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CNN Live Today

President Bush Holds Press Conference; DeLay's Second Indictment; Looking Into New York Tour Boat Tragedy

Aired October 04, 2005 - 12:00   ET

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

TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: And checking some stories "Now in the News."
President Bush is calling on the Senate to vote on Supreme Court nominee Harriet Miers by Thanksgiving. In a Rose Garden news conference a short time ago, Mr. Bush defended his choice of Miers against Democratic charges of cronyism.

Mr. Bush touched on a number of other issues, including hurricane recover. He says he will work with Congress to make real cuts in non- security spending to help rebuild the Gulf Coast.

Three days after launching Operation Iron Fist, the U.S. military has started two new offensives against insurgents in western Iraq. The new operations are called River Gate and Mountaineers. They're focused on an area in Anbar Province, along the Syrian border, a hotbed of insurgent activity.

Former President Bill Clinton is getting a firsthand look at some of the damage Hurricane Katrina left behind. He is in Baton Rouge and New Orleans today. Tomorrow he visits the Mississippi and Alabama Gulf coasts.

Clinton is heading up the Katrina fund, along with former President George Bush. The fund has raised more than $100 million.

Mexico's oil-rich Gulf Coast is bracing for Hurricane Stan. Thousands of people have fled to shelters. As the storm approaches, the busy port of Veracruz is closed. Oil platforms are abandoned, and schools across the region are closed. Forecasters warn that heavy rain from the Category 1 hurricane could trigger floods and landslides.

And good morning, good afternoon. Welcome to CNN LIVE TODAY. From CNN Center in Atlanta, I'm Tony Harris.

Daryn Kagan has the day off.

We begin this hour with a flurry of political activity. An the last 28 hours, President Bush has nominated White House counsel Harriet Miers to replace Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, and questions about Miers dominated the president's first news conference in four months, which wrapped up in the last hour.

Covering it all at the White House, our Bob Franken.

And Bob, the president said, "I picked the best person I could find, and she won't change."

BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Very interesting. As a matter of fact, the "she won't change" an assurance to conservatives who are worried about David Souter, who was nominated by President Bush's father and has become somebody who antagonizes conservatives just about every step that he takes.

In any case, Harriet Miers, says the president, he knows her very well, she's not going to change, she's going to be the same 10 years from now as she is now, and that is a reliable conservative.

Also, charges that the president wanted to answer about her competence and the fact that he chose somebody he knew and engaged in cronyism. The president said no, that was not the case, this was the right person.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: She's an enormously accomplished person who is incredibly bright. Secondly, she knows the kind of judge I'm looking for. After all, she was a part of the process that selected John Roberts.

I don't want somebody to go on the bench to try to supplant the legislative process. I'm interested in people that will be strict constructionists.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FRANKEN: And the president is trying to head off a fight. There are a lot of disappointed conservatives who believe that the president should have chosen somebody who was much more certified as a conservative with a track record to prove it. And then there are the liberals who are going to want a fight because they're itching for a fight.

The president covered a variety of other subjects, really -- in fact, really didn't say that much about a variety of other subjects. On whether he would remove anybody from his administration who was indicted in the Valerie Plame case, he would not give any answer to that.

He said things are beginning to go smoothly in Iraq. There have been some questions about that in recent days.

On and on and on.

The president also spent quite a bit of time expressing concern about the possibility of an Avian flu epidemic, saying that there would be some horrible policy decisions that might have to be made if that becomes a reality.

One really pressing question from a reporter for the "LA Times" who asked the president whether he still had any political capital, and the president responded very, very briskly, "Plenty."

He's going have -- have it drained in all probability, Tony, in the days ahead.

HARRIS: Sounds like it. Bob Franken at the White House for us.

Bob, thank you.

Now to the legal worries of Congressman Tom DeLay of Texas. Just days after being indicted on a conspiracy charge in a campaign finance probe, DeLay is now facing more serious legal trouble. A Texas grand jury yesterday indicted the former House majority leader on more charges, including one for alleged money laundering.

Senior Political Correspondent Candy Crowley is in Washington with more on this latest legal twist.

And Candy, I have to ask you, those who criticize these charges point to this as being prosecutorial overreach. But, you know, you can't laugh these charges away, can you?

