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CNN Live Today

Base Closures; Defending the War; Robertson's Remarks

Aired August 24, 2005 - 11:00   ET

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

DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Let's take a look at what's happening "Now in the News."
The 11th named tropical storm of 2005 in the Atlantic hurricane season is now churning its way through the Caribbean. Tropical Storm Katrina developed from a tropical depression southeast of the Bahamas. A storm watch has been issued for the southeast Florida coast and parts of the Keys.

In Iraq, a brazen daylight attack by insurgents leaves five people dead, at least 31 wounded. Three civilians and two police are among the dead. Officials say the assault on police checkpoints in western Baghdad was sophisticated and well coordinated. Insurgents fired mortars, detonated a car bomb, and attacked officers with rocket-propelled grenades and AK-47 rifles.

Police arrest a man in his early 50s in the shooting deaths of two Wal-Mart workers in Phoenix, Arizona. The two employee, age 18 and 19, were gunned down as they gathered shopping carts in the store parking lot. Police say the man faces first-degree murder charges.

Good morning. Welcome to the second hour of CNN LIVE TODAY. Let's check the time around the world.

Just after 8:00 a.m. in Caracas, Venezuela; just after 5:00 p.m. in Innsbruck, Austria; and just past 7:00 p.m. in Baghdad.

From CNN Center in Atlanta, Georgia, I'm Daryn Kagan.

Communities and military bases around the country are closely watching developments in Washington today. A commission is voting on the Pentagon's list of recommended base closings. At least one of those bases today catches a break.

Our David Ensor is following today's hearing. He joins me live now from the Pentagon.

Good morning

DAVID ENSOR, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn.

Things aren't quite going according to the script. The Pentagon had proposed that the submarine base at New London, Connecticut, be closed, and the commission voted 7-1, with one on abstention, to keep it open. So this is the first setback for the Pentagon's plans to dramatically reorganize and cut back on the base structure in the United States in the wake of the Cold War. Many of the proposals have been accepted.

One lesser proposal, to close the Red River Army Depot, that was watered down. The commission voted to keep it open. But it will be reduced very dramatically in size.

So this is a victory for -- certainly for the congressional delegation from Connecticut, which had argued that this submarine base was just quintessentially important to the submarine fleet of the United States. It's the home of 16 attack submarines. About 8,500 jobs were at stake in the decision by the commission to -- to keep the base open.

This is a setback for the Pentagon's plans, but a Navy official here said, "We support the process. This is how it's supposed to work."

Here's how the chairman of the commission spoke about the proposal to close New London.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANTHONY PRINCIPI, BRAC CHAIRMAN: We closed New London down, we will never get it back. I think it would be a tragic mistake, a tragic loss to this nation, if this recommendation was to be approved. I will oppose the recommendations, support the amendment by General Newton.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ENSOR: Nonetheless, all over the country, communities are watching closely. The Pentagon has proposed closing about 16 -- 62 major bases, for a saving of $49 billion over the coming years, along with hundreds of others closing and realignments. The proposals have to go to the president, who makes the final decision by September 8 -- Daryn.

KAGAN: And so can the president pick and choose which of these he approves?

ENSOR: Yes, he can. He could overrule, he could change. But he may not, because with all the delicacy of the process, and with the votes already having been made, it may be easier, politically, to go along with the commission. That is what presidents have generally done in the past -- Daryn.

KAGAN: David Ensor, live from the Pentagon.

David, thank you.

On now to a bold attack in Iraq. Does it signal a change in tactics for insurgents? Dozens of people went to hospitals after rebels hit police checkpoints and patrols in Baghdad today. And unlike other attacks, the insurgents stayed around to fight.

They used a mixture of rocket-propelled grenades, AK-47s and car bombs to battle police. And they even dressed for the part. Some reports say they wore black uniforms and masks. Police sources tell CNN five people are dead, more than 30 wounded.

In a separate attack, insurgents tried to assassinate Iraq's deputy justice prime minister today. Gunmen opened fire on his convoy, killing four of his bodyguards.

