this command center, they can see most of the border even at night. That's made crossing more difficult for drug and alien smugglers, so they've gone underground.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is where we unearthed the drug tunnel. They commonly run aliens and drugs, narcotics through these tunnels. And it originated in Mexico and came straight north. They would have tunneled up inside of a home up there, or an abandoned building, and then loaded the contraband or the aliens in a vehicle and driven them out.
WIAN: Nogales agents found this tunnel last week. Four days later, a more sophisticated passage was found under the border in California.
The Bush administration is counting on technology and a few additional agents to gain control of the border. Agents here welcome the tools but privately say they could use more man power.
Casey Wian, CNN, Nogales, Arizona.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
DOBBS: Tonight, President Bush is asking Texas and other states to review the cases of 51 Mexican nationals now on death row for crimes they committed in this country. The request from the Bush administration raises new concerns about the influence of international courts over what was once U.S. policy and law.
Just last year, the World Court ordered the same reviews. That court found the convictions violated international law because the Mexican nationals were not told they could seek legal advice from their consular officials. A Justice Department brief on the president's decision said he made it based on "foreign policy interests."
Coming up next, new ethical standards for pharmaceutical companies and their relationships with government scientists. Why some of those scientists are fighting those new regulations.
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
DOBBS: We've reported here extensively on the staggering number of government research scientists who are paid by major pharmaceutical companies. Critics charge that that compensation is a direct conflict of interest. The National Institutes of Health this week implemented strict new ethical guidelines in an effort to repair that credibility, but a group of senior government scientists is fighting those new guidelines.
Christine Romans has the report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The National Institutes of Health is wiping away even the appearance of a conflict of interest between government scientists and the powerful drug agency. But now 18 senior NIH scientists say that ethics cleanup has gone too far.
They say government experts should be allowed to keep their lucrative consulting contracts and their individual stock holdings, so long as it is not directly related to their research. Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel says not all financial agreements with industry are conflicts of interest.
DR. EZEKIEL EMANUEL, CHIEF, DEPT. OF CLINICAL BIOETHICS, NIH: Is there an overlap between what you're doing as a public servant and that -- holding stock in that company or not? And if there's no overlap, I don't see what the problem is.
ROMANS: The group says the new zero tolerance ethics policy will discourage talented scientists from being recruited to the NIH and preclude scientists already at the NIH from participating as full members of the scientific community. And Dr. Emanuel says the new ethics guidelines will unfairly hurt secretaries, janitors and elevator operators who must divest any single stock holding above $15,000. But the chief ethics officer for the NIH says public trust is paramount.
DR. RAYNARD KINGTON, DEPUTY DIRECTOR, NIH: The key goal is to maintain the public's trust. And the public has clearly expressed concern about NIH scientists who might have competing interests when they have financial holdings or financial relationships with industry.
ROMANS: Indeed, congressional leaders demanded these tough rules after hearings showed at least 530 agency scientists took fees, stock options or stock from industry over five years.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROMANS: Lou, NIH will review whether these tough ethics rules will keep good doctors away. But the majority of government experts are not on the industry payroll, never were. Before 1995, you couldn't be. Some of the old-timers at the NIH say, you know what, just being a government expert, a scientist at the NIH, that's good enough. It's pretty prestigious.
DOBBS: It's about as prestigious as it gets. The other part is in terms of the compensation for those scientists.
I think we all would agree that doctors deserve to be certainly if not the highest paid, certainly among the highest paid people in this country. Their pay is in question here as well? Is the compensation adequate?
ROMANS: Some of the old-timers say that it is adequate, that the retirement plan is very, very good, it's a fantastic government retirement plan, that they're well compensated. Others say maybe a little bit more money would help. But you ask the critics, and they won't say, "If we're paid more, then we won't take the drug company contracts."
DOBBS: Within all of this, the issue of the moral climate, the ethical climate in business itself today, is these scientists are watching the CEOs of these companies making millions and millions and millions of dollars, the stock options floating around. Good for the NIH to establish an ethical boundary. Perhaps corporate America might be inspired as well.
Christine Romans, thank you.
Former President Bill Clinton will undergo surgery this week to remove fluid and scar tissue that is pressing against his lungs six months after his quadruple bypass surgery. Doctors say he should have a full recovery. Former presidents Clinton and Bush appeared today in Washington alongside the current president to discuss tsunami relief efforts. President Clinton played down the news of surgery, and says he feels fine.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WILLIAM J. CLINTON, FMR. PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: So all they have to do is drain it and take that little peel to hold the fluid out. It's a routine sort of deal, and it will knock me out of commission for a week or two, then I'll be back to normal. It's no big deal.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DOBBS: Former President Bush today said that he had some trouble keeping up with Mr. Clinton while the two were traveling through Asia. The current President Bush today made light of just how well President Clinton seems to be feeling.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: President Clinton and President Bush are going to play golf tomorrow to raise money for the tsunami victims. It goes to show how sick he is.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DOBBS: The president's father referred to President Clinton and the energy he was displaying on the trip to Asia, referring to President Clinton as the Energizer Bunny. President Clinton says he plans to slow down, however, for a few weeks after the surgery.
Another outspoken figure in American politics has not slowed down since November. Teresa Heinz Kerry gained a reputation for speaking her mind during the campaign, and she has not stopped.
At a fund-raiser this weekend, she implied the results of the election were rigged. She was quoted in a Seattle newspaper saying 80 percent of the voting machines in the United States are owned by hard- right Republicans. Heinz Kerry said it's easy for hackers to break into those machines. No comment from Senator Kerry.
Coming up next, one congressman's bold proposal to make English the official language of this country. Imagine that.
Also ahead, the United Nations agrees with the Bush administration on an issue that has divided the United Nations and the United States. Imagine that.
That story and a great deal more still ahead here.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
DOBBS: I'll be talking in just a moment here with a congressman who says it's time to make English the official language of this country.
And here are some of the other important stories we're following tonight.
The United Nations today passed a declaration that urges a worldwide ban on human clothing -- cloning. That includes cloning for stem cell research. The move is a victory for the Bush administration, which opposes the destruction of embryos used in that research.
The United Nations, meanwhile, is gathering information about the deadly bird flu after Vietnam confirmed four more cases. The United Nations is now hoping to avoid a global pandemic of the bird flu, which has already killed dozens of people in Asia.
And as many as 200 people have been evacuated in southern California after a freight train derailed today. The boxcars are here seen piled on top of one another. Authorities say a flammable liquid spilled from the train, no injuries have been reported.
My guest tonight has introduced legislation that would make English the official language of the United States. Congressman Steve King of Iowa says the bill would ensure that immigrants to this country learn to speak English. He's a member of the House Judiciary Committee and the Immigration Subcommittee joining us tonight from Capitol Hill. Congressman good to have you with us.
REP. STEVE KING (R), IOWA: Hi, Lou, I'm glad to be on board.
DOBBS: Why is your legislation necessary?
KING: Well, we need to put this in place so that this country doesn't continue to be divided by the people who want to promote the multilingual society that actually encouraging enclaves of people who don't learn how to absorb themselves into this economy. It's a disincentive for people to hire employees if they don't speak English. In fact, not speaking English is a guarantee on average you'll make 17 percent less. So, English is a language of opportunity. It's a language of unity. And the most powerful unifying force known throughout all of history is a common language. This country need to stay united, and we need to be united into the future.
DOBBS: As you know, many -- many of our schools now are bilingual in their educational approach. Many times you pick up a phone to connect for any service and you're offered two languages, typically Spanish and English. Language signs in various parts of our huge cities are many times in Spanish rather than English. What would be the impact there?
