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CNN Wolf Blitzer Reports

Bolton Nomination Held Up in Senate; Gruesome Discoveries in Iraq

Aired April 20, 2005 - 17:00   ET

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

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


WOLF BLITZER, HOST: Happening now, daily violence breaking out around Iraq, including reports of mass murder and an assassination attempt against a top political leader.
Standby for hard news on WOLF BLITZER REPORTS.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): Mass murder, more car bombings in Iraq. But worse atrocities revealed in a river.

JALAL TALABANI, IRAQI PRESIDENT: More than 50 bodies have been brought out from the Tigris.

BLITZER: Twenty more bodies found in a soccer stadium.

Kinder and gentler. He's pledging dialogue within the church and with other civilizations. Why some still worry that he'll be a polarizing pope.

On hold. Screaming, shouting, and throwing things. Will new allegations of abusive behavior sink John Bolton's nomination as U.N. ambassador?

I'll ask Republican Senator Lincoln Chafee.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANNOUNCER: This is WOLF BLITZER REPORTS for Wednesday, April 20, 2005.

BLITZER: Thanks for joining us. Iraqi's outgoing Prime Minister Iyad Allawi may have narrowly escaped an assassination attack. His spokesman says, a suicide car bomber attacked a checkpoint near Allawi's party headquarters in Baghdad. The spokesman says Allawi was unhurt, but several guards and policemen were killed. It's just one of several bloody bombings in Baghdad today. By now, Iraqis are used to terror. It's an everyday reality. But there are reports on this day that would seem to elevate the violence to an appalling new level.

CNN's Ryan Chilcote reports from Baghdad.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RYAN CHILCOTE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A stream of violence, and bodies found across Iraq Wednesday. South of Baghdad, according to the Iraqi president, more than 50 bodies pulled from the Tigris River.

TALBANI: They were killed and they threw the body to the Tigris. And more than 50 bodies have been brought out from the Tigris. And we have the full name of those who were killed and those criminals who committed these crimes.

CHILCOTE: In a western city, Haditha, 20 more bodies, this time, those of Iraqi soldiers who were shot to death by insurgents. Iraqi police tell CNN they were on leave, and in civilian dress when they were abducted on a highway, and brought to a soccer stadium where they were executed.

And in the Iraqi capital a surge of terrorism. A series of bombings on Wednesday, taking the lives of more Iraqi civilians.

(on camera): Iraq's president says he hopes the divided country can announce a new government on Thursday -- something the Iraqi people voted for their politicians to do nearly three months ago.

Ryan Chilcote, CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Car bombings, mass graves, and possible progress toward a permanent government. What can we make of today's developments out of Iraq? Let's get some insight now from Feisal Amin Al-Istrabadi. He's Iraq's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations. Mr. Ambassador, thanks for joining us. It looks like it's chaos breaking out in Iraq.

What should we make of this?

FEISAL AMIN AL-ISTRABADI, IRAQI DEP. PERM. REP. TO U.N.: Well, I think that unfortunately, it is more of the same in Iraq. What has happened I think is that when His Holiness the pope, John Paul II died, and the period after that, the media's attention was focused away from Iraq. And now the attention is focused back on Iraq. But I have always said that there were two parallel processes going on in Iraq. One is the political -- the process of political development and putting the country back together politically. Parallel to that is this terrorist insurgency which has for well over a year now had as its primary targets Iraqi civilian targets. These two parallel lines meet occasionally -- intersect occasionally, in outbursts of violence from these terrorist insurgent.

BLITZER: Mr. Ambassador, it looks though like the insurgents are becoming bolder if you will, going to a soccer stadium and putting a gun to the heads of 20 Iraqi police officers. And then simply dumping bodies in the Tigris River. Going after the outgoing Prime Minister Iyad Allawi. These are very, very dramatic steps.

AL-ISTRABADI: Well, they are. Other political figures in Iraq have been targeted before. Two members of the Iraqi Governing Council were assassinated. There were attempts before the elections, a number of attempts on the head of the Sayed Mohamad Baqir Al-Hakim, the head of the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq, the head of the List 169 in the parliament now. So, these things have occurred before. There have been other attempts on other ministers and so on. It may, I think, because the attention of the world has been focused elsewhere, these attempts to seem to be more bold. I will not deny that in some respects the attacks by insurgents or terrorists have become more sophisticated. That is true.

BLITZER: And will the new government be announced tomorrow, all the cabinet positions, based on what you know, Mr. Ambassador?

AL-ISTRABADI: Well, I am not going to place any bets on the subject. But I think that we're getting very, very close.

BLITZER: There's a lot of speculation that Ahmed Chalabi will be one of the vice prime ministers or deputy prime ministers, a very controversial figure as you well know. Is that your understanding?

AL-ISTRABADI: I know. I mean, I've seen those reports in the press. Ahmed Chalabi is a member of the leadership of the List 169, which won a majority, an outright majority in the parliament. It is entirely conceivable that he might be. But I have no particular information. That's a political process that as an ambassador I don't get involved in.

BLITZER: Ambassador Al-Istrabadi, you've got your hands full with what you're doing at the United Nations. Appreciate you spending a few moments with us. Let's hope the situation in Iraq -- I was there a few weeks ago -- calms down dramatically, and the new government can really take charge.

AL-ISTRABADI: Thank you very much. I appreciate that.

BLITZER: All right. Thank you very much. Good luck to all the people of Iraq.

Let's go right to the Pentagon. We're getting new information. Our Jamie McIntyre is standing by. Jamie, what are we learning?

JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, Pentagon officials confirm that Defense Secretary Rumsfeld has given his recommendation for the new Joint Chiefs chairman to President Bush. And other officials indicate this nomination will be the current vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs, General Peter Pace. Now, Pace would only be the second vice chairman to become chairman if he's confirmed. And the first Marine to hold the office of Joint Chiefs chairman. Of course, the decision is up to President Bush, because he's the chief advisor to President Bush. But the nomination of Peter Pace if it comes, indicates that Defense Secretary Rumsfeld, at least, seems to be happy with the advice he's getting from the current team of General Richard Meyers and his deputy, Peter Pace -- Wolf.

BLITZER: And Jamie, a lot of people will say it's about time that a Marine became chairman of the Joint Chiefs. What's taken so long?

MCINTYRE: Well, really, at this point it's really sort of a historical footnote. He's not being selected because he's a Marine. But because, of course, the Marines are the smallest of the services, it's just taken this long for it to sort of happen, that a Marine got the nod.

BLITZER: Jamie McIntyre, with that information for us. Jamie, thanks very much.

It's the first full day of a new era for the world's 1.1 billion Catholics, and the new pope, Benedict XVII, marked it celebrating mass and surprised many by sharing some of his personal thoughts.

CNN's Alessio Vinci is on the scene and has details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALESSIO VINCI, ROME BUREAU CHIEF (voice-over): Joseph Ratzinger celebrated his first mass as Pope Benedict XVI in the same chapel where cardinals elevated him to the papacy the evening before. The pope's much anticipated homily was replaced by a long, reflective meditation, followed by a pledge to try and unite all Christians and continue an open and sincere dialogue with other religions. Then, he shared his innermost emotions.

POPE BENEDICT XVI (through translator): There are two contrasting feelings in my soul. For one moment, I feel an inadequacy and an inner disquiet because of the responsibility entrusted in me from the Apostle Peter towards the universal church. On the other hand, I feel a profound gratitude towards God.

VINCI: As pilgrims watched the mass broadcast live in St. Peter's Square, Rome was getting back to its usual bustling self, with Romans debating the election of yet another non-Italian pope.

"We were hoping he'd be Italian," he says, "because we grew up with Italian popes."

But not all Italians agreed.

"Any pope will do," says this policeman, "as long as he continues along John Paul II's path."

(on camera): Italians warmly embraced the late Pope John Paul II, the first non-Italian pontiff in 455 years. And, likewise, they are expected to embrace this first German Pope in almost a millennium. And this morning, Pope Benedict broke the seal on his new home, the papal apartment where he will move in after renovations.

Alessio Vinci, CNN, at the Vatican.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: He's the president's pick for U.N. ambassador, but there are new questions swirling around John Bolton's contentious nomination. Coming up, I'll speak live with Senator Lincoln Chafee. He could cast a critical vote.

Also, President Bush signs a major bankruptcy reform bill into law. We'll show you why it's so controversial. And what it means for you.

And surprise developments in the case of the only person charged in this country in the 9/11 terror attacks.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Welcome back. Americans hoping to wipe the slate clean through bankruptcy could find it much tougher to do as a result of what happened today. The president signed legislation into law toughening bankruptcy rules. The new law takes effect in October.

Critics say the overall results will hurt some people who lost jobs or have huge medical bills. The president says it cracks down on those who want to walk away from debts when they're really able to pay.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Our bankruptcy laws are an important part of the safety net of America. They give those who cannot pay their debts a fresh start. Yet bankruptcy should always be a last resort in our legal system.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: So if you're contemplating bankruptcy, what do the new rules mean for you? Our White House correspondent Dana Bash is joining us now live from the White House with more -- Dana.

DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well Wolf, these are the first changes to bankruptcy laws in nearly 30 years. But what it exactly will mean to people who want to file bankruptcy really depends on who you ask.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BASH (voice-over): Stephanie Burkett had no health insurance for three days between jobs. In that 72-hour window, her son Christopher had a seizure.

STEPHANIE BURKETT, MOTHER: Neurologist, another neurologist.

BASH: Some $30,000 in medical bills.

BURKETT: $20 a month to nine different places. On top of all my other bills. My car insurance, car payment.

BASH: She decided declaring bankruptcy, chapter 7, was her only choice.

BURKETT: If not, I wasn't going to be able to ever get that bill paid.

BASH: Americans are filing for bankruptcy in record numbers. Cresting 1 million in 1996, reaching 1.6 million last year.

The new law makes claiming bankruptcy harder, limiting judges' powers to forgive debt and imposing a means test on repayments.

If you make more than the median income of your state, you pay back at least $6,000 over five years. Consumers must wait longer before filing again. And it makes child support a top priority for creditor claims.

Boscov's, a family-run chain of 41 department stores, offers its own credit cards.

DEAN SHEAFFER, BOSCOV'S DEPT. STORE: What we're trying to do is not take the sledgehammer, we're trying to take the scalpel and carve out this very small percentage of the people that are gaming the system.

BASH: Executive Dean Schaeffer says 50 percent of their losses come from people who declare bankruptcy and don't pay.

SHEAFFER: Somebody pays for that consumer, whether it's in the cost of higher credit, higher interest rates, whether in the cost of higher goods and services.

BASH: So, will customers here now see effects of bankruptcy reform? Pay lower prices on ties, purses, belts? What about appliances? Anything? Well, no. Boscov's will put its savings toward making their credit cards at 21 percent interest, more available to its community.

Critics call this law a boon for the big credit card companies they say encourage people to spend beyond their means.

As for Stephanie, she falls below her state's median income and could still file chapter 7, but would have to fill out more paperwork to prove it. She worries about others not abusing the system.

BURKETT: Pretty much you're stuck with medical bills. I mean, there's no way you can get around them. And they get really expensive. And it's not something that you just decide to go out and get. It's not a choice.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BASH: And the new law goes into effect six months from today. Bankruptcy lawyers who say they already see an increase in business are bracing for a mad rush, because Wolf, experts say as many as 200,000 people who filed in the past wouldn't be able to do so under this new law -- Wolf.

BLITZER: All right. Dana Bash, information our viewers need to know. Dana, thank you very much.

It's one of the favorite weapons of terrorists around the world. We'll show you how law enforcement in this country is training to respond to car bombs.

Also, new questions about the nominee for U.N. ambassador. Coming up, I'll speak live with Senator Lincoln Chafee. He is a key vote on the Foreign Relations Committee.

Plus, he served in two wars, but this Marine's greatest service to his country happened off the battlefield.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Welcome back.

The Bush administration launched a counter attack today in the battle over John Bolton, its nominee for the post of U.N. ambassador. A Senate panel yesterday put off a vote on Bolton after fresh allegations of abusive behavior.

Let's go live to our State Department correspondent Andrea Koppel.

ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN STATE DEPARTMENT CORRESPONDENT: No one here at the State Department or over at the White House expected the confirmation process of John Bolton to be a cakewalk. But it's fast become a tough slog.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KOPPEL (voice-over): From Moscow where she was meeting with Russia's president, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice fired back at John Bolton's critics.

CONDOLEEZZA RICE, SECRETARY OF STATE: The president deserves to have the person at the United Nations that he thinks best to carry out this job. I think we make a mistake of suddenly -- comments about management style become part of the confirmation process?

KOPPEL: One likely target of Rice's criticism, Republican Senator George Voinovich of Ohio, who out of the blue Tuesday, broke ranks with the Republican-dominated Senate Foreign Relations Committee and refused to vote for Bolton.

SEN. GEORGE, VOINOVICH (R-OH), FOREIGN RELATIONS CMTE.: I think one's interpersonal skill and their relationship with their fellow man is a very important ingredient in anyone that works for me. I call it the kitchen test. Do we feel comfortable about the kitchen test? Now, I've heard enough today that gives me some real concern about Mr. Bolton.

KOPPEL: Until now, all eyes were focused on Senators Lincoln Chafee and Chuck Hagel, widely considered the only Republican wild cards. What happened? The Democrats made a last-ditch appeal.

SEN. CHRISTOPHER DODD (D), FOREIGN RELATIONS CMTE.: We have five different occasions here that we're looking into. That's quite a number of complaints, I might add, against one individual -- a pattern of abuse, in my view.

KOPPEL: An aide to Voinovich told CNN, the senator, who's met privately with Bolton but missed his Senate testimony last week, suddenly realized he needed more time to investigate these new allegations. Among them, that Bolton tried to get a young career foreign service officer, Rexon Ryu, removed from his job in February 2003, because Bolton believed Rue had withheld documents. That Bolton harassed a subcontractor for USAID, Melody Townsel, in Kyrgyzstan in 1994 when he was out of government, working as a private lawyer. And that Bolton threatened to fire a senior Justice Department lawyer in 1988, who wanted extended maternity leave when Bolton headed up the Justice Department's Civil Division.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KOPPEL: A White House spokesman denied that the Bolton nomination was, in his words, lost and blamed it on opponents -- what he called trumped-up accusations -- on opponents of the president. But clearly, Wolf, Republicans are worried. And it can be best summed up in the words of Senator John McCain, who appeared at the White House this afternoon, in which he warned that they should happen -- the vote should happen quickly. And the nomination should not die, in his words, the death of a thousand cuts -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Andrea Koppel reporting for us. Andrea, thank you very much.

Among the committee members who have expressed some doubts about the Bolton nomination is Senator Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island. He's joining us now live from Capitol Hill. Senator, thanks very much for joining us.

So, what do you think?

How are you going to vote when this nomination does come up for a vote, if it comes up for a vote before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee?

SEN. LINCOLN CHAFEE (R), RHODE ISLAND: Well, we've got a few weeks to review any new information that might come out. And I think that's very important. I think it's also important to note, that Senator Voinovich as he said yesterday at the Foreign Relations Meeting, that he held out the Democratic nominee, Richard Holbrooke, over the same issues, management style. He announced, that he had put a hold on Richard Holbrooke, to be the same position, ambassador of United Nations, way back under a Democratic president. So, he's being consistent. And I think now, as we go forward, we have to look at discrepancies on Mr. Bolton's testimony and some new information that's coming out -- particularly on the visit out to CIA in which he's saying he was just going out to get information. And it might be the allegation he was going out to intimidate one of the analysts out at CIA. So, we want to get to the bottom of that, and make sure we clear Mr. Bolton if he is going to be confirmed, so he can answer some of these questions. I'm sure he wants to do that.

BLITZER: So you want him to come before the committee once again, and answer questions formally in open session, with all the television cameras there?

CHAFEE: That's a possibility. I know we're going to have that discussion amongst all the members, Democrat and Republicans, whether that's a necessity. Also, there's some discrepancy on what he said in the speech he gave in Seoul right before the six-nation talks commenced regarding North Korea -- and a very bombastic speech he gave in Seoul, South Korea -- in which he said it was cleared by the State Department, in particular the ambassador, he volunteered, the ambassador to South Korea. That ambassador subsequently had some dispute with that. And Ambassador Hubbard said, that no, that's a greatly, greatly exaggerated his position on that speech. So, we want to get to the bottom of some of these, and possibly call Mr. Bolton back.

BLITZER: What about that USAID subcontractor, Melanie Townsend, who wrote that open letter to the committee, which I'm sure you've read, which makes all sorts of accusations that she says he was behaving in that Russian hotel like a madman.

CHAFEE: Yes, I'm concerned about the dates. In 1994, I believe, is that right?

BLITZER: Right. Something like that.

CHAFEE: Yes, so I'm more interested in more recent allegations. Once you start going back a decade and more, I have concerns with that.

BLITZER: If Senator Lugar, the chairman of the committee, yesterday had gotten a vote, how would you have voted yesterday before the committee?

CHAFEE: I think all Republicans were prepared with what was presented to us to go forward and send the nominee to the floor. I mean, it's a long process. And it was a big surprise. As long as I've been in politics and the city council back in my hometown, I've never seen someone make a decision on the spur of the moment, and with good -- some justification, that Senator Voinovich did. It was refreshing, I think.

BLITZER: It's highly unusual for Senator Voinovich or any senator to blind side his own chairman, the Republican chairman, Richard Lugar, who is highly regarded, well respected in this kind of way. And you say it's almost unprecedented. I've been around Washington a long time, I haven't seen that either. But do you blame Senator Lugar to a certain degree for not having discussed this issue at great length with Senator Voinovich in advance?

CHAFEE: Well, it's been on the front page of the papers for so much. I think the assumption was we were all very, very much involved in our decision-making. And no, I don't dispute the chairman not checking with us all. Maybe we get a little callous here. We just make some assumptions here in Washington. I don't think that will happen again.

BLITZER: I assume he spent a lot of time questioning you and Senator Hagel, your Republican colleague. I spoke with him on Sunday, and it was clear to me he was not enthusiastic about John Bolton, but he was ready to vote for him if it came down to it out of the committee. Although he was leaving open the option that before the full Senate floor, maybe he would take a different vote. I don't know if you feel all that comfortable. But I assume you feel, and correct me if I'm wrong, that the president could have done better in finding a new U.N. ambassador.