CANDY CROWLEY, CNN SR. POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: No, these are much more serious charges, in that they, in fact, have a longer prison sentence; if convicted, a larger fine. It appears what's happened is that we're talking about the same incident, and that is the $190,000 that prosecutors allege was washed through the Republican National Committee in order to fit Texas law.

And what's happened here is that the first charge, the conspiracy charge, was filed under state -- you know, as a violation against state election law. This is against state money laundering laws. So there's a conspiracy charge and the charge that he, in fact, did launder money through the Republican National Committee, or an arm of it.

HARRIS: And if you listen to Tom DeLay and his attorney, the sense was, at least yesterday, before these new charges were filed, is that this was something that could be handled relatively quickly, it would move away, and that Tom DeLay could return rather quickly to his leadership position.

CROWLEY: Right. They thought, at least the DeLay side, looking at the original one charge of conspiracy under state election law, looked and said there was no conspiracy charge in state election law at the time. So therefore, he can't really file a charge, because we're going back to early 2002. So they thought they could quickly dismiss it and he would be back.

The money laundering charges do exist on the books. This will take a good deal longer, and therefore, if Tom DeLay is to make a comeback and retain his seat as majority leader and go back into it, it will be a longer time between now and then than he thought.

HARRIS: And you mentioned last hour the president starts these news conferences by talking about the things he wants to talk about. Curious that there was no mention of DeLay, and then, from what I heard, no question about the DeLay situation.

CROWLEY: Well, when -- you'll recall that there were some ethical questions that Democrats were raising about Tom DeLay several months back that had to do with House ethics rules, not with this current case. And at the time, Tom DeLay was, you know, headline news, there was a lot of talk about his ethical behavior. And the president had a news conference -- I think probably his last one -- and nobody asked about it...

HARRIS: Right.

CROWLEY: ... because by and large, it's really a congressional Tom DeLay problem at this point.

HARRIS: Got you.

CROWLEY: And it's not something you're going to get much of an answer. You know, reporters sort of, as you know, game out their questions, saying, well, if I ask this, he's going to say that.

HARRIS: Right.

CROWLEY: And if I ask this -- so, you know, if you ask the president of the United States about Tom DeLay, he'll say, we'll let the judicial system take its course.

HARRIS: Yes.

CROWLEY: So it's sort of a waste of breath.

HARRIS: Yes. Senior Political Correspondent Candy Crowley in Washington for us.

Candy, thank you.

CROWLEY: OK.

HARRIS: In upstate New York, some new developments to tell you about in the tour boat tragedy on a mountain lake. Divers have raised the boat from 70 feet of water, and now investigators are going over it with a fine tooth comb as they search for the cause of the accident.

CNN's Susan Lisovicz is keeping track of the latest developments in Lake George, New York, for us.

Hi, Susan.

SUSAN LISOVICZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Tony.

And another very busy day here on Lake George. We're coming to you live, several miles south of where the Ethan Allen capsized and sank on Sunday, the southernmost tip of Lake George. And is where the Ethan Allen and other tour boats actually originate their tours. But all is quiet behind me this afternoon.

This is also the headquarters of Shoreline Cruises. Its operation suspended yesterday afternoon by the New York State Parks Department because, quite simply, it was understaffed when it took its party of 47 passengers out Sunday afternoon. New York State law required at least an additional crewmember to be on board.

Shoreline Cruises operates four other boats in addition to the Ethan Allen, including the Adirondack, obviously a much larger boat, just behind me.

Meanwhile, as you mentioned, Tony, authorities today getting their first crack at the Ethan Allen, which was raised very dramatically yesterday from a depth of 70 feet in Lake George. Authorities say that they are going to be looking at the hull, the throttle, the engine, everything, to see if they can piece together what happened on Sunday for this boat to go down so quickly in very calm waters.

But meanwhile, divers have returned to the scene of the accident for a very different mission.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHERIFF LARRY CLEVELAND, WARREN COUNTY, NEW YORK: The divers have all gone back up there this morning, both state police and sheriff's office. Their purpose is to completely search this site for scattered debris. And in particular, we're looking for personal effects from all of these folks.