And in Baquba, north of Baghdad, a car bomb killed seven people. A U.S. soldier and an American civilian are among the dead. Seventy- three Americans have now been killed in Iraq this month.

For a third straight day, President Bush interrupts his vacation to defend his policies on Iraq.

White House Correspondent Dana Bash is travelling with the president in Idaho this morning.

Dana, good morning.

DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn.

And the president will be speaking to members of the Idaho National Guard, as well as men and women from the Mountain Home Air Force Base nearby here. Also in the audience, Daryn, we expect families of men and some women who were killed in action in Iraq and Afghanistan. And after the president's speech, he will be meeting privately. He has about two-plus hours on his schedule to do so with these families.

This is the first time he has done this since Cindy Sheehan, who, of course, lost her son in Iraq and has -- is making her way back to Texas to continue her vigil outside the president's ranch, first time he has met with family since Cindy Sheehan started that vigil. And the president, we are told by aides, will use this address to continue to beat back Cindy Sheehan's argument that the troops should come home now.

The president previewed that line of argument yesterday. He was with the governor of Idaho, nearby in Donnelly there. He was there for a day of recreation.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I think immediate withdrawal from Iraq would be a mistake. I think those who advocate immediate withdrawal or -- from not only Iraq, but the Middle East, would be -- are advocating a policy that would weaken the United States.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASH: Now, that is an argument that we are told the president is going to try to make, sort of elaborate on, by pointing to recent history. Events like Somalia, for example, where the president believes, and will say he believes, that the U.S. pulling out perhaps emboldened terrorists, emboldened those who were trying to hurt and attack the United States and its allies around the world.

Now, one last thing, Daryn. We do know, of course, that Cindy Sheehan has been able to become sort of a face, a symbol, of the antiwar movement. We do expect the president to point to some of his own symbols, if you will, in this speech, some families who are in the audience who have served, even multiple family members who have served and are serving in Iraq -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Dana Bash, live from Idaho.

Thank you.

The Pentagon inspector general is reviewing an Army investigation into the death of Pat Tillman. Tillman left professional football to join the Army Rangers. He was killed in Afghanistan in 2004.

At first, the Army said he was killed by the Taliban. Later, they said it was friendly fire.

Tillman's father tells the "San Francisco Chronicle," "The investigations were fraud. I'm not involved with political agendas. I only want to get to the bottom of this." The Army says it could have handled the information better but denies any attempt to cover it up.

It's seven minutes past the hour. Christian broadcaster Pat Robertson is now backing off from comments that many thought called for the assassination of Venezuelan President Chavez. First, let's listen to what Robertson said on Monday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PAT ROBERTSON, "THE 700 CLUB": If he thinks we're trying to assassinate him, I think that we really ought to go ahead and do it. It's a whole lot cheaper than starting a war.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: Today, Robertson said he wasn't actually calling for Mr. Chavez's assassination, even though the Bush administration is among those that seem to think that's what he was doing. Here now is what Robertson said today on his "700 Club" program.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERTSON: August is a slow news day, but it seems like the whole world is talking about my comments about Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chavez. And that reaction followed a CBN News investigation into the potential danger from the South American dictator. I said our special forces should "take him out." And take him out can be a number of things, including kidnapping. There are a number of ways to take out a dictator from power besides killing him. I was misinterpreted by the AP, but that happens all the time.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: Well, whatever Mr. Robertson said or meant to say, his comments aren't new to controversy.

CNN's Bruce Morton has that story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRUCE MORTON, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): He's done it before. Here's Pat Robertson on feminism in a 1992 fund-raising letter. "The feminist agenda is not about equal rights for women. It is about a socialist, anti-family political movement that encourage women to leave their husbands, kill their children, practice witchcraft, destroy capitalism and become lesbians."

Pat Robertson on gays on his TV program "The 700 Club" in 1993: "When lawlessness is abroad in the land, the same thing will happen here that happened in Nazi, Germany. Many of those people involved in Adolph Hitler were Satanists. Many of them were homosexuals. The two things seemed to go together."