CHAFEE: Yes, I'd agree. Don't forget, back when John Bolton was nominated to be under secretary for Arms Control in the spring 2001, he got less than -- he had over 40 votes against him. And that's very rare for someone in the subcabinet level, to have 40 -- over 40 votes, I think, 44 votes against him. Back then even before any of these controversies came up. So he's had some issues through the years.

BLITZER: Here's the bottom line question -- you appreciate what the United Nations does, I assume. You're a member of the Foreign Relations Committee. Do you feel comfortable that he would be the top U.S. representative, representing this country before the world body?

CHAFEE: Well, everybody beats up the United Nations over and over again. But don't forget, they were responsible for the success of the Iraqi elections. It was the United Nations that ran those elections. They're the ones that had the experience in East Timor, Sierra Leone, and Haiti, and Liberia, all these difficult, difficult areas having elections. And that's what served them well when they went to Iraq. So the United Nations can do some good things, some very good things.

Yes, do they need reform? Every organization does. And some testimony says that John Bolton's just the person to go up there. And we have to balance that, if that's possible. We all want to improve any organization.

BLITZER: So, bottom line, at this point you're not prepared to tell us you're absolutely going to vote to confirm this nominee?

CHAFEE: Not at this point. I want to digest and review some of this information. I want to support the president when I can. He won the election. He gets to choose his people. But we have our duty to do also.

BLITZER: Do you think at this point he should withdraw the nomination?

CHAFEE: We have to discuss that among ourselves, Republicans, I think. Senator Lugar, Senator Hagel, Senator Voinovich, Senator Allen, Senator Alexander, Senator Coleman, all of us, Senator Sununu on the committee, Senator Martinez. I think Republicans, we ought to get together and talk about this.

BLITZER: And you might pass a quiet message to the White House after a discussion like that?

CHAFEE: Yes, I think that would be advisable.

BLITZER: OK, Senator Chafee, we'll watch and see what happens. Appreciate it very much, your joining us.

CHAFEE: My pleasure. BLITZER: One other political item to tell you about. He's a Republican. He was a Republican, has been an Independent in recent years. And now Senator Jim Jeffords of Vermont is about to become a retiree. Today, he announced he won't seek re-election next year. Jeffords, who's 70-years-old, cited health problems, his own as well as his wife's. Jeffords has served in Congress since 1974. His switch from Republican to Independent four years ago tipped the balance in the Senate briefly, putting the Democrats in charge. We wish Senator Jeffords only the best in his retirement.

Developments today in the case against the only person in this country charged in connection with the events of 9/11. Why one suspect plans on entering a guilty plea. We'll explain.

Plus, 10 years after a massive truck bombing in Oklahoma City took the lives of 168 people, we're taking a closer look at how law enforcement is trying to protect all of us from similar incidents. CNN's watching what's going on. Our "Security Watch." That's coming up.

And later, why some people are not exactly thrilled with the ascendancy of Joseph Ratzinger to become the pope. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Welcome back. In our CNN "Security Watch," a hearing has been scheduled for Friday for the only person charged in the United States in connection with the 9/11 attacks. A dramatic development is expected. CNN's Deborah Feyerick standing by live in New York. She has details -- Deb.

DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well Wolf, it rarely happens, if ever, a virtually private meeting between the judge and a defendant. But today that's exactly what happened. Zacharias Moussaoui speaking his mind, the judge speaking hers.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FEYERICK (voice-over): 9/11 terror suspect, Zacharias Moussaoui says he's not crazy. His lawyers aren't convinced. Now, a federal judge has decided it, siding with Moussaoui, saying he is fully competent to plead guilty to charges against him.

ANDREW MCBRIDE, FORMER FEDERAL PROSECUTOR: At the end of the day, in the American legal system, the defendant, not his or her lawyers, makes the final decision to plead guilty.

FEYERICK: Moussaoui's change of heart to plead guilty and accept the death penalty without any sort of a deal is a complete turnaround.

RICHARD DIETER, DEATH PENALTY INFORMATION CTR.: He can plead guilty to the crime, and even ask for the death penalty, but the federal government still has the obligation to prove beyond a reasonable doubt to a jury if it's called, unanimously, that the death penalty is warranted. So that's not totally on his shoulders or for his call, although pleading guilty is. FEYERICK: Moussaoui was arrested one month before 9/11. He was indicted soon after. And has since maintained he had nothing to do with those attacks, claiming he was part of another similar plot.

For the last two years, he's been fighting to get testimony from captured al Qaeda leaders he says that clear him of 9/11 ties. But government officials said, no access, citing national security. His trial stalled for two years. Last month, the Supreme Court refused to consider any details in Moussaoui's case.

In an unusual move, the judge and the accused terror suspect met together in a Virginia courthouse early Wednesday. The judge questioning Moussaoui to see if he really wanted to plead guilty this time, unlike the summer of 2002 when he changed his mind.

Says former federal prosecutor Andrew McBride...

MCBRIDE: From his unique perspective, pleading guilty and accepting responsibility may in his view be an act of honor as an al Qaeda member who is proud to be an al Qaeda member.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FEYERICK: Moussaoui is making this move against advice of his own lawyers. He rarely speaks to them. And at one point, he even told the judge he thought his lawyers were trying to kill him. Those lawyers feel that if this case were to go to trial, Moussaoui could avoid the death penalty -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Deborah Feyerick reporting for us. Thank you, Deborah, very much.

Also in our CNN "Security Watch," just yesterday Americans marked the tenth anniversary of the massive truck bombing in Oklahoma City. Since then, vehicle bombs have become a weapon of choice for terrorists around the world. And federal authorities are constantly working to prevent the next such attack right here in this country.

Our Kelli Arena of CNN's America Bureau has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KELLI ARENA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This is what's left of a Honda Civic loaded with 25 pounds of ammonium nitrate and blown to pieces. It's the same material used by Timothy McVeigh in Oklahoma City. But this time, the bombing is part of an FBI training exercise.

KEVIN FINNERTY, FBI AGENT: This is where the vehicle was parked. So you can see that's the back half of the vehicle.

ARENA: Most of these agents are senior employees who lead response teams. They've learned the hard way that explosions can come in twos -- the second going off just as first responders show up.

PAUL GARTNER, FBI AGENT: We're looking for secondary devices that may be in the area, as well as any unexploded explosives.

ARENA: The team carefully goes through the paces.

JIM RICE, FBI SUPERVISOR: The rule of thumb is, you find your initial piece of evidence that's the furthest away from the scene, usually a large piece of metal that's been thrown. If that's 100 yards, then you double your crime scene to 200 yards.

ARENA: Agents swab for chemicals and flag evidence. This team knows the clues are there. They're just harder to find after an explosion.

In this instance, they get lucky. A calling card has flown out of the car intact.

THOMAS O'CONNOR, FBI AGENT: That's a huge piece of evidence to find something like a credit card, a phone card, anything with numbers on it that you can link back.

ARENA: If a bomb were to go off in the D.C. area, FBI Supervisor Jim Rice would head up the response.

RICE: Statistically, the car bomb is the number 1 weapon of choice of the people that we're facing right now. We have seen it in the embassies. We have seen it overseas. We see it in the Middle East repeated over and over and over again.

ARENA: Especially in Iraq. Both the FBI and the ATF have agents stationed there.

MIKE BOUCHARD, ATF ASST. DIRECTOR: We're using our presence there to gain the knowledge of what these terrorists are doing overseas. In the event they come to the United States, we're prepared for them. In other words, we're fighting tomorrow's war today.

ARENA: The ATF has conducted tests with field bombs using up to 20,000 pounds of explosives which would impact a 5,000 foot radius.

BOUCHARD: It helps us better design buildings, both federal buildings, as well as private buildings. We've better educated security guards to recognize what a suspicious vehicle looks like outside of the buildings.

ARENA: The ATF has also reached out to the agricultural community, because as we learned in Oklahoma, the fertilizer ammonium nitrate can be deadly in the wrong hands.

ANDY ACKLEY, ROYSTER-CLARK FARM SUPPLY: They come out on a regular basis and actually look through the location, ask very pointed questions about what we've done to secure our supply of ammonium nitrate, ask if we've come in contact with anyone that was suspicious and again, reiterate what to do if that case were to happen.

ARENA: Both the farming community and law enforcement have certainly learned a lot in the last 10 years. Still, the FBI's Jim Rice says that he's surprised there hasn't been a truck bomb attack in the United States since then.

RICE: And I think if you talk to just about anybody in this business, that they will give you a similar answer. That they're surprised it has not happened again.

ARENA: Surprised, but also determined to keep their winning streak alive. For CNN's America Bureau, Kelli Arena, in Quantico, Virginia.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Ten years after the Oklahoma City bombing, questions remain unanswered. While the man convicted of the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrow Federal Building, Timothy McVeigh was executed, his convicted co-conspirator, Terry Nichols remains in prison.

CNN's Paula Zahn conducted an exclusive with Nichol's former wife. And we've asked Paula to join us to give us a little insight to what she learned -- Paula.

PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Well, thanks so much for having me tonight.