We know there's articles on the bottom. I know there's pocket books that have been found, satchel bags that people had things that they were bringing with them.

We're trying to get all of those things put back together so we can get them all returned. So that's this morning's activity on the lake.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LISOVICZ: And Tony, when we last spoke, there was some confusion as to why we wouldn't be hearing from Shoreline Cruises this very hour. Well, perhaps we got a clarification on why that is not taking place.

The NTSB telling us that they are not allowed to speak in any aspect about the -- about what happened on Sunday afternoon. However, there was a voicemail, the outgoing message on the company's phone number -- phone line, saying that expressed remorse for the accident, its condolences -- sending its condolences to relatives and friends of the victims, and also saying that it is cooperating fully with authorities -- Tony.

HARRIS: OK, Susan.

Susan Lisovicz for us.

Susan, thank you.

We've been telling you throughout the morning that former President Clinton is in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, getting a firsthand look at recovery efforts after Katrina and Rita. Comments from President Clinton just a short time ago in Baton Rouge. Let's take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. KATHLEEN BLANCO (D), LOUISIANA: I'd like to say a very special welcome to President Bill Clinton. He's been working with President Bush Sr. on helping to raise money for our efforts here in Louisiana.

We just are pleased to have him. We have a lot of stories to tell.

A lot of tragic things have happened in Louisiana. Many of you are here to tell your stories. And we want to find the right ways to help you and bring the right things to you that you need right now, today, and tomorrow, and in the days to come.

We, here in Louisiana, have suffered a catastrophic event of proportions that this country has never, ever experienced in its history. And we know we need a lot of help.

And so President Bill Clinton, welcome to Louisiana, and thank you for your spirit of generosity, and the work that you've been doing, and will continue to do for us.

WILLIAM JEFFERSON CLINTON, FMR. PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Thank you, Governor.

(APPLAUSE)

CLINTON: Thank you.

Well, good morning. I'm not going to stand up and give a speech, because I want to spend most of the time just listening to you. But I wanted to just say a couple of things.

First of all, Governor, I want to thank you and all of the people of the state of Louisiana who have been volunteering here, and the people of Baton Rouge who have taken in so many people from other places. That has been an astonishing thing.

Not since 1927, when the Mississippi flooded, have we had this many Americans dislocated at the same time. So it's almost without precedent, and very much like the work I do half a world away in South Asia, where we had a million people displaced by that tsunami. And so I want to thank all of you who have been working on this.

Former President Bush and I were asked to raise money from private sources, and we wound up -- we didn't actually raise it all for our fund, but we wound up having pledges that probably will be somewhere in the neighborhood of $100 million. Now, we're talking about tens of billions of dollars, maybe $200 billion or more that will be necessary to restore this whole area. So we don't have a lot of money, but what we've tried to do is to set up a system that will help people solve problems in the short run that the government won't fund or can't fund, or help people that are falling between the cracks, or help put together systems that will get the people's lives up and going as quick as possible.

And I've talked to the governor about this, and Mr. Whett (ph), who's working with the state of Louisiana, who was my FEMA director when I was president. And I'm going from here down to New Orleans, and then I'm going over to Mississippi.

And next week, President Bush is coming down. We had to come separately, because he couldn't come until next week. And the day he can come is my 30th wedding anniversary. And I like you folks a lot, but if I miss that I would be in more trouble than I care to think about.

So I'm glad to be down here. And I really thank you for taking time to meet with me.

But my concern here is just to do -- to listen to you and talk about your problems, and try to figure out how we can best spend this money we've got to help the largest number of people who would not otherwise be helped by the government programs or by the incredible work that the Red Cross has been doing.

So that's all I'd like to say, except I'm really sorry for what you've been through. And I'm honored to be here.

Who would like to go first?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: And there you have former President Bill Clinton in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in a shelter there meeting with Katrina survivors and thanking the volunteers for all of their hard work, and talking about the billions of dollars that's going to be needed to recover and to rebuild not only New Orleans, but all of those areas affected along the Gulf Coast.

Meeting there with Kathleen Blanco, the governor of Louisiana, and other officials, getting a complete update on the situation on the ground there. Former President Clinton in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

A powerful explosion rocks Baghdad just outside the highly- fortified Green Zone. A live report from the Iraqi capital straight ahead.