KING: Well, we just establish in the law that all public proceedings and all officials documents -- I'll say government proceedings and official documents are in English. We don't interfere with the private sector, they can do what they want to do. But we want to bring it back to English as the official language for our documents and for our proceedings. And so, if they are posted on the public square, we're going to make exceptions that are common-sense exceptions with regard to public safety, and health and justice, those kind of things. But what you'll see is a progression towards more English and less foreign language.
DOBBS: Well, English on a ballot, for example, would it be only English on ballots? Would that be a requirement?
KING: We don't specify that today, but that's where we want to get. I only wanted to take a so big of a battle, and if we go that far, it might be more than we can win.
DOBBS: Well, help me out here, Congressman. I'd like to show our audience a -- from the Immigration and Nationalization Service, the requirements for citizenship for naturalization in this country -- residence, good moral character, attachment to the Constitution, knowledge of civics and English. There are others as well. The INS then goes on to explain -- immigration and nationalization goes to explain what that means, knowledge of civics and English. To become a citizen, you must -- to be eligible for naturalization, you must be able to -- if we could see that reference. You must be able to read, write and speak basic English. So with that statement, it's a matter of law. Why in the world is this necessary? KING: Well, it is a matter of law there. But also we know that we're having naturalization ceremonies conducted in Spanish, for example, and other languages. There's a effort by...
DOBBS: Wait, wait, wait Congressman. I'm sorry, I've got to interrupt you. Say that again.
KING: I say that there's been a constant effort by people who meet immigrants at the border to tell them, you don't need to assimilate. You don't need to learn the language. We'll take care of you and we're going to adapt to the incoming cultures. And so, that's why we need to change it. But we've set it up so that homeland security writes the rules and enforces this at the naturalization ceremony as opposed to where it is now.
DOBBS: And you were saying that naturalization ceremonies are being conducted in languages other than English?
KING: Yes, sir.
DOBBS: Despite the fact that the law is quite clear?
KING: Despite that fact. And it's part of this effort to ignore the laws that you don't want to follow. And this effort that is designed to accommodate newly arriving immigrants, and in fact, they're doing them a disservice. The more we can encourage people to learn English, the more successful they will be. In fact, they can't understand this culture without being able to understand this English language.
DOBBS: Nor can they drive or communicate nor be communicated with importantly within our society. You know, Congressman, the more I learn about what's going on in this country in terms of immigration, now naturalization, border security, you know, one starts looking for the causal agents.
One looks to the Mexican Government, for example, for not providing for its people. One looks to U.S. employers who would hire illegal aliens in absolute disregard for the law, exploiting cheap labor. And the next thing one has to look at is the United States Congress. What in the world are you people doing up there on Capitol Hill? What are you colleagues doing? Have they just given up on the idea of America altogether?
KING: The immigration issue -- Lou, the immigration issue, those of us who want to enforce our borders and immigration laws are caught in this trap from two sides. The side on the left that says let's have unlimited immigration. They will come in and they will vote for Democrats. The side on the right that are multinational corporations and pure libertarian capitalists that argue that they should have a ready supply of cheap labor where ever their factories might be. That's the two forces that have joined together. And those of us in the middle are interested in maintaining the unity of this nation. And English is the most unifying force. Every other nation in the world has at least one official language. We're just seeking to establish Noah Webster's dream, which was to establish the English language as the official language of the United States.
DOBBS: And I think, probably, millions of people are shocked to learned that it is not already the official language, as you know congressman. Let's hope that some in Congress remember that they're there to represent. With your example, I should hope they would be helped along. But they're to represent the middle class in this country, the men and women who work every day to make this country work. It'd be nice to see some representation of American interests. We thank you for taking a step in that direction.
KING: Thank you, Lou. There are over 80 percent of the Americans that support this, and we just need to follow American's wisdom on it.
DOBBS: Congressman Steve King, we thank you for being here.
KING: Thank you.
DOBBS: That brings us to the subject of our poll tonight. Do you believe English should be the official language of the United States, yes or no. I have no idea how this one is going to turn out. Cash your vote at loudobbs.com. We'll have the results later here in the broadcast.
Taking a look now at some of "Your Thoughts."
Pat from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, "I got such a chuckle when I saw the upcoming show will be discussing English as the national language. What will become of all the automated phone messages that tell us to press one if we wish to continue in English?"
Eugene Womack in Myers Flat, California, "Our borders are broken. Immigration laws continue to be ignored and unenforced. National security is a farce. Jobs are outsourced without regard to the consequences. The Social Security fund is raided on an annual basis, by every administration. Our leaders ignore us and refuse to make tough decisions. Corporations run our nation."
Diane Gallagher in Waterloo, Iowa, "Do you believe the sale of a U.S. defense contractor to a foreign company compromises U.S. national security? I'm confused, what national security?"
Kevin McDonald in Novato, California, "My school in California is being flooded with illegals, draining resources and lowering the academic level of the class. Parents are running to private schools. If someone thinks cheap immigrant labor saves them money, ask them to think about how much it would cost to send their kids to a private school from kindergarten through high school."
Ken Johnson in Phinon Hills, California, "Lou, for years we spent a few trillion dollars on the cold war against communism, a war we said we won. Today we contribute billions to the Chinese communist party and a buildup of their military by outsourcing jobs and buying goods once made in the USA. China threatens war with Taiwan in the face of our commitment to militarily protect them from China." Carol Madison in Winsdor, Colorado, "Lou, I'm absolutely disgusted that those hypocrites in Congress failed to pass the minimum wage proposal. Seems to me these folks are more interested in preserving their selfish status quo of voting themselves a year pay raise and preserving the interests of big business to maintain the outrageous CEO salaries."
Now, that simply isn't fair. They don't vote themselves a pay raise every year, just every several years.
Danny in Phoenix, Arizona, "Low income families across this nation are struggling to get by on minimum wage which hasn't changed in over eight years. However the wealthy politicians with money to burn haven't waited that long for their own pay raise."
We love hearing from you. Send us "Your Thoughts" at loudobbs@cnn.com. Each of you whose e-mails is read on the broadcast receives a copy of my book, "Exporting America." And if wish to receive our e-mail news letters sign up on our Web site, loudobbs.com.
Earlier today on CNN, Senator Chuck Hagel responded to my comments that for the most part current proposals calling for the so- called reform of Social Security are simply desperate and half-baked.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. CHUCK HAGEL (R), NEBRASKA: First of all, I'm going to get to our friend Lou Dobbs the specifics of my plan. I heard your exchange with Lou, when he said all the plans out there are half- baked. I'm going to send Lou my number so I can enlighten him.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DOBBS: That was Senator Hagel talking with our Judy Woodruff. Actually, senator, we've got your number. As a matter of fact, we've been using it ever since you brought up your proposal, but we haven't heard back from you. We hope that you will accept our invitation. You're more than welcome to come here and enlighten me any day. Please let us here from you.
Coming up next here, the high cost of free trade. The head of a national farmers group will tell us why he says the latest so-called free trade agreement, CAFTA, threatens our nation's food supply. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
DOBBS: My guest tonight says so-called free trade agreements like NAFTA and CAFTA are a threat to American farmers and to our national food supply. George Naylor has been a farmer for nearly three decades. He says huge multinational corporations are the only ones who ultimately benefit from our so-called free trade policies. George Naylor is president of the National Family Farm Coalition. He's joining us tonight from Boston. George, good to have you here.
GEORGE NAYLOR, PRESIDENT, NATIONAL FAMILY FARM COALITION: Yes, thanks, Lou.