It's an amazing story. Terry Nichols' ex-wife Lana Padilla and Kathy Willborn Sanders, the grandmother of two children killed in the Oklahoma City bombing, have actually become friends, and they share the same desire for answers about the attack. Both Padilla and Sanders believe that other people, beyond Terry Nichols and Tim McVeigh, were involved. The women are in regular contact not only with each other, but with Nichols as well, and hope that one day, he will tell everything he knows about the bombing, and recent events seem to show that Nichols might be getting closer to talking.

Three weeks ago, the FBI acted on information that explosives were hidden in a crawl space of Nichols' former home in Kansas. The tipster, a fellow inmate who claims Nichols told him he wanted the materials found in order to prevent a second bombing.

CNN has obtained a copy of a letter from Nichols, denying he ever said anything about a second bombing. But, he adds, quote, "God will bring out the truth. I ask that you pray that the full truth be revealed and the cover-up be fully exposed." Now, in a prior statement, Nichols has said he didn't want to discuss the Oklahoma City bombing, around the time of yesterday's 10-year anniversary.

But, Wolf, I think this latest letter is an indication that maybe one day, we will actually learn more about his role in this devastating attack on American soil.

BLITZER: Paula, thank you very much. And I know I speak for a lot of viewers who have been writing us all the time -- they have a lot of unanswered questions. They suspect there's a lot of information out there that we yet don't know about, going back 10 years to the Oklahoma City bombing. I'm glad you and your team are looking into this. And, I just want to alert our viewers, you can see Paula's exclusive interview with Terry Nichols' ex-wife tonight on "PAULA ZAHN NOW." That airs at 8:00 Eastern, 5:00 Pacific. Important television that you will be interested in seeing. Thank you, Paula, very much.

And please stay tuned to CNN day and night for the most reliable news about your security.

When we come back, the newly elected pope set goals today in hopes of unifying Christians around the world. So, why are some worried he could become a polarizing pope? Our Brian Todd has been looking into that.

Breaking the color barrier: remembering one Marine's struggle, and how he changed the U.S. Marine Corps forever.

Plus this -- busting down the door and the windows and everything else. These elephants crashed into a restaurant, and that's our "Picture of the Day." We'll have details.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Welcome back.

Pope Benedict XVI held his first mass today and pledged to maintain a dialogue within his church and with what he called "other civilizations."

But, in at least one country, there's deep concern, based on his earlier record as cardinal. Let's get the latest. CNN's Brian Todd, joining us live. Brian?

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, Benedict XVI is now going through a very familiar and age-old predicament: the past catching up to you. In Benedict's case, this involves a very prominent and influential nation.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TODD (voice-over): In Istanbul and Ankara, on newsstands and online, headlines scream displeasure over the ascendancy of Joseph Ratzinger to the papacy. He was Turkey's last choice, says one.

Benedict XVI has seemingly lost hearts and minds in predominantly Muslim Turkey, over remarks he made last August. In an interview with the newspaper "Le Figaro," then-Cardinal Ratzinger was asked about Turkey's effort to join the European Union. Translated from French, his answer, "Turkey always represented another continent during history, always in contrast with Europe." He later says, quote, "to identify both continents as one would be a mistake. It would be about a loss of richness and cultural disparity, in order to justify an economic motive."

We called the press office at the Vatican for clarification, and were told none would be offered. The editor of "Ignatius Press," who was a protege of Ratzinger's, and whose publication has translated his writings, points out the new pope, like John Paul II, has reached out to other faiths, including Islam. But on the question of Turkey... REV. JOSEPH FESSIO, IGNATIUS PRESS: Turkey does not have a bridge through tradition with Christian Europe, and therefore it should be part of, you know, the Arabian bloc. What has made Europe great has been Jesus Christ.

TODD: Turkey's prime minister downplays the controversy, quoted as saying, "it's possible that, as pope, Benedict's statements about Turkey will be very different." But, in this era of fragile, often fragmented relations between Islam and the West, how will Muslim advocates receive a pope who so recently spoke in controversial terms about a cultural divide?

IBRAHIM HOOPER, COUN. ON AM.-ISLAMIC RELATIONS: If he has some concerns about Turkey entering the EU, perhaps Muslim leaders from around the world can sit with him and try and allay some of his concerns. But I think the attitude, the basic attitude, of respect and tolerance is one that we hope to see from the new pope.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TODD (on camera): And here's a very ironic note: This pope's predecessor in name, Benedict XV, did so much to help Turkey in World War I that he has a statue in Istanbul, saluting him as, quote, "the benefactor of all people irrespective of nationality or religion." Wolf?

BLITZER: All right, Brian Todd reporting. Thank you, Brian, very much.

He had to break the color barrier to win his gold bars: the story of a Marine who had to fight to defend his country.

And, restaurant rampage: Was it bad service that caused these elephants to trash the joint? Look at this. We'll tell you what happened.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Welcome back.

He was a veteran of two wars, but his greatest service to this country didn't necessarily happen on the battlefield. His name, Frederick Branch. And he was to the Marine Corps what Jackie Robinson was to baseball. Our senior Pentagon correspondent Jamie McIntyre has this remarkable story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MCINTYRE (voice-over): When his wife Peggy pinned gold second lieutenant bars on him in 1945, Frederick Branch entered the history books as the first African-American to be commissioned an officer in the Marines. Fifty-two years later, the couple reenacted the moment at a 1997 ceremony honoring his pioneer status.

A building at the officer candidate school at Quantico, Virginia, was named after Branch by the same Marine Corps that had to be ordered to desegregate by President Roosevelt in 1941.

CAPT. FEDERICK BRANCH (RET), U.S. MARINE CORPS: I did my boot in the camp they set up, in the swamps of Camp Lejeune. The Marine Corps never admitted negros, we were banned (ph) then, until 1942.

MCINTYRE: The fourth of seven sons of a North Carolina minister, Branch was laid to rest at Quantico National Cemetery with full military honors Wednesday. Branch was drafted by the Marines, but with an older brother who was an Army officer, Branch too aspired to the upper ranks. But all of Branch's requests for officer training were rebuffed until during his tour in the Pacific, he impressed one colonel who told him he'd approve his application.

BRANCH: And he did. He approved it for command of negro troops.

MCINTYRE: The war was over by the time Branch graduated, the only African-American in a class of 250 future officers. And he'd made dean's list to boot.

Recalled to active duty in Korea War, he rose to captain and was assigned to Camp Pendleton where he commanded an 80-man anti-aircraft unit.

BRANCH: It was slightly ironical, because my CO had recommended that I be commissioned for command of negro troops. And as it turned out, my first command had one negro and 79 whites.

MILTON BRANCH, BROTHER: When the father of one of his men came to visit from Texas and saw his son saluting my brother, he asked him, what are you doing, saluting that -- and used a racial epithet. The young man proudly said, that's my commanding officer.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MCINTYRE: The final tribute to Captain Frederick Branch came at his funeral today in Quantico, a three rifle volley salute.

He was 82 -- Wolf.

BLITZER: We'll salute Frederick Branch as well. Thank you very much, Jamie McIntyre for that story.

Now a question: Where does an elephant sit when he enters a restaurant? The answer, anywhere he wants. We'll explain. That's our picture of the day. It's coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CRAIG SCOTT, COLUMBINE STUDENT: I think that there was a lot of fingers being pointed after Columbine happened at a lot of different things. The biggest blame lied with the two shooters themselves.

The library was the first room that the two shooters entered. They came over to where I was sitting and they saw my friend Isiah. And Isiah was so scared. The last thing that he heard in his life was racial slurs being made against him. And the last thing that he said was, I want to see my mom.

After the two shooters killed Matt and Isiah next to me, and then left the library, I heard a voice telling me to get out of there. I yelled at everybody, come on, let's get out of here, I think they're gone. And I had this feeling something wasn't right with my sister Rachel.

They came up and began to mock her for her Christian beliefs. Her final moment was when Eric picked her up by her hair and asked her, do you still believe in God? And she said, yes, I do. He said, well go be with him.

I'm going to the Colorado Film Institute. I'm studying film and video. The shooters at Columbine were really influenced by violence through the media. They dwelled on it. So I have an interest in making things that will be just as entertaining, yet they'll reinforce positive values.

I also travel and I speak in high schools for a program called Rachel's Challenge, for my dad's program. Kids need to know that their choices, their actions on others, have an effect. They need to know that they matter. They need to know they have worth.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: In our picture of the day, they were the kind of guests no restaurant wants: pushy, loud, and destructive. But getting them to leave wasn't easy, because they each weigh well over a ton.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: They didn't have a reservation, but that didn't stop these elephants from smashing their way into this restaurant in Seoul, South Korea. They were among six elephants that escaped from a nearby amusement park zoo during a parade, a daily event there. An official there says one of the animals apparently got spooked, took off, and the others followed.

These wound up at this restaurant, where a frightened worker barely managed to get out of their way as they trampled everything in their path. The mahouts, or elephant handlers tried to corral their charges with little success, as curious crowds looked on.

With the help of firefighters and police, they eventually managed to round up all of the escaped animals and return them to the amusement park.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: All's well that ends well. And the show is ending right now.