And new flu fears. Just how much of a danger does the new dog flu pose? All ahead this hour on CNN LIVE TODAY.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: The U.S. casualty count rises in Iraq. Four American soldiers and a Marine were killed in combat yesterday. Three soldiers died from blasts in Anbar Province, and a Marine was killed in a nearby bombing. Another soldier died from his wounds in a shootout.

The deaths bring the U.S. military death toll in Iraq to 1, 944.

U.S. and Iraqi forces are striking back. Today, troops launched a two-pronged attack against insurgents in the volatile Anbar Province.

Joining with us details on that and more violence in Baghdad is CNN's Aneesh Raman.

Hello, Aneesh.

ANEESH RAMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Tony, good afternoon. We'll get to those operations in a moment.

First, this morning, a suicide car bomb rocking the Iraqi capital, exploding just outside that highly-fortified Green Zone. At least three people were killed, including an Iraqi civilian. Seven others were wounded.

The Green Zone, of course, a perennial target of mortar fire, as well as these car bombs at those perimeter checkpoints. Within the Green Zone is the U.S. military, as well as key Iraqi government infrastructure.

Now, the military announced today, Tony, the launch of two major operations to curb violence like what we saw this morning out in the western Al Anbar Province. They have been three operations in the past four days.

Today, Operation River Gate launched in and around the city of Haditha. It is one of the largest U.S. military assaults in that area to date.

Some 2,500 U.S. troops, along with 400 to 500 Iraqi security forces, really trying to curb out the insurgent in Haditha, which is seen as a critical crossroads of smuggling both of weapons and those foreign fighters that cross that Syrian border into Iraq.

Close by, in and around the city of Ramadi, Operation Mountaineer is taking place. Also launched today with some 500 U.S. troops. They are really trying to prevent in the days as we head towards that critical October 15 referendum vote weapons coming into the capital, going throughout the country that could attack polling stations.

So the operations continue. The first one, Operation Iron Fist, of course, launched on Saturday. The Marines say they have killed upwards of 60 suspected insurgents, they've encountered small arms fire, as well as a number of IEDs, as they continue to search house to house to root out the insurgency, Tony.

HARRIS: CNN's Aneesh Raman for us.

Aneesh, thank you.

A check of your weather is coming up.

Plus, authorities in China are still searching for those missing after a deadly typhoon.

CNN LIVE TODAY is back in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: A search for survivors is under way in China after a killer typhoon swept across the southeast coast. The storm killed at least 50 people when it slammed into Fujian Province.

Dozens of other people are still missing after they were swept away by raging floodwaters. It's reported that the storm has destroyed about 5,400 homes and wiped out 31,000 acres of crops.

And we are certainly keeping an eye on the tropics here. For more storm activity, no one is keeping a closer eye on the situation than Jacque Jeras, upstairs in the CNN weather center.

(WEATHER REPORT)

HARRIS: New flu fears. This particular strain affecting your dog. How concerned should pet owners be? And can it spread to humans? That's ahead.

Plus, batter up. Baseball playoffs begin today. We'll look at the big hitters, the runs, the hits, the errors when CNN LIVE TODAY returns.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Let's get you caught up on headlines "Now in the News."

President Bush says his pick for the Supreme Court is the best person for the job. The president earlier dismissed Democratic charges of cronyism, calling Harriet Miers enormously qualified and an outstanding individual. Mr. Bush is urging the Senate to confirm Miers to the court by this Thanksgiving.

Harriet Miers is wasting no time trying to win support from senators. Today Miers is meeting with Senator Orrin Hatch, a former judiciary committee chairman. Later she plans to meet with Senate Republican Charles Grassley. Mr. Bush chose Miers to replace the retiring Sandra Day O'Connor.

U.S. and Iraqi forces widen their net for al Qaeda insurgents. In western Iraq today, troops launched two major offensives in the volatile Anbar Province. The string of offensives began Saturday with Operation Iron Fist. The U.S. military says a total of five U.S. troops died in combat in Iraq yesterday.

Tom DeLay is calling new charges against him an example of prosecutorial abuse. A Texas grand jury has issued a second indictment against the former House majority leader, including one charge of money laundering. DeLay was charged last week with conspiracy to violate campaign finance laws. He denies the charges.

