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The Situation Room
Interview With Alberto Gonzales; Allied Forces on the Offensive in Afghanistan
Aired September 05, 2006 - 19:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Thanks very much, Lou. And to our viewers, you're in THE SITUATION ROOM where new pictures and information are arriving all the time. Standing by CNN reporters across the United States and around the world to bring you tonight's top stories.
Happening now, it's 7:00 p.m. here in Washington. Five years after 9/11, the White House says America is safer but warns we're not yet safe. Why not? I'll ask the attorney general, Alberto Gonzales.
It is 3:30 a.m. in Afghanistan where allied forces are on the offensive trying to crush a Taliban comeback. But are NATO troops paying a heavy price?
And it's 9:00 a.m. Wednesday in Brisbane, Australia. New details on "Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin's fatal encounter with a stingray. We'll tell you how you can stay safe in the water.
I'm Wolf Blitzer. You're in THE SITUATION ROOM.
Ahead of the 9/11 anniversary, the Bush Administration today offering a counter terror score card. The president describes al Qaeda as degraded but still dangerous. America, he says is safer but not yet safe. Democrats today are displaying their own national security study. They say America is less safe than it was five years ago.
Despite public doubts about Iraq and terrorism, the president seems to be holding his own ground. In our latest CNN poll, 41 percent approve of the way he is handling his job, 55 percent disapprove. That's about the same as the previous CNN poll. But out in the heartland, Republican congressional candidates are having a very tough time as elections approach.
Our senior political correspondent Candy Crowley is standing by, but let's go to the White House first, Ed Henry with the latest on the president's message -- Ed.
ED HENRY, CNN SR. NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, the president said he didn't want this latest series of speeches on the war on terror to get political but there's been a late add to the president's schedule for tomorrow, part three of the series of speeches and will focus on the politically explosive issue of Guantanamo Bay, the prison there with the detainees. Today's speech, meanwhile, was all about Osama bin Laden. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HENRY (voice-over): Nearly five years after vowing he'd get Osama bin Laden dead or alive, President Bush acknowledged al Qaeda remains a major threat to the United States. Taking the extraordinary step of quoting bin Laden's own words to associates to again try to make the case that Iraq is the central front in the war on terror.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: He calls it a war of destiny between infidelity and Islam. He says the whole world is watching this war. And that it will end in victory and glory or misery and humiliation. For al Qaeda, Iraq is not a distraction. From their war on America, it is the central battlefield where the outcome of this struggle will be decided.
HENRY: This is a page ripped right out of the Karl Rove play book that helped Republicans win in 2002 and 2004. Play on Americans' fears of another terror attack.
BUSH: Bin Laden and his terrorist allies have made their intentions as clear as Lenin and Hitler before them. The question is will we listen? Will we pay attention to what these evil men say? We are on the offensive. We will not rest. We will not retreat. And we will not withdraw from the fight until this threat to civilization has been removed.
HENRY: But this time the president may be playing right into the hands of Democrats who contend his policies have made the country less safe.
SEN. HARRY REID (D), MINORITY LEADER: They've run this play one too many times. It is the same speeches that they have given before and all of the speeches in the world do not change what's going on, on the ground in Iraq and as we have heard here, the ground in Iraq is not a pleasant place.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HENRY: And a new CNN opinion research poll shows that only 45 percent of Americans say Iraq is part of the war on terror. While 53 percent say it's not part of the war on terror, let alone the central front as the president has been contending -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Sort of splits almost along partisan lines. Ed, thank you very much for that. President says terrorists want Americans to be afraid but some Democrats say it's President Bush who wants Americans to fear. Many in Congress reacted to the president's speech; some echoed his address while others said the president is trying to tie the Iraq war to terrorism for partisan advantage.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. EDWARD KENNEDY (D), MASSACHUSETTS: As we approach this anniversary, there is little doubt that the president will once again resort to the politics of fear in an effort to convince the American people that the Iraq war is central to the global war on terror. Nothing is further from the truth. And I believe that the scare tactics may have worked in the elections of 2002 and 2004. But this time the American people know better.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: In a few moments, we'll have more concerning the debate over the Iraq war, the war on terrorism. I'll speak with U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez. We'll also get reaction from former Democratic Senator Max Cleland of Georgia. He is outspoken on this issue.
Now that Labor Day has passed, the midterm elections are right around the corner. They're slugging it out on the campaign trail right now but are Republicans already on the ropes? Let's turn to CNN's senior political correspondent Candy Crowley -- Candy.
CANDY CROWLEY, CNN SR. POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, with issues like the economy, the war on terror and Iraq, they are off to the races. And the odds are running against Republicans.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CROWLEY (voice-over): Want to know how much trouble Republicans are in? Go deep in to the heartland to ruby red Indiana, to a Republican leaning district and you can hear this.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We were always Republicans. And, there's so many things going on now I'm just kind of backing off and not knowing more or less going independent.