"LOU DOBBS TONIGHT" starts right now. Kitty Pilgrim standing by live -- Kitty.

END

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


Aired April 20, 2005 - 17:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
WOLF BLITZER, HOST: Happening now, daily violence breaking out around Iraq, including reports of mass murder and an assassination attempt against a top political leader.
Standby for hard news on WOLF BLITZER REPORTS.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): Mass murder, more car bombings in Iraq. But worse atrocities revealed in a river.

JALAL TALABANI, IRAQI PRESIDENT: More than 50 bodies have been brought out from the Tigris.

BLITZER: Twenty more bodies found in a soccer stadium.

Kinder and gentler. He's pledging dialogue within the church and with other civilizations. Why some still worry that he'll be a polarizing pope.

On hold. Screaming, shouting, and throwing things. Will new allegations of abusive behavior sink John Bolton's nomination as U.N. ambassador?

I'll ask Republican Senator Lincoln Chafee.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANNOUNCER: This is WOLF BLITZER REPORTS for Wednesday, April 20, 2005.

BLITZER: Thanks for joining us. Iraqi's outgoing Prime Minister Iyad Allawi may have narrowly escaped an assassination attack. His spokesman says, a suicide car bomber attacked a checkpoint near Allawi's party headquarters in Baghdad. The spokesman says Allawi was unhurt, but several guards and policemen were killed. It's just one of several bloody bombings in Baghdad today. By now, Iraqis are used to terror. It's an everyday reality. But there are reports on this day that would seem to elevate the violence to an appalling new level.

CNN's Ryan Chilcote reports from Baghdad.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RYAN CHILCOTE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A stream of violence, and bodies found across Iraq Wednesday. South of Baghdad, according to the Iraqi president, more than 50 bodies pulled from the Tigris River.

TALBANI: They were killed and they threw the body to the Tigris. And more than 50 bodies have been brought out from the Tigris. And we have the full name of those who were killed and those criminals who committed these crimes.

CHILCOTE: In a western city, Haditha, 20 more bodies, this time, those of Iraqi soldiers who were shot to death by insurgents. Iraqi police tell CNN they were on leave, and in civilian dress when they were abducted on a highway, and brought to a soccer stadium where they were executed.

And in the Iraqi capital a surge of terrorism. A series of bombings on Wednesday, taking the lives of more Iraqi civilians.

(on camera): Iraq's president says he hopes the divided country can announce a new government on Thursday -- something the Iraqi people voted for their politicians to do nearly three months ago.

Ryan Chilcote, CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Car bombings, mass graves, and possible progress toward a permanent government. What can we make of today's developments out of Iraq? Let's get some insight now from Feisal Amin Al-Istrabadi. He's Iraq's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations. Mr. Ambassador, thanks for joining us. It looks like it's chaos breaking out in Iraq.

What should we make of this?

FEISAL AMIN AL-ISTRABADI, IRAQI DEP. PERM. REP. TO U.N.: Well, I think that unfortunately, it is more of the same in Iraq. What has happened I think is that when His Holiness the pope, John Paul II died, and the period after that, the media's attention was focused away from Iraq. And now the attention is focused back on Iraq. But I have always said that there were two parallel processes going on in Iraq. One is the political -- the process of political development and putting the country back together politically. Parallel to that is this terrorist insurgency which has for well over a year now had as its primary targets Iraqi civilian targets. These two parallel lines meet occasionally -- intersect occasionally, in outbursts of violence from these terrorist insurgent.

BLITZER: Mr. Ambassador, it looks though like the insurgents are becoming bolder if you will, going to a soccer stadium and putting a gun to the heads of 20 Iraqi police officers. And then simply dumping bodies in the Tigris River. Going after the outgoing Prime Minister Iyad Allawi. These are very, very dramatic steps.

AL-ISTRABADI: Well, they are. Other political figures in Iraq have been targeted before. Two members of the Iraqi Governing Council were assassinated. There were attempts before the elections, a number of attempts on the head of the Sayed Mohamad Baqir Al-Hakim, the head of the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq, the head of the List 169 in the parliament now. So, these things have occurred before. There have been other attempts on other ministers and so on. It may, I think, because the attention of the world has been focused elsewhere, these attempts to seem to be more bold. I will not deny that in some respects the attacks by insurgents or terrorists have become more sophisticated. That is true.

BLITZER: And will the new government be announced tomorrow, all the cabinet positions, based on what you know, Mr. Ambassador?

AL-ISTRABADI: Well, I am not going to place any bets on the subject. But I think that we're getting very, very close.

BLITZER: There's a lot of speculation that Ahmed Chalabi will be one of the vice prime ministers or deputy prime ministers, a very controversial figure as you well know. Is that your understanding?

AL-ISTRABADI: I know. I mean, I've seen those reports in the press. Ahmed Chalabi is a member of the leadership of the List 169, which won a majority, an outright majority in the parliament. It is entirely conceivable that he might be. But I have no particular information. That's a political process that as an ambassador I don't get involved in.

BLITZER: Ambassador Al-Istrabadi, you've got your hands full with what you're doing at the United Nations. Appreciate you spending a few moments with us. Let's hope the situation in Iraq -- I was there a few weeks ago -- calms down dramatically, and the new government can really take charge.

AL-ISTRABADI: Thank you very much. I appreciate that.

BLITZER: All right. Thank you very much. Good luck to all the people of Iraq.

Let's go right to the Pentagon. We're getting new information. Our Jamie McIntyre is standing by. Jamie, what are we learning?

JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, Pentagon officials confirm that Defense Secretary Rumsfeld has given his recommendation for the new Joint Chiefs chairman to President Bush. And other officials indicate this nomination will be the current vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs, General Peter Pace. Now, Pace would only be the second vice chairman to become chairman if he's confirmed. And the first Marine to hold the office of Joint Chiefs chairman. Of course, the decision is up to President Bush, because he's the chief advisor to President Bush. But the nomination of Peter Pace if it comes, indicates that Defense Secretary Rumsfeld, at least, seems to be happy with the advice he's getting from the current team of General Richard Meyers and his deputy, Peter Pace -- Wolf.

BLITZER: And Jamie, a lot of people will say it's about time that a Marine became chairman of the Joint Chiefs. What's taken so long?

MCINTYRE: Well, really, at this point it's really sort of a historical footnote. He's not being selected because he's a Marine. But because, of course, the Marines are the smallest of the services, it's just taken this long for it to sort of happen, that a Marine got the nod.

BLITZER: Jamie McIntyre, with that information for us. Jamie, thanks very much.

It's the first full day of a new era for the world's 1.1 billion Catholics, and the new pope, Benedict XVII, marked it celebrating mass and surprised many by sharing some of his personal thoughts.

CNN's Alessio Vinci is on the scene and has details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALESSIO VINCI, ROME BUREAU CHIEF (voice-over): Joseph Ratzinger celebrated his first mass as Pope Benedict XVI in the same chapel where cardinals elevated him to the papacy the evening before. The pope's much anticipated homily was replaced by a long, reflective meditation, followed by a pledge to try and unite all Christians and continue an open and sincere dialogue with other religions. Then, he shared his innermost emotions.

POPE BENEDICT XVI (through translator): There are two contrasting feelings in my soul. For one moment, I feel an inadequacy and an inner disquiet because of the responsibility entrusted in me from the Apostle Peter towards the universal church. On the other hand, I feel a profound gratitude towards God.

VINCI: As pilgrims watched the mass broadcast live in St. Peter's Square, Rome was getting back to its usual bustling self, with Romans debating the election of yet another non-Italian pope.

"We were hoping he'd be Italian," he says, "because we grew up with Italian popes."

But not all Italians agreed.

"Any pope will do," says this policeman, "as long as he continues along John Paul II's path."

(on camera): Italians warmly embraced the late Pope John Paul II, the first non-Italian pontiff in 455 years. And, likewise, they are expected to embrace this first German Pope in almost a millennium. And this morning, Pope Benedict broke the seal on his new home, the papal apartment where he will move in after renovations.

Alessio Vinci, CNN, at the Vatican.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: He's the president's pick for U.N. ambassador, but there are new questions swirling around John Bolton's contentious nomination. Coming up, I'll speak live with Senator Lincoln Chafee. He could cast a critical vote.

Also, President Bush signs a major bankruptcy reform bill into law. We'll show you why it's so controversial. And what it means for you.

And surprise developments in the case of the only person charged in this country in the 9/11 terror attacks.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Welcome back. Americans hoping to wipe the slate clean through bankruptcy could find it much tougher to do as a result of what happened today. The president signed legislation into law toughening bankruptcy rules. The new law takes effect in October.

Critics say the overall results will hurt some people who lost jobs or have huge medical bills. The president says it cracks down on those who want to walk away from debts when they're really able to pay.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Our bankruptcy laws are an important part of the safety net of America. They give those who cannot pay their debts a fresh start. Yet bankruptcy should always be a last resort in our legal system.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: So if you're contemplating bankruptcy, what do the new rules mean for you? Our White House correspondent Dana Bash is joining us now live from the White House with more -- Dana.

DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well Wolf, these are the first changes to bankruptcy laws in nearly 30 years. But what it exactly will mean to people who want to file bankruptcy really depends on who you ask.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BASH (voice-over): Stephanie Burkett had no health insurance for three days between jobs. In that 72-hour window, her son Christopher had a seizure.