And Delta Airlines says it will cancel a flight if there's a large number of empty seats. The carrier says it's a fuel saving measure. Cancellations will be at least two days at least in advance. Delta says passengers will be easily accommodated on other flights. Just five -- over five weeks after Katrina, authorities in New Orleans have now ended their search for bodies. They've been going to door to door looking for storm victims. At first, it was feared that up to 10,000 might have lost their lives in the storm's floodwaters, but as it stands now, the death toll in Louisiana is 972. But authorities say the death toll will probably continue to rise in neighboring Mississippi. Hurricane Katrina killed at least 221 people.

For many who lost loved ones to Hurricane Katrina, the deaths are only the beginning of the painful odyssey. Next begins the agonizing search for their loved one's remains and some semblance of closure.

CNN's Soledad O'Brien has one man's journey through that maze.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHARLES RASMUSSEN, SON OF HURRICANE VICTIM: This is the swing set we had as children.

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Charles Rasmussen back at his childhood home...

RASMUSSEN: My mother was a natural packrat.

O'BRIEN: ... in the Gentilly neighborhood of New Orleans. Now it's full of mold and muck.

RASMUSSEN: This was one of the greatest stoves.

O'BRIEN: It's the place where his mother lived for nearly 60 years and where she died. Muriel Rasmussen was 90 years old and fiercely independent. She decided to ride out Hurricane Katrina.

RASMUSSEN: She didn't think the storm was really for real.

O'BRIEN: But as the storm approached, Muriel changed her mind and told Charles she was ready to go.

RASMUSSEN: She said, "I'm stuck in the room, the front room." I said, "Why, mother?" She said, "The lights are off and I'm scared to walk in the dark."

O'BRIEN: I was too late. Nine days later, a member of the search and rescue team informed Charles they found the body of his mother.

RASMUSSEN: He came to me and says, "Your mother didn't make it." And they were extremely supportive.

O'BRIEN: For Charles, it was the end of hoping and praying, and the beginning of a painful journey for answers.

The markings on the house show his mother's body was removed on September 18.

RASMUSSEN: Do you have something for me?

O'BRIEN: For days, Charles worked the phones in search for clues about where his mother's body was taken.

RASMUSSEN: Do you have any recommendations for me as to what I could do to kind of, like, put a handle or put a lid on this?

O'BRIEN: Charles's story is not unique. Manned by hundreds of volunteers, the state's family call center in Baton Rouge has logged more than 7,000 calls from people who are looking for their loved ones, whom they fear did not survive the storm.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you know her maiden name?

O'BRIEN: It can be a slow and frustrating process. And officials acknowledge it is not perfect.

DR. CHERYL BOYWERS-STOPHENS, LOUISIANA DEPT. OF HEALTH & HOSPITALS: Given the negative impact of this storm on everyone, including the workforce, I think it's a miracle that we have this up and running, to be quite honest.

O'BRIEN: After five weeks, more than 900 bodies have been recovered, and most lie in the morgue at St. Gabriel near Baton Rouge. According to the state's most recent figures, only 32 of these bodies have been released to family members. Mostly hospital patients and nursing home residents who were wearing IDs on their wrists. The rest will be far more difficult to identify.

DR. LOUIS CATALDIE, MEDICAL INCIDENT CMDR. FOR RECOVERY: It's horrible. It would be horrible. If I had a child in that morgue, it would be horrible, absolutely.

I don't know any way to make it faster. I can't make it faster. I'll try to make it more efficient, but that's all we can do. Those guys are working as fast as they can over there.

O'BRIEN: Then there are the housing problems. Frank Minyard is the coroner of Orleans Parish.

DR. FRANK MINYARD, ORLEANS PARISH CORONER: We've got 40 pathologists who want to come help, but I don't have a place for them to stay. And we could speed it up if we had those guys.

O'BRIEN: For some of the dead, they've simply matched addresses to bodies. The state says it has presumptively identified about 350 bodies. They need more ID, like DNA or dental records, before a positive identification can be made.

Those records, though, are mostly lost or destroyed in the flooding, slowing a time-consuming process even more. More than 230 families have tentatively found the bodies they were searching for.