DOBBS: Your opposition to CAFTA -- Chris Padilla, the assistant U.S. trade representative, said on this broadcast last week that 99 percent of farm products coming in from Central America are duty-free, that U.S. farmers should be embracing CAFTA, they have nothing to fear. Why do you disagree with that?
NAYLOR: Well, we already know that a lot of farm products are coming into the United States. The thing is, the promise of us -- we -- U.S. farmers benefiting from this, and farmers in Central America benefiting from it is just simply not true.
The fact of the matter is, we don't as farmers export anything. We just sell our products into an international market. And it's the big corporations that do the exporting. And so our farm prices are generally very low, and the profits all go to the exporters.
DOBBS: Well, those profits, you know, I've heard that for quite a few years, ever since I was a young fellow, the farmers always and the ranchers talking about the fact the folks in Chicago are the ones that make the money and everybody else just hangs on.
The American farmer right now represents such a small percentage of our total population, our total economy, although providing obviously sustenance for the nation. Politically, you're in a terrible, terrible position here, aren't you?
NAYLOR: Well, you would think so, but actually I think what we're talking about is having a comprehensive farm and food policy that makes sure that farmers and farm workers get paid what they deserve, and makes sure that our food supply is safe and secure, we know where it came from, and that this country regains its food sovereignty so that we can have a farm policy.
DOBBS: Well, farm -- farm sovereignty, the national food supply, nothing could be more critical, unless of course it's water and air, but the fact is, we've got one of the most confused agricultural policies in the developed world. We're sort of embarrassed to subsidize agriculture, but we do so to the tune of $20 billion a year. We want farms to work, and we want to eliminate competition from -- unfair competition in the view of the farmer, and frankly I happen to agree with the American farmer, from low-cost countries exporting food into this country.
At the same time, we have got agriculture saying, well, we don't want to pay a fair wage for labor, and let us -- give us a blank check for a half million workers, illegal workers in this country. Are you all going to get that sorted out? Because it seems to me there has to be a constancy and consistency in the agricultural policy.
NAYLOR: Well, that's right. I would hope Representative King would support our policy that would take the pressure off of a lot of workers, farmers actually in Mexico and Central America, from coming to the United States. It's our farm policy that forces farmers off their land all around the world, because their prices are being determined in an international market, just like ours, and so when they can't make a living on their farm, they wander away to look for a job, and if they don't find a job that pays $4 a day or less, they come to the United States looking for work.
DOBBS: And can at least be $4 a day. Do you support the ag jobs bill?
NAYLOR: Well, that is a very complicated issue. I think we do, but it really misses the point of why -- of why we need agricultural workers in this country like we do.
DOBBS: No, I understand...
NAYLOR: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) to get paid.
DOBBS: I know what your position is, George. I'm just trying to raise the possibility that you might reconsider it, because in the end, not paying people a fair wage to do the work -- everybody needs labor, that's no excuse to be hiring illegal labor, as you well know.
NAYLOR: Right. Yes.
DOBBS: And nothing can make it right in my judgment.
George Naylor, we thank you, we appreciate you sharing your views with us here. Come back soon.
NAYLOR: Well, Lou, I hope we can get food sovereignty passed through our Congress and vote against CAFTA. Thank you.
DOBBS: It would be nice to return sovereignty to the consciousness of this nation, and certainly our policy makers, wouldn't it? George Naylor, thank you.
A reminder now to vote in our poll -- do you believe English should be the official language of the United States? Yes or no? Cast your vote at loudobbs.com. We'll have the results for you coming up here in just a few minutes.
One governor, who is troubled by her state's high unemployment rate, revealing her plan to put tens of thousands of her state's citizens back to work, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
DOBBS: My guest tonight has announced a new jobs initiative to boost her state's economy. Her plan will create tens of thousands of high-paying jobs, and establish Michigan as a leader in new technology. Also making higher education and job training more available, putting more emphasis on it. Governor Jennifer Granholm of Michigan is our guest tonight. Good to have you with us, Governor.
GOV. JENNIFER GRANHOLM (D), MICHIGAN: Thanks for having me on, Lou.
DOBBS: Your initiative, your state's unemployment rate running just over 7 percent, the last numbers that I saw. What are you doing to change that as best you can?
GRANHOLM: Well, Lou, as you know, our state has this wonderful legacy of being tied to the automotive industry, and our great legacy is a great challenge for a state that has 30 percent of its work force paid through the manufacturing industry. With outsourcing, with NAFTA -- I know you were just on talking about CAFTA, and we call it SHAFTA in the state of Michigan -- but truly we have struggled with the global economy. So our plan is to put people back to work in a number of areas that cannot be outsourced. One of them is creating, accelerating infrastructure bonds to put 36,000 people back to work today, building roads. We know that cannot be outsourced, building infrastructure in Michigan, to try to jump-start our economy.
We have a long-term plan, though, too. We want to diversify, because we can't rely so much on our great manufacturing legacy, in light of these trade agreements. So we want to diversify on the high end, and make sure that we have high-tech jobs. And we clearly want to create jobs today and jobs tomorrow.
DOBBS: And you're bringing in foreign manufacturers?
GRANHOLM: We are trying to diversify by attracting international investment here as well. If we are attempting -- in fact, Lou, I just sent a chapter of your book to Carlos Gutierrez, because in your book you talk about leveraging the U.S. strength as an economic power. And what Ronald Reagan did to ensure that Toyota built in the United States. And I think that we can do more of that in many realms, to leverage our country's power, to ensure that we are not just the recipients of imports, but that in fact we have international investment in this country. If they're going to import into this country, they should build and create jobs here as well.
DOBBS: Well, good for you, Governor. And the fact is, the economy is -- of course our national economy that we all deal with in terms of the markets and the broad trends, but you in Michigan and every state across the country has individual and unique aspects to an economy, and the way in which you're dealing with it, doubly tough because of the legacy that you talk about in manufacturing.
GRANHOLM: One of the things that we are doing, though, is to ensure that every child in Michigan has access to college. We -- our great history has been that people came to Michigan because you didn't have to have a college degree to get a good-paying job. Consequently, we have got a larger number of our population that right now are facing outsourcing, et cetera, without higher or advanced degrees. So we are going to work with our universities to have a college credit amnesty, to get all of those adults who may have taken a few courses to go back and have those credits count, no matter how far back they are. We also want to give every child a chance to go to college and pay for two years of college. After they have completed that two years -- and when I say college, I'm talking about vocational, technical degrees, two-year community colleges, as well as two years of a four-year institution.
DOBBS: Governor Granholm, let me just say straight out, good for you. That is great. That's the kind of initiative, that, you know, boy, I would sure like to hear it all over the country. And I just want to compliment you, as I'm sure everybody watching does.
GRANHOLM: I appreciate it. We're working hard. We're not going to stand still.
DOBBS: Well, as they say, standing still isn't an option. We're either moving ahead...
GRANHOLM: That's right. That's exactly right.
DOBBS: ... or we don't want to talk about that other direction.
GRANHOLM: That's right.
DOBBS: Governor Granholm, thank you.
GRANHOLM: Thank you, Lou.
DOBBS: Some major retailers, including Wal-Mart, are pushing for truck drivers to work a longer day. A proposal before Congress would add two hours to the workday of truck drivers carrying goods on the nation's highways, but critics say the extended hours could put lives at risk. Kathleen Koch reports from Washington.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): 15-year-old Ashley Curl loved horses. She was on her way back from a competition in August 2001 when she and four friends were killed in a crash east of Kansas City.