STEPHANIE BURKETT, MOTHER: Neurologist, another neurologist.

BASH: Some $30,000 in medical bills.

BURKETT: $20 a month to nine different places. On top of all my other bills. My car insurance, car payment.

BASH: She decided declaring bankruptcy, chapter 7, was her only choice.

BURKETT: If not, I wasn't going to be able to ever get that bill paid.

BASH: Americans are filing for bankruptcy in record numbers. Cresting 1 million in 1996, reaching 1.6 million last year.

The new law makes claiming bankruptcy harder, limiting judges' powers to forgive debt and imposing a means test on repayments.

If you make more than the median income of your state, you pay back at least $6,000 over five years. Consumers must wait longer before filing again. And it makes child support a top priority for creditor claims.

Boscov's, a family-run chain of 41 department stores, offers its own credit cards.

DEAN SHEAFFER, BOSCOV'S DEPT. STORE: What we're trying to do is not take the sledgehammer, we're trying to take the scalpel and carve out this very small percentage of the people that are gaming the system.

BASH: Executive Dean Schaeffer says 50 percent of their losses come from people who declare bankruptcy and don't pay.

SHEAFFER: Somebody pays for that consumer, whether it's in the cost of higher credit, higher interest rates, whether in the cost of higher goods and services.

BASH: So, will customers here now see effects of bankruptcy reform? Pay lower prices on ties, purses, belts? What about appliances? Anything? Well, no. Boscov's will put its savings toward making their credit cards at 21 percent interest, more available to its community.

Critics call this law a boon for the big credit card companies they say encourage people to spend beyond their means.

As for Stephanie, she falls below her state's median income and could still file chapter 7, but would have to fill out more paperwork to prove it. She worries about others not abusing the system.

BURKETT: Pretty much you're stuck with medical bills. I mean, there's no way you can get around them. And they get really expensive. And it's not something that you just decide to go out and get. It's not a choice.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BASH: And the new law goes into effect six months from today. Bankruptcy lawyers who say they already see an increase in business are bracing for a mad rush, because Wolf, experts say as many as 200,000 people who filed in the past wouldn't be able to do so under this new law -- Wolf.

BLITZER: All right. Dana Bash, information our viewers need to know. Dana, thank you very much.

It's one of the favorite weapons of terrorists around the world. We'll show you how law enforcement in this country is training to respond to car bombs.

Also, new questions about the nominee for U.N. ambassador. Coming up, I'll speak live with Senator Lincoln Chafee. He is a key vote on the Foreign Relations Committee.

Plus, he served in two wars, but this Marine's greatest service to his country happened off the battlefield.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Welcome back.

The Bush administration launched a counter attack today in the battle over John Bolton, its nominee for the post of U.N. ambassador. A Senate panel yesterday put off a vote on Bolton after fresh allegations of abusive behavior.

Let's go live to our State Department correspondent Andrea Koppel.

ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN STATE DEPARTMENT CORRESPONDENT: No one here at the State Department or over at the White House expected the confirmation process of John Bolton to be a cakewalk. But it's fast become a tough slog.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KOPPEL (voice-over): From Moscow where she was meeting with Russia's president, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice fired back at John Bolton's critics.

CONDOLEEZZA RICE, SECRETARY OF STATE: The president deserves to have the person at the United Nations that he thinks best to carry out this job. I think we make a mistake of suddenly -- comments about management style become part of the confirmation process?

KOPPEL: One likely target of Rice's criticism, Republican Senator George Voinovich of Ohio, who out of the blue Tuesday, broke ranks with the Republican-dominated Senate Foreign Relations Committee and refused to vote for Bolton.

SEN. GEORGE, VOINOVICH (R-OH), FOREIGN RELATIONS CMTE.: I think one's interpersonal skill and their relationship with their fellow man is a very important ingredient in anyone that works for me. I call it the kitchen test. Do we feel comfortable about the kitchen test? Now, I've heard enough today that gives me some real concern about Mr. Bolton.

KOPPEL: Until now, all eyes were focused on Senators Lincoln Chafee and Chuck Hagel, widely considered the only Republican wild cards. What happened? The Democrats made a last-ditch appeal.

SEN. CHRISTOPHER DODD (D), FOREIGN RELATIONS CMTE.: We have five different occasions here that we're looking into. That's quite a number of complaints, I might add, against one individual -- a pattern of abuse, in my view.

KOPPEL: An aide to Voinovich told CNN, the senator, who's met privately with Bolton but missed his Senate testimony last week, suddenly realized he needed more time to investigate these new allegations. Among them, that Bolton tried to get a young career foreign service officer, Rexon Ryu, removed from his job in February 2003, because Bolton believed Rue had withheld documents. That Bolton harassed a subcontractor for USAID, Melody Townsel, in Kyrgyzstan in 1994 when he was out of government, working as a private lawyer. And that Bolton threatened to fire a senior Justice Department lawyer in 1988, who wanted extended maternity leave when Bolton headed up the Justice Department's Civil Division.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KOPPEL: A White House spokesman denied that the Bolton nomination was, in his words, lost and blamed it on opponents -- what he called trumped-up accusations -- on opponents of the president. But clearly, Wolf, Republicans are worried. And it can be best summed up in the words of Senator John McCain, who appeared at the White House this afternoon, in which he warned that they should happen -- the vote should happen quickly. And the nomination should not die, in his words, the death of a thousand cuts -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Andrea Koppel reporting for us. Andrea, thank you very much.

Among the committee members who have expressed some doubts about the Bolton nomination is Senator Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island. He's joining us now live from Capitol Hill. Senator, thanks very much for joining us.

So, what do you think?

How are you going to vote when this nomination does come up for a vote, if it comes up for a vote before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee?

SEN. LINCOLN CHAFEE (R), RHODE ISLAND: Well, we've got a few weeks to review any new information that might come out. And I think that's very important. I think it's also important to note, that Senator Voinovich as he said yesterday at the Foreign Relations Meeting, that he held out the Democratic nominee, Richard Holbrooke, over the same issues, management style. He announced, that he had put a hold on Richard Holbrooke, to be the same position, ambassador of United Nations, way back under a Democratic president. So, he's being consistent. And I think now, as we go forward, we have to look at discrepancies on Mr. Bolton's testimony and some new information that's coming out -- particularly on the visit out to CIA in which he's saying he was just going out to get information. And it might be the allegation he was going out to intimidate one of the analysts out at CIA. So, we want to get to the bottom of that, and make sure we clear Mr. Bolton if he is going to be confirmed, so he can answer some of these questions. I'm sure he wants to do that.

BLITZER: So you want him to come before the committee once again, and answer questions formally in open session, with all the television cameras there?

CHAFEE: That's a possibility. I know we're going to have that discussion amongst all the members, Democrat and Republicans, whether that's a necessity. Also, there's some discrepancy on what he said in the speech he gave in Seoul right before the six-nation talks commenced regarding North Korea -- and a very bombastic speech he gave in Seoul, South Korea -- in which he said it was cleared by the State Department, in particular the ambassador, he volunteered, the ambassador to South Korea. That ambassador subsequently had some dispute with that. And Ambassador Hubbard said, that no, that's a greatly, greatly exaggerated his position on that speech. So, we want to get to the bottom of some of these, and possibly call Mr. Bolton back.

BLITZER: What about that USAID subcontractor, Melanie Townsend, who wrote that open letter to the committee, which I'm sure you've read, which makes all sorts of accusations that she says he was behaving in that Russian hotel like a madman.

CHAFEE: Yes, I'm concerned about the dates. In 1994, I believe, is that right?

BLITZER: Right. Something like that.

CHAFEE: Yes, so I'm more interested in more recent allegations. Once you start going back a decade and more, I have concerns with that.

BLITZER: If Senator Lugar, the chairman of the committee, yesterday had gotten a vote, how would you have voted yesterday before the committee?

CHAFEE: I think all Republicans were prepared with what was presented to us to go forward and send the nominee to the floor. I mean, it's a long process. And it was a big surprise. As long as I've been in politics and the city council back in my hometown, I've never seen someone make a decision on the spur of the moment, and with good -- some justification, that Senator Voinovich did. It was refreshing, I think.

BLITZER: It's highly unusual for Senator Voinovich or any senator to blind side his own chairman, the Republican chairman, Richard Lugar, who is highly regarded, well respected in this kind of way. And you say it's almost unprecedented. I've been around Washington a long time, I haven't seen that either. But do you blame Senator Lugar to a certain degree for not having discussed this issue at great length with Senator Voinovich in advance?

CHAFEE: Well, it's been on the front page of the papers for so much. I think the assumption was we were all very, very much involved in our decision-making. And no, I don't dispute the chairman not checking with us all. Maybe we get a little callous here. We just make some assumptions here in Washington. I don't think that will happen again.

BLITZER: I assume he spent a lot of time questioning you and Senator Hagel, your Republican colleague. I spoke with him on Sunday, and it was clear to me he was not enthusiastic about John Bolton, but he was ready to vote for him if it came down to it out of the committee. Although he was leaving open the option that before the full Senate floor, maybe he would take a different vote. I don't know if you feel all that comfortable. But I assume you feel, and correct me if I'm wrong, that the president could have done better in finding a new U.N. ambassador.