CROWLEY: Welcome to the second district of Indiana, represented by two-term Republican Chris Chocola.
REP. CHRIS CHOCOLA (R), INDIANA: I think it's much like the rest of the country. There's a challenging environment for Republicans.
CROWLEY: Yes, begin with this. The latest numbers from CNN and Opinion Research Corporation. An unpopular president, an unpopular war and $3 a gallon gas is a trifecta. Democrats are looking for a big payoff and Republicans are looking at a big problem. Depending on who you talk to, nationwide, there are about 46 competitive House seats, 36 of which are now held by Republicans.
With 62 days until the election, there's no time to pretty this up. The Republican Congressional Committee called it a desperate situation nationwide appealing for money the committee warned are candidates in targeted districts are in very serious danger of losing. The Senate worries Republicans less, but it is worrisome enough.
To be in charge of the Senate, Democrats need to hold on to what they've got and pick up six seats. As it happens, six Republican seats look vulnerable. The truth is Democrats had little to do with their cat bird seat. Nationally, the new poll shows most people don't approve of either party. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: In this cycle, voters don't like either party. They just dislike Democrats a little less.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How are you?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE)
CROWLEY: Which is to say, Democrats' biggest asset is they're not Republicans. Back in Indiana, too, Democrat Joe Donnelly wants Chocola's job.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: People feel that instead of standing up for them, the government has stood up for the special interests. They want new representation. They want change.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How are you? Good to see you.
CROWLEY: With voters clearly soured on the status quo and Democrats selling change, what's a Republican to do?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We'll say to voters, essentially, you know, here's your choice. I know you are mad at me. I know you don't like what's going on in Washington, but do you really want to elect this person? Can you really trust this person?
CROWLEY: It's not over but the prospects are dire enough that even Republicans don't talk about gaining seats but about holding on to enough of them to keep control of Congress.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CROWLEY: Still, Democrats are not resting on their poll numbers. They remember many a September when they were looking strong only to lose in November -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Candy, thank you. And thanks to Candy Crowley and Ed Henry. They're part of the best political team on television, CNN, America's campaign headquarters.
When NATO troops took over security in southern Afghanistan this summer, some questioned whether they would be able to fight the Taliban as aggressively as U.S. troops have for the past five years. The answer is coming now in some very bloody fighting. Let's go live to our senior Pentagon correspondent Jamie McIntyre -- Jamie.
JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN SR. PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, consider this, by one report, roadside bombs up 30 percent in Afghanistan. Suicide bomb attacks up 100 percent, doubling. It's increasingly looking like Afghanistan is beginning to look like Iraq.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MCINTYRE (voice-over): Once dubbed the forgotten war because fighting was sporadic and progress seemed steady, Afghanistan has burst back in to the headlines...
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MCINTYRE: ... as newly arrived NATO forces are locked in deadly combat with resurgent Taliban militants. "The New York Times" calls an area of southern Afghanistan once touted as a symbol for change, a symbol of failure noting with the rising violence statistically it is now nearly as dangerous to serve as an American soldier in Afghanistan as it is in Iraq.
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MCINTYRE: But increasingly, the NATO troops who just this summer took the lead in the south are taking the heavy casualties, as NATO secretary general noted as he toured the country Tuesday.
JAAP DE HOOP SCHEFFER, NATO SECRETARY GENERAL: It's a dramatic price we have to pay and NATO (INAUDIBLE).
MCINTYRE: On Monday a Canadian soldier, former Olympic sprinter, Mark Graham, was killed when U.S. A-10 war planes mistakenly strafed his position. Canada has lost 25 troops since it began fighting in the south this summer.
British casualties are up too, 14 troops died in a plane crash Sunday bringing the British death total to 16 this week, 32 this month.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MCINTYRE: Now U.S. and NATO commanders insist they are getting the upper hand in this offensive against the Taliban, having killed 50 or 60 Taliban fighters just today and have flushed out more than 200 in the last week or so. Still, as U.S. commanders will tell you, body counts as they learned in Vietnam and increasingly in Iraq are not an accurate measure of success -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Jamie, thank you, Jamie McIntyre at the Pentagon. Jack Cafferty has the day off.
Coming up, he taunts the United States with threats of terrorism. Why hasn't the U.S. taken him out yet? That would be Osama bin Laden. Where is he? When might he be caught? You may be surprised to hear what the attorney general of the United States, Alberto Gonzales, has to say. Coming up, my interview with the attorney general.
Also -- killer stingray. There are new details emerging tonight on the death of the "Crocodile Hunter", Steve Irwin. Is there anything he could have done to save his own life? And we'll also hear Steve Irwin talk about the dangers of his job. I spoke with him; I had a one-on-one interview with him back in 2002. We'll replay that interview.