RICK CURL, VICTIM'S FATHER: The tractor-trailer just cut across the road and just smoked them, just obliterated them.
KOCH: Prosecutors claim the truck driver fell asleep, but he was acquitted of manslaughter. Curl and his wife came to Washington to join safety advocates in opposing a new measure to extend truckers' days from 14 to 16 hours, as long as the driver takes a two-hour unpaid break.
CURL: These hours are too long and will result in more crashes.
KOCH: Critics call it the Wal-Mart Amendment.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
DOBBS: And still ahead, the results of tonight's poll and a preview of what's ahead tomorrow. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
DOBBS: Now the results of tonight's poll. Ninety-four percent of you say English should be the official language of the United States; only 6 percent do not. I honestly did not know how everybody was going to vote on that. It's interesting, and I think that's a respectable margin, as they say, on that issue, and we thank you for voting. Thanks for being with us here tonight. Please join us tomorrow. Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger will be here to talk about the emerging geopolitical threat posed to the United States by China.
And rising energy costs put the squeeze on middle-class American families. I'll be talking with the chairman of the House Energy Committee about his ambitious plans to change that, and how the United States will ultimately respond to the outrageously high crude oil prices that are now influencing home heating oil and gasoline prices as well.
And illegal aliens receiving the hard-earned benefits of American citizenship, including in-state tuition at some of our colleges and universities. We'll have our special report on what illegal aliens are receiving that American citizens can't. We hope you'll be with us. For all of us here, good night from New York. "ANDERSON COOPER 360" is coming up on CNN, next.
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Aired March 8, 2005 - 18:00 ET
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LOU DOBBS, HOST: Tonight our special report, "Broken Borders," our border patrol agents are overwhelmed, not only by illegal aliens but also by illegal drugs. Incredibly, the White House says only a few more border patrol agents are required. Tonight, we report from the wide-open border with Mexico where we've lost the drug war. Have we also lost our sovereignty?
Free trade giveaways. So-called free trade agreements are already exporting millions of American jobs to cheap labor markets overseas. Now it turns out that free trade may also be a threat to the security and safety of our food supplies. The president of the National Family Farm Coalition is our guest.
And making English the official language of the Unites States. It's a bold and, some might say, shocking proposal. Tonight I'll be talking with a congressman who's introduced legislation to do just that, to require the federal government to conduct business in English.
ANNOUNCER: This is Lou Dobbs, for news, debate and opinion, tonight.
DOBBS: Good evening.
Also tonight, Teresa Heinz Kerry still can't accept certain reality. She suggests the presidential election may have been rigged. We'll have that story.
The Bush administration ordering the state of Texas to conduct new hearings for 51 Mexican nationals on death row. We'll tell you why this case raises critical questions about U.S. sovereignty.
And we'll have the amazing story of a group of government scientists who say there's no conflict of interest between their lucrative consulting contracts with pharmaceutical companies and their responsibility to assess the safety of our drugs and medicines.
But first President Bush today escalated his campaign to defeat global terrorism by encouraging the spread of democracy in the Middle East. President Bush declared his strategy is to eliminate terrorist threats abroad, so we don't have to face them at home.
President Bush again insisted that Syria withdraw completely from Lebanon, and the president demanded that Syria and Iran must stop using murder as a tool of policy. Senior White House correspondent John King reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHN KING, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The president had stern words for Syria and Iran, but was for the most part optimistic, suggesting a wave of political change in the Middle East might ultimately be the most powerful weapon in the war on terror.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: By now it should be clear that authoritarian rule is not the wave of the future. It is the last gasp of a discredited past.
KING: But as Mr. Bush spoke, this scene in Lebanon: tens of thousands at a pro-Syria anti-American rally organized by Hezbollah, vivid proof free speech in the Middle East hardly guarantees an embrace of U.S. policy.
Mr. Bush focused instead on recent anti-Syria demonstrations, repeating his demand that Syria withdraw all troops and intelligence personnel from Lebanon before May elections, and calling a redeployment within Lebanon an unacceptable delaying tactic.
BUSH: Today I have a message for the people of Lebanon -- all the world is witnessing your great movement of conscience. Lebanon's future belongs in your hands.
KING: At the National Defense University in Washington, Mr. Bush nudged not only Iran and Syria but also two traditional allies in the region. To Saudi Arabia, this suggestion for the next round of municipal elections.
BUSH: No society can advance with only half of its talent and energy, and that demands the full participation of women.
KING: And to Egypt, a promise to monitor a recent commitment to hold open presidential elections.
BUSH: These require freedom of assembly, multiple candidates, free access by those candidates to the media, and the right to form political parties.
KING: Past updates on the war on terror have been dominated by assessments of military progress. This time Mr. Bush spoke of what he called a sudden thaw after decades of political stagnation in the Middle East, citing recent elections in Afghanistan, Iraq, and the Palestinian territories and promising support for reformers elsewhere.
BUSH: Our security increasingly depends on the hope and progress of other nations now simmering in despair and resentment. And that hope and progress is found only in the advance of freedom.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KING: Now, the president said there are many reasons for these remarkable political shifts. And he was careful not to take any personal credit. Both Bush supporters and critics see both those dramatic changes in the region and, Lou, what they call an aggressive effort by the Bush White House to wrap the still controversial war in Iraq in a much more favorable context -- Lou.
DOBBS: And John, any reaction by the White House, specifically to the half million person display of support for Syria, led principally by the Hezbollah?
KING: Well, the White House choosing to focus, Lou, not on the pro-Syria, anti-American message of those demonstrators, but saying it is a good thing that they have the right to demonstrate, and noting that they were carrying Lebanese, not Syrian flags, the White House preferring to focus on what we have seen over the past week, much more anti-Syrian messages.
But it is proof that the president may get democracy, but from democracy, he may not necessarily get a friend.
DOBBS. Absolutely. Thank you very much, John. John King, senior White House correspondent.
The U.S. Army today launched a formal investigation into the wounding of a freed Italian journalist hostage at a military checkpoint in Baghdad. An Italian security agent was killed in that incident.
The top U.S. general in Iraq said the investigation will also look into other shooting incidents at U.S. military checkpoints.
Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr has the report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BARBARA STARR, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The U.S. military and Italian government now fundamentally disagree over what happened on the road to the Baghdad airport, when soldiers shot and killed an Italian security agent and wounded journalist Giuliana Sgrena at a checkpoint Friday night.
Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini is emphasizing his account does not coincide with the U.S.
The central point: did the Italians notify the U.S. they would be on that dangerous road? The foreign minister says U.S. military authorities at the airport were contacted, but the head of U.S. forces in Iraq says initial indications he has are that the Italians did not tell the U.S. they were traveling.
GEN. GEORGE CASEY, COMMANDER, MULTINATIONAL FORCES: I'm saying I personally have no information that that is the case, OK?
STARR (on camera): Would it have come to you if there was information? Would you know?
CASEY: I would have hoped so. STARR (voice-over): According to the Italian government, the vehicle was traveling at no more than 25 miles an hour. The U.S. military says it was over 50 miles an hour.
The Italians report an explosion of gunfire. The U.S. says fewer than a dozen rounds were fired.
The Italians report when the vehicle was 33 feet away, a warning light was flashed, giving little time for them to react. The U.S. says warnings lights were flashed when the car was 410 feet away.
Casey has ordered a review of all checkpoint incidents in the last six months to see if changes are need. Commanders insist that checkpoints are clearly marked, but a soldier, writing on the Central Command's web site, tells of one nighttime operation when a checkpoint was set up on a desolate road, troops turned all the lights off, except for a soldier holding a flashlight.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
STARR: Lou, the Unites States and Italy are now undertaking a joint investigation to try and determine what happened. Results are expected within the month -- Lou.