CHAFEE: Yes, I'd agree. Don't forget, back when John Bolton was nominated to be under secretary for Arms Control in the spring 2001, he got less than -- he had over 40 votes against him. And that's very rare for someone in the subcabinet level, to have 40 -- over 40 votes, I think, 44 votes against him. Back then even before any of these controversies came up. So he's had some issues through the years.

BLITZER: Here's the bottom line question -- you appreciate what the United Nations does, I assume. You're a member of the Foreign Relations Committee. Do you feel comfortable that he would be the top U.S. representative, representing this country before the world body?

CHAFEE: Well, everybody beats up the United Nations over and over again. But don't forget, they were responsible for the success of the Iraqi elections. It was the United Nations that ran those elections. They're the ones that had the experience in East Timor, Sierra Leone, and Haiti, and Liberia, all these difficult, difficult areas having elections. And that's what served them well when they went to Iraq. So the United Nations can do some good things, some very good things.

Yes, do they need reform? Every organization does. And some testimony says that John Bolton's just the person to go up there. And we have to balance that, if that's possible. We all want to improve any organization.

BLITZER: So, bottom line, at this point you're not prepared to tell us you're absolutely going to vote to confirm this nominee?

CHAFEE: Not at this point. I want to digest and review some of this information. I want to support the president when I can. He won the election. He gets to choose his people. But we have our duty to do also.

BLITZER: Do you think at this point he should withdraw the nomination?

CHAFEE: We have to discuss that among ourselves, Republicans, I think. Senator Lugar, Senator Hagel, Senator Voinovich, Senator Allen, Senator Alexander, Senator Coleman, all of us, Senator Sununu on the committee, Senator Martinez. I think Republicans, we ought to get together and talk about this.

BLITZER: And you might pass a quiet message to the White House after a discussion like that?

CHAFEE: Yes, I think that would be advisable.

BLITZER: OK, Senator Chafee, we'll watch and see what happens. Appreciate it very much, your joining us.

CHAFEE: My pleasure. BLITZER: One other political item to tell you about. He's a Republican. He was a Republican, has been an Independent in recent years. And now Senator Jim Jeffords of Vermont is about to become a retiree. Today, he announced he won't seek re-election next year. Jeffords, who's 70-years-old, cited health problems, his own as well as his wife's. Jeffords has served in Congress since 1974. His switch from Republican to Independent four years ago tipped the balance in the Senate briefly, putting the Democrats in charge. We wish Senator Jeffords only the best in his retirement.

Developments today in the case against the only person in this country charged in connection with the events of 9/11. Why one suspect plans on entering a guilty plea. We'll explain.

Plus, 10 years after a massive truck bombing in Oklahoma City took the lives of 168 people, we're taking a closer look at how law enforcement is trying to protect all of us from similar incidents. CNN's watching what's going on. Our "Security Watch." That's coming up.

And later, why some people are not exactly thrilled with the ascendancy of Joseph Ratzinger to become the pope. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Welcome back. In our CNN "Security Watch," a hearing has been scheduled for Friday for the only person charged in the United States in connection with the 9/11 attacks. A dramatic development is expected. CNN's Deborah Feyerick standing by live in New York. She has details -- Deb.

DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well Wolf, it rarely happens, if ever, a virtually private meeting between the judge and a defendant. But today that's exactly what happened. Zacharias Moussaoui speaking his mind, the judge speaking hers.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FEYERICK (voice-over): 9/11 terror suspect, Zacharias Moussaoui says he's not crazy. His lawyers aren't convinced. Now, a federal judge has decided it, siding with Moussaoui, saying he is fully competent to plead guilty to charges against him.

ANDREW MCBRIDE, FORMER FEDERAL PROSECUTOR: At the end of the day, in the American legal system, the defendant, not his or her lawyers, makes the final decision to plead guilty.

FEYERICK: Moussaoui's change of heart to plead guilty and accept the death penalty without any sort of a deal is a complete turnaround.

RICHARD DIETER, DEATH PENALTY INFORMATION CTR.: He can plead guilty to the crime, and even ask for the death penalty, but the federal government still has the obligation to prove beyond a reasonable doubt to a jury if it's called, unanimously, that the death penalty is warranted. So that's not totally on his shoulders or for his call, although pleading guilty is. FEYERICK: Moussaoui was arrested one month before 9/11. He was indicted soon after. And has since maintained he had nothing to do with those attacks, claiming he was part of another similar plot.

For the last two years, he's been fighting to get testimony from captured al Qaeda leaders he says that clear him of 9/11 ties. But government officials said, no access, citing national security. His trial stalled for two years. Last month, the Supreme Court refused to consider any details in Moussaoui's case.

In an unusual move, the judge and the accused terror suspect met together in a Virginia courthouse early Wednesday. The judge questioning Moussaoui to see if he really wanted to plead guilty this time, unlike the summer of 2002 when he changed his mind.

Says former federal prosecutor Andrew McBride...

MCBRIDE: From his unique perspective, pleading guilty and accepting responsibility may in his view be an act of honor as an al Qaeda member who is proud to be an al Qaeda member.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FEYERICK: Moussaoui is making this move against advice of his own lawyers. He rarely speaks to them. And at one point, he even told the judge he thought his lawyers were trying to kill him. Those lawyers feel that if this case were to go to trial, Moussaoui could avoid the death penalty -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Deborah Feyerick reporting for us. Thank you, Deborah, very much.

Also in our CNN "Security Watch," just yesterday Americans marked the tenth anniversary of the massive truck bombing in Oklahoma City. Since then, vehicle bombs have become a weapon of choice for terrorists around the world. And federal authorities are constantly working to prevent the next such attack right here in this country.

Our Kelli Arena of CNN's America Bureau has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KELLI ARENA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This is what's left of a Honda Civic loaded with 25 pounds of ammonium nitrate and blown to pieces. It's the same material used by Timothy McVeigh in Oklahoma City. But this time, the bombing is part of an FBI training exercise.

KEVIN FINNERTY, FBI AGENT: This is where the vehicle was parked. So you can see that's the back half of the vehicle.

ARENA: Most of these agents are senior employees who lead response teams. They've learned the hard way that explosions can come in twos -- the second going off just as first responders show up.

PAUL GARTNER, FBI AGENT: We're looking for secondary devices that may be in the area, as well as any unexploded explosives.

ARENA: The team carefully goes through the paces.

JIM RICE, FBI SUPERVISOR: The rule of thumb is, you find your initial piece of evidence that's the furthest away from the scene, usually a large piece of metal that's been thrown. If that's 100 yards, then you double your crime scene to 200 yards.

ARENA: Agents swab for chemicals and flag evidence. This team knows the clues are there. They're just harder to find after an explosion.

In this instance, they get lucky. A calling card has flown out of the car intact.

THOMAS O'CONNOR, FBI AGENT: That's a huge piece of evidence to find something like a credit card, a phone card, anything with numbers on it that you can link back.

ARENA: If a bomb were to go off in the D.C. area, FBI Supervisor Jim Rice would head up the response.

RICE: Statistically, the car bomb is the number 1 weapon of choice of the people that we're facing right now. We have seen it in the embassies. We have seen it overseas. We see it in the Middle East repeated over and over and over again.

ARENA: Especially in Iraq. Both the FBI and the ATF have agents stationed there.

MIKE BOUCHARD, ATF ASST. DIRECTOR: We're using our presence there to gain the knowledge of what these terrorists are doing overseas. In the event they come to the United States, we're prepared for them. In other words, we're fighting tomorrow's war today.

ARENA: The ATF has conducted tests with field bombs using up to 20,000 pounds of explosives which would impact a 5,000 foot radius.

BOUCHARD: It helps us better design buildings, both federal buildings, as well as private buildings. We've better educated security guards to recognize what a suspicious vehicle looks like outside of the buildings.

ARENA: The ATF has also reached out to the agricultural community, because as we learned in Oklahoma, the fertilizer ammonium nitrate can be deadly in the wrong hands.

ANDY ACKLEY, ROYSTER-CLARK FARM SUPPLY: They come out on a regular basis and actually look through the location, ask very pointed questions about what we've done to secure our supply of ammonium nitrate, ask if we've come in contact with anyone that was suspicious and again, reiterate what to do if that case were to happen.

ARENA: Both the farming community and law enforcement have certainly learned a lot in the last 10 years. Still, the FBI's Jim Rice says that he's surprised there hasn't been a truck bomb attack in the United States since then.

RICE: And I think if you talk to just about anybody in this business, that they will give you a similar answer. That they're surprised it has not happened again.

ARENA: Surprised, but also determined to keep their winning streak alive. For CNN's America Bureau, Kelli Arena, in Quantico, Virginia.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Ten years after the Oklahoma City bombing, questions remain unanswered. While the man convicted of the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrow Federal Building, Timothy McVeigh was executed, his convicted co-conspirator, Terry Nichols remains in prison.

CNN's Paula Zahn conducted an exclusive with Nichol's former wife. And we've asked Paula to join us to give us a little insight to what she learned -- Paula.

PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Well, thanks so much for having me tonight.