Stay with us. You're in THE SITUATION ROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: We're learning new details about the surprising death of Australia's "Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin while experts are expressing shock at the stingray attack that killed him. CNN's Brian Todd is standing by with more on that, but let's begin our coverage with Zain Verjee. She's watching this story -- Zain.
ZAIN VERJEE, CNN ANCHOR: Wolf, now know that Irwin's final moments were recorded on a videotape. It's now in the hands of Australian authorities and those who have seen it say that it's really difficult to watch.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
VERJEE: They're the details the world has been waiting to hear but for Steve Irwin's friend and producer, John Stainton they were at times simply too painful to recount. Stainton was with Irwin filming on Australia's Great Barrier Reef on Monday when the wildlife expert's heart was pierced by a stingray.
JOHN STAINTON, STEVE IRWIN'S MANAGER: I could see the footage. And it's shocking. It's a very hard thing to watch because you're actually witnessing somebody die. And it's terrible.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What does it show, John?
STAINTON: It shows the -- Steve come over the top of the ray. And then the tail came up and spiked him here and he pulled it out. And then he's gone.
VERJEE: Irwin's body is now back on Australia's sunshine coast where his wife and two children are in seclusion. And at the nearby Australia zoo, where Irwin was the director, a makeshift memorial has risen attracting a stream of heartbroken fans.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's just sad to see him gone. It really is.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: God, it is like I lost a son.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I've never met the man personally but I just feel -- (INAUDIBLE) on his shirt, it just said, crikey, you'll be missed mate.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VERJEE: There's no word yet on plans for Irwin's funeral but Queensland officials say that they will give him a state funeral if his family chooses -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Zain, thank you. Stingrays are a popular and generally safe attraction at aquariums throughout the country, which is why so many experts are now so surprised that one of them actually killed Steve Irwin. CNN's Brian Todd is joining us now from the National Aquarium in Baltimore, Maryland, with more -- Brian.
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, what we learned here today is that although these animals are potentially deadly, obviously, they are not known for their aggressive behavior, but there's something I want to show you. It's very interesting. Take a look here over my shoulder. He's got a bunch of them clustered here, it used to be about a dozen or so here.
They move around a little bit but you can see that if these are lying on the bottom of the ocean floor like they're lying at the bottom of this floor or possibly on a reef, possibly covered by sand or some other debris, you can get an idea of what Steve Irwin might have come up on.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TODD (voice-over): Experts say of all the dangerous animals Steve Irwin came in contact with, they put a stingray far down on the list of those that could have killed him.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They're not an aggressive -- really aggressive animal and they use their barbs strictly for defense.
TODD: More than 50 of these mysterious creatures are kept at the National Aquarium in Baltimore. Some have their barbs trimmed, others don't.
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TODD: We're there at feeding time. Five divers stake out areas of a massive pool, then get swarmed.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Wow!
TODD: None of them get barbed this time but it has happened here and diver Chuck Eicholz tells how they avoid it.
CHUCK EICHOLZ, NATIONAL AQUARIUM: If you're with them, you can be on their side, you can be in the front of them or (INAUDIBLE) underneath, but you do try to avoid staying behind.
TODD: For a closer look at that danger zone, we are taken to a special tank by (INAUDIBLE) Rich Learner (ph). Here they keep small pups separate from larger ones. These aren't as accustomed to human touch. The tip of the tail isn't dangerous but at the base, the ray has a venom-coated barb. We test the reflexes of one.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Boy, he just hit me there a little bit, but that's not necessarily how they would do it, right?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No. It would be quick...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ... over the top.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It would be really quick and it would be over the top.
TODD: Learner (ph) and other experts say most humans who get barbed are struck in the foot or leg. If that happens, experts say, it's best to immerse yourself in hot water to break down the venom. We asked Learner (ph) if he'd advise trying to pull the barb out.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's hard to say. Personally, I'd probably say you know if you can leave it in. You're going to probably do more damage pulling it out because of the serrations on it.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TODD: But Learner (ph) and other experts say they do not blame Steve Irwin for trying to pull that barb out of his chest. They say that was instinct. That he might have figured that he could save himself. They say that the actual puncturing of the chest, not the venom and not the act of pulling it out is what likely killed Steve Irwin -- Wolf.
BLITZER: What a tragedy. Thanks, Brian Todd, reporting from Baltimore. Steve Irwin's fans are coming out in force online with photo tributes, stories and questions about his life and death pouring in. Our Internet reporter Jacki Schechner is standing by with details -- Jacki.
JACKI SCHECHNER, CNN INTERNET REPORTER: Wolf, pouring in is right. We have gotten thousands of e-mails here at CNN and images like this coming into our new iReport system. This is Mark Robinson who sent in a photo of his two sons with Irwin three years ago at the Australia Zoo in Queensland, Australia.