DOBBS: Barbara, thank you. These checkpoints were beefed up following a number of casualties, wounds and death to U.S. forces. Is there a sense there that something has to be done broadly, or is this looked upon as simply a tragic accident?
STARR: Well, General Casey made it clear today he is concerned, and there's a very interesting reason why.
Last Friday, on the same day, there was another incident. A Bulgarian soldier was killed in an apparent friendly fire exchange with U.S. forces. General Casey said all of this is troublesome to him. He wants to take a thorough look at all of it.
So far, no change in the rules of engagement. U.S. soldiers are authorized to defend themselves if they feel threatened, but General Casey making it very clear today he wants to take another hard look at the entire situation at these checkpoints, Lou.
DOBBS: And a full investigation will be, of course, as you reported, concluded. Thank you very much. Barbara Starr from the Pentagon.
The Unites States tonight is facing a major new challenge, politically, potentially militarily from China. China today unveiled legislation that would authorize an attack against Taiwan. Taiwan denounced the Chinese move as a blank check to invade. The White House declared only that the law is unhelpful.
Kitty Pilgrim reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) KITTY PILGRIM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): China is introducing a law to allow it to use force against Taiwan if Taiwan moves towards formal independence.
RICHARD FISHER, INTERNATIONAL ASSESSMENT AND STRATEGY CENTER: They want control of Taiwan and they want it soon. There is a real danger that China's leadership is considering a real war in the next few years.
PILGRIM: An estimated 700 to 800 Chinese missiles are now pointed at Taiwan. China's military spending is now growing, at 13 percent this year. Western experts say the total, some $80 billion, is actually several times what the Chinese admit to spending.
In recent hearings, CIA Director Porter Goss warned China's military buildup is changing the balance of power across the 100-mile Taiwan Strait. U.S. forces are obliged to defend Taiwan. U.S. Navy battleships patrol the region, including the when tensions hit crisis levels in 1996.
Now, experts say China is introducing new rapidly deployed tanks, a new fleet of submarines and surface ships, a buildup that potentially can be used for a naval blockade or invasion of Taiwan.
EDWIN FEULNER, PRESIDENT, HERITAGE FOUNDATION: It does make you worried about whether Hu Jintao, whether he's controlling the military, or whether the military is his boss. And this is -- this is our main concern, I guess, as we look out six or 10 months in the future.
PILGRIM: The Bush administration responded.
SCOTT MCCLELLAN, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: We oppose any attempts to determine the future of Taiwan by anything other than peaceful means.
PILGRIM: But the United States has been taking a nuanced approach to China, hopeful it would be helpful in the crisis on the Korean Peninsula.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PILGRIM: China, however, has not minced words. On Saturday, China's foreign minister issued a warning for the United States and Japan to stay out of its affairs. But with the Chinese military buildup, Lou, that's a warning everyone should take very seriously.
DOBBS: It's also a curious statement because that warning to stay out of Chinese internal affairs referred to a U.S.-Japanese defense agreement and joint shared activities. The Chinese at this point are -- you mentioned the U.S.' nuanced approach. Some are suggesting it is simply confused.
Secretary of State Colin Powell several months ago basically dismissing Taiwan. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice reasserting the independence, the support, U.S. support for the independence of Taiwan. What is going on?
PILGRIM: Well, it seems that there' been a real sea change -- forgive the pun. But when Porter Goss' testimony came on February 17, there was a real recognition that there's an alarming military buildup and it should be paid attention to.
DOBBS: Kitty Pilgrim, thank you.
Still ahead here, "Broken Borders," our special report. Our Border Patrol agents are simply overwhelmed by the number of illegal aliens crossing our borders and illegal drugs as well. Tonight we'll have a special report for you from our wide-open border with Mexico.
And drug money, why some government scientists say there's no conflict of interest between their lucrative consulting contracts with pharmaceutical companies and their responsibility to assess and to assure the safety of pharmaceuticals and medicines.
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
DOBBS: Tonight, an outrageous demand from the Mexican government, which is asking the United States now to help protect illegal aliens who cross our border with Mexico. Mexico's foreign ministry raised its concerns about the upcoming Minuteman Project, which we have reported here extensively. Thousands of volunteers are expected to spend next month monitoring the border and reporting illegal aliens who cross that border.
Mexico is now calling upon U.S. officials to make sure the minutemen "do not abuse" Mexicans who cross the borders illegally. That is despite the fact that the Mexican illegal aliens themselves are abusing U.S. immigration laws. And the minutemen, by the way, refer to themselves not as vigilantes, but rather as undocumented Border Patrol agents.
Our nation's Border Patrol agents are overwhelmed not just by the millions of illegal aliens who are crossing into country. They're also trying to stop millions of dollars in illegal drugs. Yes, the war on drugs remains.
Border agents have seized hundreds of thousands of pounds of marijuana in just the past six months. Casey Wian has the report from Nogales, Arizona.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CASEY WIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Nogales Border Patrol agents have a nickname for the 31-mile stretch of border under their watch, Mogadishu, because here, south of Tucson, agents are under siege from potential terrorists, desperate illegal aliens and violent drug smugglers. Agents took us on patrol Monday evening, and within 10 minutes, the radio comes alive.
The chase is on. Another agent has spotted two suspicious vehicles. When we arrived, two Mexican nationals are already in custody. So is their cargo, nearly 300 pounds of marijuana worth about $250,000.
(on camera): How do you think they got across the border? Any way to tell?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: At this point there's really no way to tell.
WIAN: In just the past six months, Tucson sector Border Patrol agents have seized more than 215,000 pounds of marijuana. This two- ton load was discovered just last week.
(voice-over): The load was packed in two pickups. Sometimes 25- pound bails of pot are strapped two at a time on the backs of illegal aliens, as this agent demonstrates.
(on camera): How long do they walk sometimes?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sometimes up to four days, five days.
WIAN (voice-over): Last summer, as part of the Arizona Border Control Initiative, the Nogales station received more digital remote cameras, monitors and censors. From this command center, they can see most of the border even at night. That's made crossing more difficult for drug and alien smugglers, so they've gone underground.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is where we unearthed the drug tunnel. They commonly run aliens and drugs, narcotics through these tunnels. And it originated in Mexico and came straight north. They would have tunneled up inside of a home up there, or an abandoned building, and then loaded the contraband or the aliens in a vehicle and driven them out.
WIAN: Nogales agents found this tunnel last week. Four days later, a more sophisticated passage was found under the border in California.
The Bush administration is counting on technology and a few additional agents to gain control of the border. Agents here welcome the tools but privately say they could use more man power.
Casey Wian, CNN, Nogales, Arizona.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
DOBBS: Tonight, President Bush is asking Texas and other states to review the cases of 51 Mexican nationals now on death row for crimes they committed in this country. The request from the Bush administration raises new concerns about the influence of international courts over what was once U.S. policy and law.
Just last year, the World Court ordered the same reviews. That court found the convictions violated international law because the Mexican nationals were not told they could seek legal advice from their consular officials. A Justice Department brief on the president's decision said he made it based on "foreign policy interests."
Coming up next, new ethical standards for pharmaceutical companies and their relationships with government scientists. Why some of those scientists are fighting those new regulations.
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
DOBBS: We've reported here extensively on the staggering number of government research scientists who are paid by major pharmaceutical companies. Critics charge that that compensation is a direct conflict of interest. The National Institutes of Health this week implemented strict new ethical guidelines in an effort to repair that credibility, but a group of senior government scientists is fighting those new guidelines.