Robertson on the religion of Islam...

ROBERTSON: I think Osama bin Laden is probably a very dedicated follower of Mohammed. He's done exactly what Mohammed said to do. And we disagree with him, obviously, and I'm sure many moderate Muslims do as well. But you can't say the religion is a religion of peace. It's not.

MORTON: In 2003, he suggested a small nuclear blast to shake up the State Department, whose building is in a Washington neighborhood called Foggy Bottom. "Maybe we need a very small nuke thrown off on Foggy Bottom to shake things up like New Gingrich wants to do."

Two days later, he said he didn't really mean it.

Does it matter when he says these things? He ran for president in 1988 and finished second in Iowa behind Bob Dole, pushing the eventual winner, George Herbert Walker Bush, into third place. His organization, the Christian Coalition, probably peaked in the late 1990s, when a number of his best organizers left.

But today, the 75-year-old televangelist Christian Broadcasting Network is still widely seen on TV.

Bruce Morton, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: We have some significant weather news to focus on. Katrina blowing the life off the southeastern U.S. coast today. The tropical storm is expected to bring a soaker to south Florida tomorrow.

And Floridians, you know the drill.

Many are hitting home supply stores to stock up on storm basics like batteries, plywood and generators. Katrina is over the Bahamas this morning, with 40-mile-an-hour winds. But that could just be a taste of what is to come.

Jacqui Jeras is here with more on Katrina and other weather news.

(WEATHER REPORT)

KAGAN: Europe is dealing with its own kind of weather trouble. Water gushing through the villages in the Alps. A report on the downpours and muddy mess as we cover the floods on LIVE TODAY.

Smokers scramble for high-tech lung cancer tests. Should you go into the barrel for a CT scan? We will check it out.

And live this hour, a back-to-school chat with Education Secretary and mom Margaret Spellings. No Child Left Behind, you might say it's her baby.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Gas prices have dipped slightly for the second day running. Overall, though, the numbers at the pump remain relatively high. Here's a sample for you.

Chicago, you're paying an average of $2.81 a gallon. In New York, you have $2.75. And D.C. drivers, ha, a bargain, $2.69.

CNN's Allan Chernoff is in Edgewater, New Jersey, with the latest on how consumers are coping.

What are numbers like there, Allan?

ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN SR. CORRESPONDENT: Well, the numbers aren't as bad here as they are elsewhere around the country. But nonetheless, they are still painful here. And it really depends on your income in terms of how badly you're being affected.

The wealthy, they're still making their shopping sprees to their favorite boutiques. But for many people, including plenty of shoppers here in Edgewater, New Jersey, they are simply changing their shopping habits.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHERNOFF (voice over): Beth Cioffi spent $64 to fill up her SUV this week.

BETH CIOFFI, DISCOUNT SHOPPER: It's killing me. Killing me and my family. I don't know what we're going to do. CHERNOFF: What Cioffi is doing is economizing elsewhere, buying only necessities, and telling her 6-year-old twins no.

CIOFFI: No more toys. You know, thank god my kids don't need toys so much. But, you know, when they used to get things that they didn't need, they're not -- you know, they used to get it, but now they'll have to do without it.

CHERNOFF: That's why Cioffi is shopping alone.

CIOFFI: Because if I brought them to the store, they'd be asking for every -- you know, every three seconds, "Can I get this? Can I get that?"

And usually I'd say, "Sure. Sure. Sure." But, you know, that's why I come here alone, because I just can't afford to say yes anymore.

CHERNOFF (on camera): Retailers that cater to value-conscious consumers are feeling their customers pain. Even here at Dollar Tree, where everything's a dollar, shoppers are cutting back.

(voice over): Americans with moderate incomes are taking fewer trips to the store, and buying less.

MARIE PHAYER, DISCOUNT SHOPPER: Not buying so many things for my grandchildren that's worth things and things and things just to give them.

CHERNOFF: Retailing experts say prices at the pump are squeezing the country's deepest discounters: Dollar Tree, Family Dollar and Dollar General. Not only are their core customers tightening up, but they also have to pay more to get their products delivered.