Now Charles might be among them. Last week, he traveled to Baton Rouge to give a DNA sample, just a simple swab from his cheek. There's a body the coroner thinks might be his mother's. It will take three weeks to know for certain, but there's a good chance his difficult search is finally coming to a close.

RASMUSSEN: When you see someone alive, and you don't have a chance to close with them, like, you know, if they died of cancer, which is a slow death, when they just disappear, then you have a hard time to make closure until you at least get a body be cremated, have a memorial service, then the healing process can begin. Right now, I'm still an open wound.

O'BRIEN: Soledad O'Brien, CNN, New Orleans.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: With fall comes flu season and while most of us have heard about the possible health threats posed by avian or bird flu, now there's a dog flu to worry about.

Joining us from the University of Florida School of Veterinary Medicine is Dr. Cynda Crawford. Doctor, thanks for being with us.

DR. CYNDA CRAWFORD, UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA VETERINARIAN: Thank you very much, Tony, for having me.

HARRIS: Well, let's talk about this dog flu. How many cases of this new dog flu are we seeing?

CRAWFORD: Dozens.

HARRIS: Dozens?

CRAWFORD: Dozens in many different states.

HARRIS: Well, how did we discover this new influenza? Did we treat dogs with flu symptoms and when they didn't respond, realize that we had something different here?

CRAWFORD: I think, historically, there were some outbreaks of respiratory infections in certain populations of dogs in kennels that did not respond to conventional treatment approaches for the everyday kennel cough. And that prompted us to start investigating into the situations to see if there were other potential causes, even those that may have not been described for dogs before.

HARRIS: Any new symptoms attached to this strain, this virus?

CRAWFORD: No. The most common symptom that a dog will have is a cough, and this cough may persist for one to four weeks. In addition, some of these dogs may develop a runny nose, which most likely is due to a secondary bacterial infection, and will respond to appropriate antibiotic therapy.

HARRIS: This dog virus, is it similar to one that we find usually in horses?

CRAWFORD: Yes, it is. As a matter of fact, we think we have scientific evidence to be able to state that the canine influenza virus has derived from the equine influenza virus. In other words, this is an example of one of those rare instances where influenza virus has crossed the species barrier, in this instance from horse to dog.

HARRIS: So we can treat it?

CRAWFORD: Yes, it is treatable and, fortunately, the vast majority of dogs recover without any or mild complications. But it is treatable under the supervision of a veterinarian.

HARRIS: Oh, very good, OK. How efficiently is this virus sort of transmitting from dog to dog?

CRAWFORD: Like any influenza virus and other species, this virus is very contagious and it is easily transmitted from dog to dog.

HARRIS: OK. So any cases so far of this particular strain being transmitted from dogs to humans?

CRAWFORD: No. We have no evidence that that transfer from to dog to human has occurred. In addition, influenza virus has been infecting horses for 40 years, and there is no documentation of people acquiring an influenza virus from their horse.

HARRIS: Hey, you know, we're taking a look at some of these pictures of these dog parks in cities all over the country. Should we think twice now about taking our dogs to these parks?

CRAWFORD: I think we should use some caution and common sense. I don't think there's any need for overreaction or panic, but certainly, dog owners should not be taking their dogs to the dog park or any other social activity with other dogs. If their dog themselves is sick. So that will help cut down on potential transmission of canine influenza virus, as well as other respiratory agents.

HARRIS: How concerned are you about this spreading?

CRAWFORD: I'm concerned about the spreading. I think that, over time, we will provide evidence that this is a widespread infection in dogs across the United States, and maybe even on the continent of North America. So I am concerned about the spread, especially since most dogs, if not virtually all dogs, are susceptible to infection. However, I don't want there to be undue panic, because most dogs recover just fine.

HARRIS: Dr. Cynda Crawford, thanks for taking the time to talk to us.

CRAWFORD: Again, thank you, Tony.

HARRIS: Our pleasure.

To get your "Daily Dose" of health news online, log onto our Web site. You'll find the latest medical news, a health library and information on diet and fitness. The address is CNN.com/health.