Christine Romans has the report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The National Institutes of Health is wiping away even the appearance of a conflict of interest between government scientists and the powerful drug agency. But now 18 senior NIH scientists say that ethics cleanup has gone too far.
They say government experts should be allowed to keep their lucrative consulting contracts and their individual stock holdings, so long as it is not directly related to their research. Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel says not all financial agreements with industry are conflicts of interest.
DR. EZEKIEL EMANUEL, CHIEF, DEPT. OF CLINICAL BIOETHICS, NIH: Is there an overlap between what you're doing as a public servant and that -- holding stock in that company or not? And if there's no overlap, I don't see what the problem is.
ROMANS: The group says the new zero tolerance ethics policy will discourage talented scientists from being recruited to the NIH and preclude scientists already at the NIH from participating as full members of the scientific community. And Dr. Emanuel says the new ethics guidelines will unfairly hurt secretaries, janitors and elevator operators who must divest any single stock holding above $15,000. But the chief ethics officer for the NIH says public trust is paramount.
DR. RAYNARD KINGTON, DEPUTY DIRECTOR, NIH: The key goal is to maintain the public's trust. And the public has clearly expressed concern about NIH scientists who might have competing interests when they have financial holdings or financial relationships with industry.
ROMANS: Indeed, congressional leaders demanded these tough rules after hearings showed at least 530 agency scientists took fees, stock options or stock from industry over five years.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROMANS: Lou, NIH will review whether these tough ethics rules will keep good doctors away. But the majority of government experts are not on the industry payroll, never were. Before 1995, you couldn't be. Some of the old-timers at the NIH say, you know what, just being a government expert, a scientist at the NIH, that's good enough. It's pretty prestigious.
DOBBS: It's about as prestigious as it gets. The other part is in terms of the compensation for those scientists.
I think we all would agree that doctors deserve to be certainly if not the highest paid, certainly among the highest paid people in this country. Their pay is in question here as well? Is the compensation adequate?
ROMANS: Some of the old-timers say that it is adequate, that the retirement plan is very, very good, it's a fantastic government retirement plan, that they're well compensated. Others say maybe a little bit more money would help. But you ask the critics, and they won't say, "If we're paid more, then we won't take the drug company contracts."
DOBBS: Within all of this, the issue of the moral climate, the ethical climate in business itself today, is these scientists are watching the CEOs of these companies making millions and millions and millions of dollars, the stock options floating around. Good for the NIH to establish an ethical boundary. Perhaps corporate America might be inspired as well.
Christine Romans, thank you.
Former President Bill Clinton will undergo surgery this week to remove fluid and scar tissue that is pressing against his lungs six months after his quadruple bypass surgery. Doctors say he should have a full recovery. Former presidents Clinton and Bush appeared today in Washington alongside the current president to discuss tsunami relief efforts. President Clinton played down the news of surgery, and says he feels fine.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WILLIAM J. CLINTON, FMR. PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: So all they have to do is drain it and take that little peel to hold the fluid out. It's a routine sort of deal, and it will knock me out of commission for a week or two, then I'll be back to normal. It's no big deal.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DOBBS: Former President Bush today said that he had some trouble keeping up with Mr. Clinton while the two were traveling through Asia. The current President Bush today made light of just how well President Clinton seems to be feeling.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: President Clinton and President Bush are going to play golf tomorrow to raise money for the tsunami victims. It goes to show how sick he is.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DOBBS: The president's father referred to President Clinton and the energy he was displaying on the trip to Asia, referring to President Clinton as the Energizer Bunny. President Clinton says he plans to slow down, however, for a few weeks after the surgery.
Another outspoken figure in American politics has not slowed down since November. Teresa Heinz Kerry gained a reputation for speaking her mind during the campaign, and she has not stopped.
At a fund-raiser this weekend, she implied the results of the election were rigged. She was quoted in a Seattle newspaper saying 80 percent of the voting machines in the United States are owned by hard- right Republicans. Heinz Kerry said it's easy for hackers to break into those machines. No comment from Senator Kerry.
Coming up next, one congressman's bold proposal to make English the official language of this country. Imagine that.
Also ahead, the United Nations agrees with the Bush administration on an issue that has divided the United Nations and the United States. Imagine that.
That story and a great deal more still ahead here.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
DOBBS: I'll be talking in just a moment here with a congressman who says it's time to make English the official language of this country.
And here are some of the other important stories we're following tonight.
The United Nations today passed a declaration that urges a worldwide ban on human clothing -- cloning. That includes cloning for stem cell research. The move is a victory for the Bush administration, which opposes the destruction of embryos used in that research.
The United Nations, meanwhile, is gathering information about the deadly bird flu after Vietnam confirmed four more cases. The United Nations is now hoping to avoid a global pandemic of the bird flu, which has already killed dozens of people in Asia.
And as many as 200 people have been evacuated in southern California after a freight train derailed today. The boxcars are here seen piled on top of one another. Authorities say a flammable liquid spilled from the train, no injuries have been reported.
My guest tonight has introduced legislation that would make English the official language of the United States. Congressman Steve King of Iowa says the bill would ensure that immigrants to this country learn to speak English. He's a member of the House Judiciary Committee and the Immigration Subcommittee joining us tonight from Capitol Hill. Congressman good to have you with us.
REP. STEVE KING (R), IOWA: Hi, Lou, I'm glad to be on board.
DOBBS: Why is your legislation necessary?
KING: Well, we need to put this in place so that this country doesn't continue to be divided by the people who want to promote the multilingual society that actually encouraging enclaves of people who don't learn how to absorb themselves into this economy. It's a disincentive for people to hire employees if they don't speak English. In fact, not speaking English is a guarantee on average you'll make 17 percent less. So, English is a language of opportunity. It's a language of unity. And the most powerful unifying force known throughout all of history is a common language. This country need to stay united, and we need to be united into the future.
DOBBS: As you know, many -- many of our schools now are bilingual in their educational approach. Many times you pick up a phone to connect for any service and you're offered two languages, typically Spanish and English. Language signs in various parts of our huge cities are many times in Spanish rather than English. What would be the impact there?
KING: Well, we just establish in the law that all public proceedings and all officials documents -- I'll say government proceedings and official documents are in English. We don't interfere with the private sector, they can do what they want to do. But we want to bring it back to English as the official language for our documents and for our proceedings. And so, if they are posted on the public square, we're going to make exceptions that are common-sense exceptions with regard to public safety, and health and justice, those kind of things. But what you'll see is a progression towards more English and less foreign language.
DOBBS: Well, English on a ballot, for example, would it be only English on ballots? Would that be a requirement?
KING: We don't specify that today, but that's where we want to get. I only wanted to take a so big of a battle, and if we go that far, it might be more than we can win.
DOBBS: Well, help me out here, Congressman. I'd like to show our audience a -- from the Immigration and Nationalization Service, the requirements for citizenship for naturalization in this country -- residence, good moral character, attachment to the Constitution, knowledge of civics and English. There are others as well. The INS then goes on to explain -- immigration and nationalization goes to explain what that means, knowledge of civics and English. To become a citizen, you must -- to be eligible for naturalization, you must be able to -- if we could see that reference. You must be able to read, write and speak basic English. So with that statement, it's a matter of law. Why in the world is this necessary? KING: Well, it is a matter of law there. But also we know that we're having naturalization ceremonies conducted in Spanish, for example, and other languages. There's a effort by...
DOBBS: Wait, wait, wait Congressman. I'm sorry, I've got to interrupt you. Say that again.