They were lucky enough to meet him. Other photos we're getting are people with animals in tribute. This is Dan Civa (ph) who now lives in Denmark and Copenhagen and this was taken at a crocodile farm in Thailand six years ago. He was an avid fan of Steve Irwin.
We're also seeing tributes online that people are creating themselves like at the group community site Flickr.com. We're also seeing tributes pop up like this memorial site called Ripsteve.com. This was created by a teenager named Rich Powell in Wales. It was created just yesterday. It's also seen more than 18,000 visitors and people are posting homemade condolences. There's more than 1,200 of those -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Jacki, thank you. What did Irwin have to say about the dangers of his job? We'll hear his words. That's coming up, my one-on-one interview with him that was done back in 2002. That's coming up later this hour here in THE SITUATION ROOM.
And Alberto Gonzales, I'll ask the attorney general if Americans should be more worried now than ever before about terror threats, that interview also coming up. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Welcome back. Let's check in with Zain Verjee. She's got a quick look at some other important stories making headlines. Hi, Zain.
VERJEE: Hi again, Wolf. Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy has had a stint inserted to one of his arteries to keep it open. His office says the 70-year-old had the quote "routine procedure on Saturday at Washington Hospital Center." A court spokesperson says Kennedy had been having heart pains, but there is no evidence of any heart damage. She says Justice Kennedy was discharged from the hospital on Sunday.
A surprise shake-up at Ford Motor Company, CEO Bill Ford is stepping down. Top Boeing executive Alan Mulally is taking his place as CEO and president. Ford will stay on as chairman. The nation's number two automaker recently announced that it's shutting 10 U.S. plants for extended periods this year just to cut costs. Bill Ford's great grandfather founded the company.
Tropical Storm Florence is getting stronger and forecasters say it could become a hurricane as soon as Friday. This season's sixth named storm is churning in the open Atlantic Ocean with top sustained winds near 45 miles an hour. The National Hurricane Center says Florence is not expected to threaten any land for at least the next few days -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Zain, thank you. Just ahead, more on the debate over how to conduct the war on terror. How does the Iraq war play in to the equation? And will the United States ever catch Osama bin Laden? I'll speak with former Democratic Senator Max Cleland of Georgia and with the U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.
Also, he battled crocodiles and climbed in to snake pits. Steve Irwin tells us about the dangers of the job. We're going to bring you that interview I conducted with the "Crocodile Hunter" back in 2002.
Stay with us. You're in THE SITUATION ROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: To our viewers, you're in THE SITUATION ROOM where new pictures and information are arriving all the time. Happening now, it's almost too painful to bear. How do you watch a friend die right before your eyes? We're learning that "Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin's death by a stingray stabbing was actually caught on videotape. Irwin's friends have seen it and now Australian authorities are reviewing it.
Is Osama bin Laden dead or alive? The Attorney General Alberto Gonzales gives us an answer. We'll have my one-on-one interview with the U.S. attorney general.
And her story is making history. Katie Couric, if you didn't see her first of its kind debut on "THE CBS EVENING NEWS," we're going to show you what happened.
I'm Wolf Blitzer. You're in THE SITUATION ROOM.
In our top story, five years after 9/11, the White House says while America is safer, it is not yet safe. Is this national security showdown as Democrats are calling it making America now less safe? Let's turn to our White House correspondent Ed Henry. He is watching this story -- Ed. HENRY: Wolf, the president said he didn't want this latest series of speeches on the war on terror to get political, well so much for that. The president today in part two of this series really ratcheting up his rhetoric, comparing Osama bin Laden to Adolf Hitler and really seeming the poll a page out of Karl Rove's political play book.
You remember that one, the 2002, 2004 elections really playing a bit on the fears of Americans about the potential for another terror attack. Democrats on Capitol Hill crying foul today, charging the president's policies have actually made the country less safe. Democrats also pouncing on public polls suggesting the American people are not buying the president's claim which he made again today that bin Laden and others believe Iraq is the central front in the war on terror -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Ed Henry at the White House. Thank you. So what should the government be doing now to ensure American safety as we near the anniversary of 9/11 and if Osama bin Laden were caught or killed, would Americans be any safer?
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: Attorney General, thanks very much for joining us.
Let's get to the issue of five years after 9/11. Is terror a bigger threat to the United States than it was five years ago, or is it a reduced threat to the United States?
ALBERTO GONZALES, U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL: Well, it certainly remains the number one priority for the administration and for the Department of Justice. And it is certainly true that it remains a serious threat to the United States.
BLITZER: Is it a bigger threat today than it was five years ago?