The New York Police Department is America's biggest metropolitan police force, protecting New Yorkers against America's biggest threat. So why are some federal official not happy with the way the NYPD is cracking down on al Qaeda?

Plus, baseball playoffs start this afternoon. Do the Boston Red Sox have what it takes to take it all again this year? We're back in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: In our CNN "Security Watch" today, counter intelligence, Big Apple style. Not satisfied with relying on the CIA for protection against terrorism, New York's police department developed its own intelligence unit to protect the city, manned by more than 1,000 officers.

Our national security correspondent David Ensor has granted exclusive access inside.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAVID ENSOR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Outside the Empire State Building, a police SWAT team arrives without warning. Heavily armed officers move in to sweep the roof top observation deck.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: High visibility today, huh?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Unbelievable.

ENSOR: High above the same building, an unmarked police helicopter surveys Manhattan, looking for anything suspicious.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How good are the objects?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Very good. This is -- the camera consists of three lenses.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Bronx on the air.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Where?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Eastbound on 42nd at this time.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 10-4.

ENSOR: Down on 42nd Street a police commander orders 75 squad cars on surprise patrols throughout the city. NYPD is on a hair trigger, because U.S. intelligence says New York is at the top of the terrorists' target list.

RAYMOND KELLY, NYPD COMMISSIONER: I think it also gives pause for thought someone planning an untoward act here.

ENSOR: Try another city.

KELLY: Well, don't try New York. ENSOR: And something no other police department has done. Commissioner Kelly has hired a top 35-year CIA veteran to set up New York's own CIA, complete with officers overseas.

KELLY: When is our guy going to (INAUDIBLE)?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He should be there about sometime during the first week or two of October.

ENSOR: Each day, Kelly gets his counterterrorism briefing from his intelligence chief, David Cohen, and his counterterrorism boss, Mike Sheehan.

The fact that the London bombers did their own reconnaissance is duly noted.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's striking how there was a completely dry rehearsal. So we're integrating this into our surveillance and counter-surveillance modules as a good case study.

ENSOR: NYPD has detectives based in Britain, Israel, Singapore, Canada, France, the Dominican Republic and soon Jordan. When terrorists strike, as in London, where one of the bombers wore a New York Yankees hat, NYPD is on the scene to ask the New York question.

DAVID COHEN, NYPD DEPUTY COMMISSIONER FOR INTELLIGENCE: What was the meaning of the hat? Was it just coincidental? Did he grab a hat as he walked out of the house to commit suicide? Or was it something that he thought about? So, we're able to make sure that that issue gets addressed.

ENSOR: Why can't New York rely on the CIA and the FBI to protect it?

COHEN: My business is New York City. CIA and the FBI, they have New York City but they have the rest of the country, as well.

KELLY: We can't wait for a federal report that comes six months or a year later. That's not to criticize them but the federal government doesn't have a subway system, for instance. We do here.

ENSOR: And based on what it heard about the July 7 London attacks, the NYPD tightened its security tactics in the subway that very same day.

KELLY: We were able to react quickly because we had that detective in London.

ENSOR: New York's intelligence officers overseas are not popular with some present and former federal officials who see them as poaching on the turf of the FBI and the CIA.

One former senior FBI official, who declined to be identified because his current employer deals with the NYPD, predicts that, quote, "At some point in the future one of the New York guys is going to get himself arrested or hurt." At a low profile, unmarked facility outside Manhattan, NYPD intelligence and counterterrorism teams scan jihadist web sites and chat rooms and even Al Jazeera. The department has 460 certified linguists, including about 60 native Arabic speakers.

LT. BILL CHURCH, NYPD HARBOR UNIT: We're the water borne component of the NYPD's approach to counterterrorism.

ENSOR: Lieutenant Bill Church and his men watch over 146 miles of waterways, bridges, ferries, gasoline barges, tunnel air vents and the Statue of Liberty. In terms of symbolism, I can't imagine a more tempting target for terrorists.

CHURCH: I've heard it's on the top of the list.

ENSOR: The icon of American freedom in New York harbor is guarded from every angle.

NYPD's intelligence and counterterrorism divisions have their critics. But many intelligence professionals say NYPD is a model: more nimble, better equipped and motivated. More likely than the federal government to stop the next attack against this city.