KING: I say that there's been a constant effort by people who meet immigrants at the border to tell them, you don't need to assimilate. You don't need to learn the language. We'll take care of you and we're going to adapt to the incoming cultures. And so, that's why we need to change it. But we've set it up so that homeland security writes the rules and enforces this at the naturalization ceremony as opposed to where it is now.
DOBBS: And you were saying that naturalization ceremonies are being conducted in languages other than English?
KING: Yes, sir.
DOBBS: Despite the fact that the law is quite clear?
KING: Despite that fact. And it's part of this effort to ignore the laws that you don't want to follow. And this effort that is designed to accommodate newly arriving immigrants, and in fact, they're doing them a disservice. The more we can encourage people to learn English, the more successful they will be. In fact, they can't understand this culture without being able to understand this English language.
DOBBS: Nor can they drive or communicate nor be communicated with importantly within our society. You know, Congressman, the more I learn about what's going on in this country in terms of immigration, now naturalization, border security, you know, one starts looking for the causal agents.
One looks to the Mexican Government, for example, for not providing for its people. One looks to U.S. employers who would hire illegal aliens in absolute disregard for the law, exploiting cheap labor. And the next thing one has to look at is the United States Congress. What in the world are you people doing up there on Capitol Hill? What are you colleagues doing? Have they just given up on the idea of America altogether?
KING: The immigration issue -- Lou, the immigration issue, those of us who want to enforce our borders and immigration laws are caught in this trap from two sides. The side on the left that says let's have unlimited immigration. They will come in and they will vote for Democrats. The side on the right that are multinational corporations and pure libertarian capitalists that argue that they should have a ready supply of cheap labor where ever their factories might be. That's the two forces that have joined together. And those of us in the middle are interested in maintaining the unity of this nation. And English is the most unifying force. Every other nation in the world has at least one official language. We're just seeking to establish Noah Webster's dream, which was to establish the English language as the official language of the United States.
DOBBS: And I think, probably, millions of people are shocked to learned that it is not already the official language, as you know congressman. Let's hope that some in Congress remember that they're there to represent. With your example, I should hope they would be helped along. But they're to represent the middle class in this country, the men and women who work every day to make this country work. It'd be nice to see some representation of American interests. We thank you for taking a step in that direction.
KING: Thank you, Lou. There are over 80 percent of the Americans that support this, and we just need to follow American's wisdom on it.
DOBBS: Congressman Steve King, we thank you for being here.
KING: Thank you.
DOBBS: That brings us to the subject of our poll tonight. Do you believe English should be the official language of the United States, yes or no. I have no idea how this one is going to turn out. Cash your vote at loudobbs.com. We'll have the results later here in the broadcast.
Taking a look now at some of "Your Thoughts."
Pat from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, "I got such a chuckle when I saw the upcoming show will be discussing English as the national language. What will become of all the automated phone messages that tell us to press one if we wish to continue in English?"
Eugene Womack in Myers Flat, California, "Our borders are broken. Immigration laws continue to be ignored and unenforced. National security is a farce. Jobs are outsourced without regard to the consequences. The Social Security fund is raided on an annual basis, by every administration. Our leaders ignore us and refuse to make tough decisions. Corporations run our nation."
Diane Gallagher in Waterloo, Iowa, "Do you believe the sale of a U.S. defense contractor to a foreign company compromises U.S. national security? I'm confused, what national security?"
Kevin McDonald in Novato, California, "My school in California is being flooded with illegals, draining resources and lowering the academic level of the class. Parents are running to private schools. If someone thinks cheap immigrant labor saves them money, ask them to think about how much it would cost to send their kids to a private school from kindergarten through high school."
Ken Johnson in Phinon Hills, California, "Lou, for years we spent a few trillion dollars on the cold war against communism, a war we said we won. Today we contribute billions to the Chinese communist party and a buildup of their military by outsourcing jobs and buying goods once made in the USA. China threatens war with Taiwan in the face of our commitment to militarily protect them from China." Carol Madison in Winsdor, Colorado, "Lou, I'm absolutely disgusted that those hypocrites in Congress failed to pass the minimum wage proposal. Seems to me these folks are more interested in preserving their selfish status quo of voting themselves a year pay raise and preserving the interests of big business to maintain the outrageous CEO salaries."
Now, that simply isn't fair. They don't vote themselves a pay raise every year, just every several years.
Danny in Phoenix, Arizona, "Low income families across this nation are struggling to get by on minimum wage which hasn't changed in over eight years. However the wealthy politicians with money to burn haven't waited that long for their own pay raise."
We love hearing from you. Send us "Your Thoughts" at loudobbs@cnn.com. Each of you whose e-mails is read on the broadcast receives a copy of my book, "Exporting America." And if wish to receive our e-mail news letters sign up on our Web site, loudobbs.com.
Earlier today on CNN, Senator Chuck Hagel responded to my comments that for the most part current proposals calling for the so- called reform of Social Security are simply desperate and half-baked.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. CHUCK HAGEL (R), NEBRASKA: First of all, I'm going to get to our friend Lou Dobbs the specifics of my plan. I heard your exchange with Lou, when he said all the plans out there are half- baked. I'm going to send Lou my number so I can enlighten him.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DOBBS: That was Senator Hagel talking with our Judy Woodruff. Actually, senator, we've got your number. As a matter of fact, we've been using it ever since you brought up your proposal, but we haven't heard back from you. We hope that you will accept our invitation. You're more than welcome to come here and enlighten me any day. Please let us here from you.
Coming up next here, the high cost of free trade. The head of a national farmers group will tell us why he says the latest so-called free trade agreement, CAFTA, threatens our nation's food supply. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
DOBBS: My guest tonight says so-called free trade agreements like NAFTA and CAFTA are a threat to American farmers and to our national food supply. George Naylor has been a farmer for nearly three decades. He says huge multinational corporations are the only ones who ultimately benefit from our so-called free trade policies. George Naylor is president of the National Family Farm Coalition. He's joining us tonight from Boston. George, good to have you here.
GEORGE NAYLOR, PRESIDENT, NATIONAL FAMILY FARM COALITION: Yes, thanks, Lou.
DOBBS: Your opposition to CAFTA -- Chris Padilla, the assistant U.S. trade representative, said on this broadcast last week that 99 percent of farm products coming in from Central America are duty-free, that U.S. farmers should be embracing CAFTA, they have nothing to fear. Why do you disagree with that?
NAYLOR: Well, we already know that a lot of farm products are coming into the United States. The thing is, the promise of us -- we -- U.S. farmers benefiting from this, and farmers in Central America benefiting from it is just simply not true.
The fact of the matter is, we don't as farmers export anything. We just sell our products into an international market. And it's the big corporations that do the exporting. And so our farm prices are generally very low, and the profits all go to the exporters.
DOBBS: Well, those profits, you know, I've heard that for quite a few years, ever since I was a young fellow, the farmers always and the ranchers talking about the fact the folks in Chicago are the ones that make the money and everybody else just hangs on.
The American farmer right now represents such a small percentage of our total population, our total economy, although providing obviously sustenance for the nation. Politically, you're in a terrible, terrible position here, aren't you?
NAYLOR: Well, you would think so, but actually I think what we're talking about is having a comprehensive farm and food policy that makes sure that farmers and farm workers get paid what they deserve, and makes sure that our food supply is safe and secure, we know where it came from, and that this country regains its food sovereignty so that we can have a farm policy.