GONZALES: I don't know how you qualify -- quantify whether or not it's a bigger threat. I think the threat, it's still there. I think it's a threat that is changing.
I think that it is changing -- I view that as a sign of success. The threat is changing because of all the measures we've taken to make America safer. And...
BLITZER: I guess the question is, are Americans -- should Americans be more worried today about the lethality of another terrorist attack, in other words, if the terrorists managed to get their hands on weapons of mass destruction?
GONZALES: That is our nightmare scenario. And it's something that we obviously are doing everything that we can do to prevent that from happening. But...
BLITZER: But that's still -- that's still possible that they could do that five years after 9/11, that they could kill thousands, maybe tens of thousands of Americans with -- with WMD? GONZALES: I think, you know, we've taken incredible steps working with the Congress to make America safer, to make it much more difficult for an enemy to cause that kind of harm to American citizens within this country.
But we also -- we know that we have an enemy that's very determined and they're very smart. And they are intent on causing harm to America. And so our obligation, those of us working in the government, is to try to make it as difficult as we can. I think we've made great progress in making America safer.
BLITZER: But when you say it's the nightmare scenario.
GONZALES: Sure, it is.
BLITZER: So in other words, it still exists though, you don't have to worry about that, it hasn't been eliminated, that threat?
GONZALES: No, I wouldn't say that it's been eliminated. It's something that we worry about, but we worry about lots of different kinds of threats to America and to the American people.
BLITZER: Are there more potential terrorists out there who want to kill Americans today than there were five years ago?
GONZALES: I can't answer that question. I do know that the threat remains and that, for that reason, it remains the number one priority that we protect America from another terrorist attack. You know, whether it's one or a million, you know, whether or not that results in greater danger to America, may depend on the type of attack that they want to engage in. And so our focus is trying to identify terrorist attacks before they mature and Americans are harmed.
BLITZER: Most Americans look back at five years ago, what happened on 9/11 and they immediately ask this question -- where is the most wanted man in the world? Why haven't you, the United States government, been able to find, capture or kill Osama bin Laden?
GONZALES: Well, we have spent a lot of time and a lot of effort in trying to locate Bin Laden. And it again, as the president has said many times, it's not a question of if, it's simply a question of when. We are going to capture Bin Laden. And we're working with our friends and allies around the world to try to find out where he's at. But even if we --
BLITZER: You want him more than any other criminal out there?
GONZALES: I think it's very, very important.
BLITZER: He's at your top priority?
GONZALES: I think it's very important to get Bin Laden.
BLITZER: But is he your top priority?
GONZALES: Again -- BLITZER: In terms of America's most wanted.
GONZALES: There are a lot of very important people that we want to prosecute and Bin Laden would certainly be at the top of that list. But I don't want the American people to believe that if he were captured that America would be safe. I think that would be important in our battle against terrorism, but there are others who are dangerous and would want --
BLITZER: Who is at that level of Osama bin Laden?
GONZALES: Well, I'm not going to get into specific names, but as I said, Wolf, capturing Bin Laden would be very, very important. It would be important for operational reasons. It would be important for symbolic reasons. So clearly, he would be at the top of the list.
BLITZER: Because we hear from him occasionally, more often from his number two, Ayman al-Zawahiri. They show up on these videotapes and they make these declarations. You would think that that would be your number one priority.
GONZALES: Well, there's a lot of effort that is expended by the U.S. government in trying to identify, trying to locate where Bin Laden so that we can bring him to justice.
BLITZER: Because I asked the question, I read this morning this national strategy for combating terrorism that the administration put out. And in a detailed summary, I didn't see a lot of new information in there, but there was a lot of material about the war on terrorism.
At one point though, there were a list of successes, what has been achieved over these past five years, a lengthy list. And then there's a list of what are called challenges. Some of the major challenges facing the United States right now in the war on terrorism. None of that -- in none of those challenges did I see any reference to Osama Bin Laden himself or his Deputy Ayman al-Zawahiri.
GONZALES: Well I want the American people to know that that still remains an objective, an important priority for the administration is to get Bin Laden and to bring Bin Laden to justice.
BLITZER: You have just come back from the region. You were in Iraq, you went to the Persian Gulf, you were in London. Do you, as the nations top law enforcement official, do you have a sense of where Osama bin Laden is right now?
GONZALES: I do. I have a sense of where he's at but I --
BLITZER: Where is that?
GONZALES: Well, in the Middle East is all I'm going to say. But we have difficult terrain that we sometimes have to work with. We have sometimes sympathetic people in the region. Sometimes there are issues relating to cooperation with governments. And so there are challenges that we have to deal with in trying to find one individual in a region of the world. And -- but I guess what I want to reassure the American people is that we remain focused on this challenge and that there are obviously other challenges that we have to worry about, other issues that we have to worry about. But capturing Bin Laden remains an important priority for the administration.