David Ensor, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: And be sure to stay tuned to CNN day and night for the most reliable news about your security.

This year's baseball playoffs get under way in just a few minutes, but what can we expect from this year's elite eight. That's coming up when CNN LIVE TODAY returns.

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HARRIS: In the big leagues, eight teams are getting ready to slug it out for a chance to play in the World Series. The playoffs begin today, with six teams facing off. Atlanta and Houston begin their series tomorrow.

Danny Habib, who covers baseball for "Sports Illustrated," is with us from San Francisco. Wait a minute, from San Francisco? What are doing in San Francisco? There's no game in San Francisco. Why did we book you? We booked you because you know baseball. Good to see you, Danny.

DANNY HABIB, "SPORTS ILLUSTRATED": I live in San Francisco --- good to see you, too. I won't be covering the series until tomorrow in Atlanta.

HARRIS: In Atlanta? OK. So you'll be here in Atlanta?

HABIB: Yes.

HARRIS: OK, very good. The first series gets under way in a couple of minutes, I guess at 1:00. That's San Diego and St. Louis, the Cardinals. San Diego, was that even a .500 team this year?

HABIB: Eight-two and 80, so the worst team ever to make the post-season and just barely .500.

HARRIS: So, Danny, do they have a shot against the mighty Cardinals?

HABIB: It's become fashionable taking them as an upset pick, but I don't see it. I'll take the Cardinals, who are 18 games better during the regular season. And there was a reason for that. It's because they're the most fundamentally sound team in baseball, and the deepest.

HARRIS: But can they do it all? Can they run, can they hit, can they pitch, can they just flat out field everything?

HABIB: The Cardinals do everything very well. They're exceptionally well prepared by Tony LaRussa, who's one of the most meticulous managers in baseball. They've added Mark Mulder, which they didn't have last year, as a front-line post-season starter. And they have Chris Carpenter healthy. So to me, that's the difference between this year's team and last year's.

HARRIS: OK, you've got the Boston Red Sox, defending champs, taking on the Chicago White Sox. You've got the New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Angels -- when did they become the Angels? Weren't they the Anaheim -- I guess, all right, nevermind. And then you have the Houston Astros taking on the Atlanta Braves. If you've got one series to watch, which one is it going to be?

HABIB: To me, the most compelling series is going to be the Yankees/Angels, because the Yankees are perennially the most interesting team in the post-season. But this year they have a good chance to go out in the first round to Los Angeles, as they did in 2002, when the Angels won the World Series. Bartolo Colon is possibly the best pitcher in the American League right now, and he'll get two starts against the Yankees. And aside from Randy Johnson, the Yankees rotation is a bunch of overachievers and gassed veterans. So I don't see the Yankees getting out of the first round.

HARRIS: The Yanks, aren't they just flat-out worn out from trying to win the American League East this year? This was a difficult season for the Yanks.

HABIB: It was a difficult season for them, but it seems like every year in the Bronx is difficult. Every year, you know, more is read into events than is warranted. But the fact is, the Yankees are a veteran team. I don't think fatigue is an issue so much the fact that they're underqualified. They're not a deep line-up after the first five slots and they're not a deep rotation after Randy Johnson. So I just don't think they manpower.

HARRIS: Danny, give me a couple of stories -- last question -- a couple of stories you'll be watching to see if they emerge out of the playoffs? HABIB: Sure. Well, in the Houston/Atlanta series, you have really the best pitching match-ups. You have Houston with Andy Pettitte, Roger Clemens and Roy Oswalt, probably the best one, two, three in the Majors, against Tim Hudson and John Smoltz. So look for great pitching match-ups there. Look for Houston to win that just on the strength of that rotation. And maybe for Roger Clemens to get back to the World Series.

And in the Boston/Chicago series, David Ortiz has probably already clinched the American League MVP Award. And look for he and Manny Ramirez to put on a hitting show.

HARRIS: That's Big Papi. Is that what they're calling him these days? Big Papi?

HABIB: If you're Dominican, you get to call him that.

HARRIS: Oh, you do? I'm not. I should shut up. OK. Danny Habib, good to talk to you.

HABIB: My pleasure.

HARRIS: He'll be right back with a check of your weather. That's next.

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