DOBBS: Well, farm -- farm sovereignty, the national food supply, nothing could be more critical, unless of course it's water and air, but the fact is, we've got one of the most confused agricultural policies in the developed world. We're sort of embarrassed to subsidize agriculture, but we do so to the tune of $20 billion a year. We want farms to work, and we want to eliminate competition from -- unfair competition in the view of the farmer, and frankly I happen to agree with the American farmer, from low-cost countries exporting food into this country.
At the same time, we have got agriculture saying, well, we don't want to pay a fair wage for labor, and let us -- give us a blank check for a half million workers, illegal workers in this country. Are you all going to get that sorted out? Because it seems to me there has to be a constancy and consistency in the agricultural policy.
NAYLOR: Well, that's right. I would hope Representative King would support our policy that would take the pressure off of a lot of workers, farmers actually in Mexico and Central America, from coming to the United States. It's our farm policy that forces farmers off their land all around the world, because their prices are being determined in an international market, just like ours, and so when they can't make a living on their farm, they wander away to look for a job, and if they don't find a job that pays $4 a day or less, they come to the United States looking for work.
DOBBS: And can at least be $4 a day. Do you support the ag jobs bill?
NAYLOR: Well, that is a very complicated issue. I think we do, but it really misses the point of why -- of why we need agricultural workers in this country like we do.
DOBBS: No, I understand...
NAYLOR: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) to get paid.
DOBBS: I know what your position is, George. I'm just trying to raise the possibility that you might reconsider it, because in the end, not paying people a fair wage to do the work -- everybody needs labor, that's no excuse to be hiring illegal labor, as you well know.
NAYLOR: Right. Yes.
DOBBS: And nothing can make it right in my judgment.
George Naylor, we thank you, we appreciate you sharing your views with us here. Come back soon.
NAYLOR: Well, Lou, I hope we can get food sovereignty passed through our Congress and vote against CAFTA. Thank you.
DOBBS: It would be nice to return sovereignty to the consciousness of this nation, and certainly our policy makers, wouldn't it? George Naylor, thank you.
A reminder now to vote in our poll -- do you believe English should be the official language of the United States? Yes or no? Cast your vote at loudobbs.com. We'll have the results for you coming up here in just a few minutes.
One governor, who is troubled by her state's high unemployment rate, revealing her plan to put tens of thousands of her state's citizens back to work, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
DOBBS: My guest tonight has announced a new jobs initiative to boost her state's economy. Her plan will create tens of thousands of high-paying jobs, and establish Michigan as a leader in new technology. Also making higher education and job training more available, putting more emphasis on it. Governor Jennifer Granholm of Michigan is our guest tonight. Good to have you with us, Governor.
GOV. JENNIFER GRANHOLM (D), MICHIGAN: Thanks for having me on, Lou.
DOBBS: Your initiative, your state's unemployment rate running just over 7 percent, the last numbers that I saw. What are you doing to change that as best you can?
GRANHOLM: Well, Lou, as you know, our state has this wonderful legacy of being tied to the automotive industry, and our great legacy is a great challenge for a state that has 30 percent of its work force paid through the manufacturing industry. With outsourcing, with NAFTA -- I know you were just on talking about CAFTA, and we call it SHAFTA in the state of Michigan -- but truly we have struggled with the global economy. So our plan is to put people back to work in a number of areas that cannot be outsourced. One of them is creating, accelerating infrastructure bonds to put 36,000 people back to work today, building roads. We know that cannot be outsourced, building infrastructure in Michigan, to try to jump-start our economy.
We have a long-term plan, though, too. We want to diversify, because we can't rely so much on our great manufacturing legacy, in light of these trade agreements. So we want to diversify on the high end, and make sure that we have high-tech jobs. And we clearly want to create jobs today and jobs tomorrow.
DOBBS: And you're bringing in foreign manufacturers?
GRANHOLM: We are trying to diversify by attracting international investment here as well. If we are attempting -- in fact, Lou, I just sent a chapter of your book to Carlos Gutierrez, because in your book you talk about leveraging the U.S. strength as an economic power. And what Ronald Reagan did to ensure that Toyota built in the United States. And I think that we can do more of that in many realms, to leverage our country's power, to ensure that we are not just the recipients of imports, but that in fact we have international investment in this country. If they're going to import into this country, they should build and create jobs here as well.
DOBBS: Well, good for you, Governor. And the fact is, the economy is -- of course our national economy that we all deal with in terms of the markets and the broad trends, but you in Michigan and every state across the country has individual and unique aspects to an economy, and the way in which you're dealing with it, doubly tough because of the legacy that you talk about in manufacturing.
GRANHOLM: One of the things that we are doing, though, is to ensure that every child in Michigan has access to college. We -- our great history has been that people came to Michigan because you didn't have to have a college degree to get a good-paying job. Consequently, we have got a larger number of our population that right now are facing outsourcing, et cetera, without higher or advanced degrees. So we are going to work with our universities to have a college credit amnesty, to get all of those adults who may have taken a few courses to go back and have those credits count, no matter how far back they are. We also want to give every child a chance to go to college and pay for two years of college. After they have completed that two years -- and when I say college, I'm talking about vocational, technical degrees, two-year community colleges, as well as two years of a four-year institution.
DOBBS: Governor Granholm, let me just say straight out, good for you. That is great. That's the kind of initiative, that, you know, boy, I would sure like to hear it all over the country. And I just want to compliment you, as I'm sure everybody watching does.
GRANHOLM: I appreciate it. We're working hard. We're not going to stand still.
DOBBS: Well, as they say, standing still isn't an option. We're either moving ahead...
GRANHOLM: That's right. That's exactly right.
DOBBS: ... or we don't want to talk about that other direction.
GRANHOLM: That's right.
DOBBS: Governor Granholm, thank you.
GRANHOLM: Thank you, Lou.
DOBBS: Some major retailers, including Wal-Mart, are pushing for truck drivers to work a longer day. A proposal before Congress would add two hours to the workday of truck drivers carrying goods on the nation's highways, but critics say the extended hours could put lives at risk. Kathleen Koch reports from Washington.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): 15-year-old Ashley Curl loved horses. She was on her way back from a competition in August 2001 when she and four friends were killed in a crash east of Kansas City.
RICK CURL, VICTIM'S FATHER: The tractor-trailer just cut across the road and just smoked them, just obliterated them.
KOCH: Prosecutors claim the truck driver fell asleep, but he was acquitted of manslaughter. Curl and his wife came to Washington to join safety advocates in opposing a new measure to extend truckers' days from 14 to 16 hours, as long as the driver takes a two-hour unpaid break.
CURL: These hours are too long and will result in more crashes.
KOCH: Critics call it the Wal-Mart Amendment.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
DOBBS: And still ahead, the results of tonight's poll and a preview of what's ahead tomorrow. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
DOBBS: Now the results of tonight's poll. Ninety-four percent of you say English should be the official language of the United States; only 6 percent do not. I honestly did not know how everybody was going to vote on that. It's interesting, and I think that's a respectable margin, as they say, on that issue, and we thank you for voting. Thanks for being with us here tonight. Please join us tomorrow. Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger will be here to talk about the emerging geopolitical threat posed to the United States by China.
And rising energy costs put the squeeze on middle-class American families. I'll be talking with the chairman of the House Energy Committee about his ambitious plans to change that, and how the United States will ultimately respond to the outrageously high crude oil prices that are now influencing home heating oil and gasoline prices as well.
And illegal aliens receiving the hard-earned benefits of American citizenship, including in-state tuition at some of our colleges and universities. We'll have our special report on what illegal aliens are receiving that American citizens can't. We hope you'll be with us. For all of us here, good night from New York. "ANDERSON COOPER 360" is coming up on CNN, next.
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