BLITZER: You keep saying an important. It's not the most important priority in this war on terrorism? Symbolically a man who ordered the murder of 3,000 Americans and others in the World Trade Center, Pennsylvania, and here in Washington?
GONZALES: Perhaps the reason I don't say it is the number one objective, is because even if he were captured -- if we could capture him and that would win the war on terror, I think I could without qualification say that is the number one objective. But that doesn't end the fight. And so there are other challenges to this government and to our country that we also have to focus on. Because those continue and will continue even after Bin Laden is captured.
BLITZER: And just to reiterate, America remains vulnerable today?
GONZALES: I think America is safer today, but yes, it is possible because of the type of society that we have, because of the type of freedoms that we enjoy in this country, because of the type of enemy that we're dealing with. I think we're safer today but we are not yet safe.
BLITZER: Attorney General, thanks very much.
GONZALES: Thank you.
BLITZER: And for another perspective on this debate concerning the war on terror, Max Cleland is joining us. He's a former democratic senator from Georgia, joining us from the CNN Center in Atlanta. Senator, thanks very much for coming in. Do you agree with the attorney general as far as his assessment of the importance or lack thereof, if you will, of Osama bin Laden overall in terms of the war on terror?
MAX CLELAND (D), FORMER GEORGIA SENATOR: I don't agree with a damn thing the attorney general said. It is al Qaeda, stupid. It is Osama bin Laden and his terrorist cadre that must be killed or captured, period. If we don't have high government officials in Washington who understand that, we need new high government officials. This is five years after September 11th. I went through September 11th, along with this nation. I was in Washington. I was just a couple of miles from the pentagon. I saw the smoke. I thought I was back in Vietnam.
It is al Qaeda, stupid. It is not Iraq. That is why we've got to redeploy the troops out of Iraq, recover them to this country and make sure that our national guard and our reserves take care of this country and refocus our active duty military on killing and capturing Osama bin Laden. He is the key to worldwide terrorism. If we don't get that now, we'll never get it. Now, the thing that bothers me is that instead of going after Osama bin Laden and his terrorist cadre, they're going after Jack Murtha who after five years have looked at this situation and having more than 30 years experience in the marine corps and more than 30 years in congress, they're going after Jack Murtha and trying to take him out and strip vote him. And I'm not going to let that happen. Me and my fellow veterans are going to demonstrate in Johnstown, Pennsylvania for Jack Murtha September 30th. We invite all Americans to come. We're going to fight back this year.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: Max Cleland speaking with me earlier today. Up ahead tonight, did you see it? Her story, changing history, question mark. Katie Couric on the "CBS Evening News." If you didn't see it tonight, we're going to show you some of the highlights. That's coming up, right here in THE SITUATION ROOM.
And the world is mourning the tragic death of Steve Irwin. A special look back at my 2002 interview with Australia's beloved Crocodile Hunter. That's coming up right here as well. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Five years after 9/11, a new study has a sober diagnosis for some of the people who worked at Ground Zero. Mary Snow in New York with details -- Mary.
MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, it is the largest study of its kind. Thousands considered to be in good health before 9/11 are struggling with illnesses in numbers doctors are calling worrisome.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SNOW (voice-over): It's estimated that 40,000 workers inhaled the toxic cloud at Ground Zero described as a mix of pulverized concrete with a toxicity similar to powerful drain cleaners, trillions of glass shards and asbestos. Thousands are now feeling the effects.
DR. ROBIN HERBERT, MOUNT SINAI MEDICAL CENTER: There should no longer be any doubt about the health effects of the World Trade Center.
SNOW: Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York tracked over 9,000 workers. It found almost 70 percent of World Trade Center responders had new or worsened respiratory symptoms that developed during or after their time at the World Trade Center. Marvin Bathea (ph) for one, has difficulty breathing and displays medications he took before 9/11 and now. The prognosis is uncertain.
DR. PHILIP LANDRIGAN, MOUNT SINAI MEDICAL CENTER: What's to be the future for these people? What will the future hold? Will they die of the illnesses that they now experience? How disabled will they be made? SNOW: Doctors are turning their focus now towards cancer and other diseases. Dr. John Howard, appointed by the Bush administration in February as the 9/11 health czar, says he can't prove anyone's directly died as a result of 9/11 illnesses, but says six case he knows about are of particular concern.
DR. JOHN HOWARD, 9/11 FEDERAL HEALTH COORDINATOR: But I think an age that they died at, the autopsy findings are very suggestive and they're very worrisome to me.
SNOW: Doctors were joined by lawmakers including New York Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, who called for more federal help in screening and treating those workers becoming sick.
SEN. HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON (D), NEW YORK: Our government was not telling us the truth. The air was not safe to breathe.