ERIC BEDER, RETAIL ANALYST: If you're a dollar store, you pretty much have to be a dollar. You can't really raise your prices to pick up for these higher gas prices. So they're being hurt the most.

CHERNOFF: Wal-Mart, the world's number one retailer, says gas prices are slowing its sales growth. Shoppers still buying plenty of food there, but fewer high-profit items.

GINO BRANDONISIO, DISCOUNT SHOPPER: I have to buy the things that I need, but as far as things that I want, I have to cut down on that because of gas prices.

CHERNOFF: If gas prices keep rising, American economizing may have only just begun. While Beth Cioffi is still buying less at the store, she's still spending plenty at the gas pump to keep driving her 2005 GMC Denali.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHERNOFF: Yes, it's all about priorities. Some people are leaving that sport utility vehicle in the garage, while others keep on driving and are make their sacrifices elsewhere. By the way, Dollar Tree, this morning, reported a decline in its latest quarterly profit -- Daryn.

KAGAN: All right. Allan, thank you for that.

Let's see how this is all affecting the markets. That's where we find Susan Lisovicz.

(STOCK MARKET REPORT)

KAGAN: Disasters we're talking about when we come back in the news for the second time this month. More on that ahead.

A plane crashes in the South American jungle. This time there are survivors.

And in Europe, drought and heat combine for a perilous fire season in Portugal.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: This just in from southern California. Four cyclists are missing in a remote canyon of Orange County. As you can see these lives pictures, that search is on.

I have on phone with me right now Jim Amormino, from the Orange County Sheriff's Department.

Jim, thank you for being here with us.

JIM AMORMINO, ORANGE COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPT.: You're welcome.

KAGAN: Tell us what we know about these four cyclists and what you know about the search.

AMORMINO: Well, they were lost last night. They did make contact with one of their wives, who contacted the Orange County Sheriff's Department.

We launched our helicopter. We did make a visual sighting of the bikers at approximately 11:30 last night. However, they're in a very remote location on a very narrow deer trail, and a rescue attempt at that time would be impossible.

Again, at 4:00 this morning, we made another visual sighting, as well as communication through a cell phone. Apparently, their cell phone battery has died. We've had no communication with the bikers since 4:00 this morning. And what's very important is that one of the bikers is apparently suffering from mild hypothermia and/or exhaustion, so it's very important that we do find them.

KAGAN: Other than that, are their any other injuries? Because what would have kept them from turning around and getting out the way they came in?

AMORMINO: They are in a very remote mountain location, and it's very easy to get lost there. And apparently they did. We do have our helicopter up, again, attempting to locate the them, several media helicopters. Hopefully, we'll find them soon and get medical attention to the one that does need it.

KAGAN: So do you think that they're moving or -- and they're not staying put?

AMORMINO: They are moving. Where we spotted them at 4:00 this morning, they are no longer at that location. We have no idea where they are. Hopefully, we'll be able to get a visual on them and rescue them.

KAGAN: And when you did have cell phone contact with them, were they told to stay put, or were they told to move to an area where it would have been easier to rescue them?

AMORMINO: You know, I'm not sure. I think they were told to stay there, that a rescue would be made at daybreak. However, when they went back to attempt the rescue, they were no longer at that location. I'm not sure if it was miscommunication, misunderstanding, or what.

KAGAN: All right. Well, we wish you well with that search, the search for four missing cyclists in a remote canyon in Orange County, California.

Jim Amormino with the Orange County Sheriff's Department.

Thank you, Jim.

The government says No Child Left Behind, but another school year settles in. How are students doing when it comes to the three Rs? Education Secretary Margaret Spellings joins me here when CNN LIVE TODAY returns.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Let's take a look at what's happening "Now in the News."

Six people were killed after fighting between police and insurgents on the west side of Baghdad today. Police sources tell CNN that 31 others were wounded in that fighting. The battle occurred after insurgents staged a bold daylight strike against police checkpoints.

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