It's an amazing story. Terry Nichols' ex-wife Lana Padilla and Kathy Willborn Sanders, the grandmother of two children killed in the Oklahoma City bombing, have actually become friends, and they share the same desire for answers about the attack. Both Padilla and Sanders believe that other people, beyond Terry Nichols and Tim McVeigh, were involved. The women are in regular contact not only with each other, but with Nichols as well, and hope that one day, he will tell everything he knows about the bombing, and recent events seem to show that Nichols might be getting closer to talking.

Three weeks ago, the FBI acted on information that explosives were hidden in a crawl space of Nichols' former home in Kansas. The tipster, a fellow inmate who claims Nichols told him he wanted the materials found in order to prevent a second bombing.

CNN has obtained a copy of a letter from Nichols, denying he ever said anything about a second bombing. But, he adds, quote, "God will bring out the truth. I ask that you pray that the full truth be revealed and the cover-up be fully exposed." Now, in a prior statement, Nichols has said he didn't want to discuss the Oklahoma City bombing, around the time of yesterday's 10-year anniversary.

But, Wolf, I think this latest letter is an indication that maybe one day, we will actually learn more about his role in this devastating attack on American soil.

BLITZER: Paula, thank you very much. And I know I speak for a lot of viewers who have been writing us all the time -- they have a lot of unanswered questions. They suspect there's a lot of information out there that we yet don't know about, going back 10 years to the Oklahoma City bombing. I'm glad you and your team are looking into this. And, I just want to alert our viewers, you can see Paula's exclusive interview with Terry Nichols' ex-wife tonight on "PAULA ZAHN NOW." That airs at 8:00 Eastern, 5:00 Pacific. Important television that you will be interested in seeing. Thank you, Paula, very much.

And please stay tuned to CNN day and night for the most reliable news about your security.

When we come back, the newly elected pope set goals today in hopes of unifying Christians around the world. So, why are some worried he could become a polarizing pope? Our Brian Todd has been looking into that.

Breaking the color barrier: remembering one Marine's struggle, and how he changed the U.S. Marine Corps forever.

Plus this -- busting down the door and the windows and everything else. These elephants crashed into a restaurant, and that's our "Picture of the Day." We'll have details.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Welcome back.

Pope Benedict XVI held his first mass today and pledged to maintain a dialogue within his church and with what he called "other civilizations."

But, in at least one country, there's deep concern, based on his earlier record as cardinal. Let's get the latest. CNN's Brian Todd, joining us live. Brian?

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, Benedict XVI is now going through a very familiar and age-old predicament: the past catching up to you. In Benedict's case, this involves a very prominent and influential nation.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TODD (voice-over): In Istanbul and Ankara, on newsstands and online, headlines scream displeasure over the ascendancy of Joseph Ratzinger to the papacy. He was Turkey's last choice, says one.

Benedict XVI has seemingly lost hearts and minds in predominantly Muslim Turkey, over remarks he made last August. In an interview with the newspaper "Le Figaro," then-Cardinal Ratzinger was asked about Turkey's effort to join the European Union. Translated from French, his answer, "Turkey always represented another continent during history, always in contrast with Europe." He later says, quote, "to identify both continents as one would be a mistake. It would be about a loss of richness and cultural disparity, in order to justify an economic motive."

We called the press office at the Vatican for clarification, and were told none would be offered. The editor of "Ignatius Press," who was a protege of Ratzinger's, and whose publication has translated his writings, points out the new pope, like John Paul II, has reached out to other faiths, including Islam. But on the question of Turkey... REV. JOSEPH FESSIO, IGNATIUS PRESS: Turkey does not have a bridge through tradition with Christian Europe, and therefore it should be part of, you know, the Arabian bloc. What has made Europe great has been Jesus Christ.

TODD: Turkey's prime minister downplays the controversy, quoted as saying, "it's possible that, as pope, Benedict's statements about Turkey will be very different." But, in this era of fragile, often fragmented relations between Islam and the West, how will Muslim advocates receive a pope who so recently spoke in controversial terms about a cultural divide?

IBRAHIM HOOPER, COUN. ON AM.-ISLAMIC RELATIONS: If he has some concerns about Turkey entering the EU, perhaps Muslim leaders from around the world can sit with him and try and allay some of his concerns. But I think the attitude, the basic attitude, of respect and tolerance is one that we hope to see from the new pope.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TODD (on camera): And here's a very ironic note: This pope's predecessor in name, Benedict XV, did so much to help Turkey in World War I that he has a statue in Istanbul, saluting him as, quote, "the benefactor of all people irrespective of nationality or religion." Wolf?

BLITZER: All right, Brian Todd reporting. Thank you, Brian, very much.

He had to break the color barrier to win his gold bars: the story of a Marine who had to fight to defend his country.

And, restaurant rampage: Was it bad service that caused these elephants to trash the joint? Look at this. We'll tell you what happened.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Welcome back.

He was a veteran of two wars, but his greatest service to this country didn't necessarily happen on the battlefield. His name, Frederick Branch. And he was to the Marine Corps what Jackie Robinson was to baseball. Our senior Pentagon correspondent Jamie McIntyre has this remarkable story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MCINTYRE (voice-over): When his wife Peggy pinned gold second lieutenant bars on him in 1945, Frederick Branch entered the history books as the first African-American to be commissioned an officer in the Marines. Fifty-two years later, the couple reenacted the moment at a 1997 ceremony honoring his pioneer status.

A building at the officer candidate school at Quantico, Virginia, was named after Branch by the same Marine Corps that had to be ordered to desegregate by President Roosevelt in 1941.

CAPT. FEDERICK BRANCH (RET), U.S. MARINE CORPS: I did my boot in the camp they set up, in the swamps of Camp Lejeune. The Marine Corps never admitted negros, we were banned (ph) then, until 1942.

MCINTYRE: The fourth of seven sons of a North Carolina minister, Branch was laid to rest at Quantico National Cemetery with full military honors Wednesday. Branch was drafted by the Marines, but with an older brother who was an Army officer, Branch too aspired to the upper ranks. But all of Branch's requests for officer training were rebuffed until during his tour in the Pacific, he impressed one colonel who told him he'd approve his application.

BRANCH: And he did. He approved it for command of negro troops.

MCINTYRE: The war was over by the time Branch graduated, the only African-American in a class of 250 future officers. And he'd made dean's list to boot.

Recalled to active duty in Korea War, he rose to captain and was assigned to Camp Pendleton where he commanded an 80-man anti-aircraft unit.

BRANCH: It was slightly ironical, because my CO had recommended that I be commissioned for command of negro troops. And as it turned out, my first command had one negro and 79 whites.

MILTON BRANCH, BROTHER: When the father of one of his men came to visit from Texas and saw his son saluting my brother, he asked him, what are you doing, saluting that -- and used a racial epithet. The young man proudly said, that's my commanding officer.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MCINTYRE: The final tribute to Captain Frederick Branch came at his funeral today in Quantico, a three rifle volley salute.

He was 82 -- Wolf.

BLITZER: We'll salute Frederick Branch as well. Thank you very much, Jamie McIntyre for that story.

Now a question: Where does an elephant sit when he enters a restaurant? The answer, anywhere he wants. We'll explain. That's our picture of the day. It's coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CRAIG SCOTT, COLUMBINE STUDENT: I think that there was a lot of fingers being pointed after Columbine happened at a lot of different things. The biggest blame lied with the two shooters themselves.

The library was the first room that the two shooters entered. They came over to where I was sitting and they saw my friend Isiah. And Isiah was so scared. The last thing that he heard in his life was racial slurs being made against him. And the last thing that he said was, I want to see my mom.

After the two shooters killed Matt and Isiah next to me, and then left the library, I heard a voice telling me to get out of there. I yelled at everybody, come on, let's get out of here, I think they're gone. And I had this feeling something wasn't right with my sister Rachel.

They came up and began to mock her for her Christian beliefs. Her final moment was when Eric picked her up by her hair and asked her, do you still believe in God? And she said, yes, I do. He said, well go be with him.

I'm going to the Colorado Film Institute. I'm studying film and video. The shooters at Columbine were really influenced by violence through the media. They dwelled on it. So I have an interest in making things that will be just as entertaining, yet they'll reinforce positive values.

I also travel and I speak in high schools for a program called Rachel's Challenge, for my dad's program. Kids need to know that their choices, their actions on others, have an effect. They need to know that they matter. They need to know they have worth.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: In our picture of the day, they were the kind of guests no restaurant wants: pushy, loud, and destructive. But getting them to leave wasn't easy, because they each weigh well over a ton.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: They didn't have a reservation, but that didn't stop these elephants from smashing their way into this restaurant in Seoul, South Korea. They were among six elephants that escaped from a nearby amusement park zoo during a parade, a daily event there. An official there says one of the animals apparently got spooked, took off, and the others followed.

These wound up at this restaurant, where a frightened worker barely managed to get out of their way as they trampled everything in their path. The mahouts, or elephant handlers tried to corral their charges with little success, as curious crowds looked on.

With the help of firefighters and police, they eventually managed to round up all of the escaped animals and return them to the amusement park.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: All's well that ends well. And the show is ending right now.

"LOU DOBBS TONIGHT" starts right now. Kitty Pilgrim standing by live -- Kitty.

END

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