SNOW: And lawmakers say that air may have affected thousands of people whose health has not been monitored.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SNOW: Health officials say it's critical to continue monitoring people exposed to Ground Zero in order to trace diseases like cancer which take time to develop -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Mary Snow reporting, thank you.
Up ahead, my 2002 interview with Steve Irwin. What the man known as the "Crocodile Hunter" told me about his dangerous vocation and his growing fame.
And the news makes news, Katie Couric and Rosie O'Donnell have their first day at their new jobs. Jeanne Moos has the highlights of what you may have missed. Stay with us. You are in THE SITUATION ROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: More now on the death of "Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin. I interviewed him back in 2002 as he was getting famous here in the United States. Last night we showed you a portion of that interview. Tonight, we want to show you a little bit more. We talked about his dangerous line of work and took questions from CNN's viewers.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: To our viewers who may not be familiar with you and there probably are some, why do you look for crocodiles?
STEVE IRWIN, CROCODILE HUNTER: Oh, mate, I've been rescuing crocodiles since I was a small boy. In fact, I jumped and caught my first crocodile bare-hand when I was 9 years of age. You see, there's this conflict between man and crocs. As the east coast of Australia populates, you know, people are pushing further and further into croc habitat and so I'm called on to rescue them.
BLITZER: But you really are an expert in this area too. You're not just a comedian, even though you're a very funny guy.
IRWIN: Yes, no, mate. I'm not a comedian. That's certain not my forte. My forte is crocs. And I reckon I'm product of my parents and my environment. You know, dad started Australia Zoo in 1970 and that zoo was established on the basis of wildlife rescues, so I'm virtually a wildlife warrior and I try to work face where there's conflict between man and beast. You know, rescuing kangaroos, wallabies, wombats, crocodiles is my forte and venomous snakes.
BLITZER: Let's take a caller. We have a lot of callers who want to ask you a question. We have one, in fact, from St. Louis. Go ahead, ask Steve Irwin your question.
CALLER: Yes. Hi. It's great to be on with the croc hunter and the Wolf Blitzer.
IRWIN: Yes.
CALLER: Mr. Erwin, I had two questions. I was wondering, first, have you ever wanted to diversify and go after some alligators?
And also I was wondering if you were offended by the movie "Romancing the Stone" where Michael Douglas actually killed the croc and makes a pair of boots out of him. Just wondering your thoughts.
IRWIN: Yes. If I could answer that I've already caught a few alligators. You know, I worked down in Louisiana and Florida. I've got a couple of alligators at the Eglin Air Force Base in Pensacola. The alligators are an ever-increasing problem. You know, the population's expanding down there, and that's not going to go away in a hurry. There are some people who do sincerely believe that, you know, the alligator numbers will actually, you know, sort themselves out if left alone, but when you get a potentially threatening animal like that, it's really hard to work it out.
And as for killing the crocodile in "Romancing the Stone," that's all fiction. You know, those -- they're animatronic, they weren't real crocodiles, and, you know, if that had been a real poacher killing a croc and turning it into boots, you could bet I would be angry, mate. I would take him out!
BLITZER: All right. Let's take another caller from Whitehouse, Tennessee. Go ahead, Tennessee.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hello. Oh, I'm so glad to talk to you guys.
IRWIN: Good day. Thanks.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: For starters, I'd like to say thank you for risking your life to entertain us. That's nice of you.
You teach me and my son so much, but I wanted to know, do you carry anti-venom with you when you're running around chasing all these snakes? What about your staff? And thank you so much from the bottom of my heart for entertaining me and my son.
IRWIN: Oh, thank you. You make me very proud. And no, I never take anti-venom with me anywhere. You know, I catch the most venomous snakes in the world, in Africa, of course in Australia. The top 10 most deadly snakes. United States of America, Southeast Asia, all over the place. Mate, I'm playing with cobras, black mambas, taipans. The trick, the secret that I use is don't get bitten. I have never been bitten by a venomous snake, never been hospitalized, never needed anti-venom.
And it's because of my techniques, you know? I'm a product of my dad's herpetological skills. He was the greatest wild snake wrangler in the world. They used to do scientific study on them, he used to collect snakes so that he could milk them for the anti-venom for anti- venine (ph), and by crikey, he taught me well. He taught me that if you love the snake, and if you sincerely, you know, love it like -- and it will ooze out through your hands. And when you grab it, if you can avoid getting hit in the first 30 seconds, pretty soon the snake will understand that you're not trying to kill it, and then they'll settle down and you'll be able to bag them up or get them off the road, whatever you want to do.
BLITZER: All right. Let's take a quick caller from Wisconsin. Go ahead, Wisconsin.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: First of all, I'd like to say we really admire your parents a lot, and they did a nice job. And secondly...
IRWIN: Me, too.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We really admire Terri. There aren't many ladies that would crawl through the mud. And the question we have is how old was Bindi, and are there anymore children?
IRWIN: Isn't my wife the most drop dead gorgeous sheila in the world? And when we'll be catching alligators down there in Pensacola, she got mud all over herself and she was breast feeding at the time, and so she'd come out and she smelled like a swamp thing. And Bindi was only this big, and there's no way that she'd nurse off her, and we had to try and find water to wash her down.
And Bindi is going to be four in 22 days. And she's virtually a movie baby. This movie we have just done, it's been two years in the making, and she's been on set the whole time. You know, the family that catches crocs together lives together.
BLITZER: All right. Steve Irwin, thanks for joining us.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: That interview we did back in 2002. And my deepest condolences to the family.
Let's go to Paula Zahn. She's standing by with a preview of what's coming up right at the top of the hour -- Paula.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: And, Wolf, we are going to be going in- depth on this sudden, shocking death of crocodile hunter Steve Irwin, who we've just heard talking with you from a conversation a little while ago.
While very few of us would ever consider getting close to a crocodile in the first place, an adventure lots of ordinary people take can be extraordinarily dangerous, even deadly. We're going to bring you the results of a CNN investigation into whitewater rafting.
And would you keep working after being awake for 24 hours straight? Well, doctors in training do it all the time. How does that impact the quality of care in emergency rooms all over the country? You're going to be shocked when you hear the results of one of these studies coming up, Wolf.
BLITZER: We'll be watching, Paula. Thanks very much.
Let's go right to Zain Verjee. She's got a story she is working on -- Zain.
VERJEE: Wolf, CNN confirms that it's a boy. Japan's Princess Keiko just had a baby boy, really ending Japan's succession crisis. By law, only men could ascend the throne, and now it seems Japan has an heir -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Congratulations to that family, too. Thank you very much, Zain, for that.
Up next, the new kid on the network news block making her debut. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Two famous faces are taking up new spaces on TV. CNN's Jeanne Moos tuned in.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): It was a double launch day. Katie and Rosie. Rosie and Katie. Will Katie's future be rosy? It would be hard for it to be as rosy as the hype.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Katie Couric makes history.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Katie Couric...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: With Katie Couric.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Katie is on our team now.
MOOS: Even Katie herself made jokes about being plastered on New York City buses.
KATIE COURIC, CBS NEWS ANCHOR: I decided the ultimate irony would be if I got hit by one of the buses with my picture on it, because then I could tell them they were really publicizing me to death.
MOOS: No, Katie wasn't hit. But will her new newscast be a hit? It began with an introduction by Walter Cronkite.
WALTER CRONKITE, FORMER CBS NEWS ANCHOR: This is the CBS EVENING NEWS with Katie Couric.
MOOS: They started with a meaty piece featuring access to the Taliban in Afghanistan, but it was a celebrity scoop that had jaws dropping.
COURIC: She's Suri Cruise, daughter of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes. Yes, Suri, she does exist.
MOOS: Newscast also featured a segment called "Free Speech," which let an invited guest sound off. Morgan Spurlock, director of "Super Size Me," went first.
MORGAN SPURLOCK, DIRECTOR, SUPER SIZE ME: Today's news has become just like professional wrestling.
MOOS: Future free speechers are expected to range from Rush Limbaugh to Bill Maher.
When it came time to sign off, Katie played other sign-offs.
EDWARD R. MURROW: Good night and good luck.
WILL FERRELL, ACTOR: You stay classy, San Diego.
MOOS: And asked viewers to suggest a sign-off for her.
Over at "The View," Rosie seemed to enjoy her first outing. The view of both women had been clouded by having had their pictures photoshopped to make them appear slimmer.
Rosie ditched her old hair style.
ROSIE O'DONNELL, "THE VIEW": I had that crazy, crazy hair cut that scared America to death. So, you know, it is going to be long from now on, and I'm taking my medicine, so everything's fine.
MOOS: Maybe the "CBS Evening News" ratings would be fine if "The News" did what "The View" did.
BARBARA WALTERS, "THE VIEW": Everyone in our audience is going to go on a real cruise.
MOOS: And while Rosie had new hair, "The CBS Evening News" had a new theme song. It was written by the composer who won Oscars for the music in "Titanic." Here's hoping "The Evening News" doesn't hit an iceberg.
The show's executive producer was quoted as asking for theme music that must be "urgent and serious, yet light."
(on camera): According to "The Wall Street Journal," Katie told the composer she didn't want the them to have a Manhattan skyline sort of feeling. She wanted it to have a "wheat fields blowing" sort of feeling.
(voice-over): In that case...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is the CBS Evening Harvest with Katie Couric.
MOOS: Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: And good luck to Katie Couric. Let's go to Paula Zahn in New York -- Paula.
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