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Lou Dobbs Tonight
Marine Corps Officer Criticizes Iraq Performance; Partisan Debate Over Bush's 9/11 Speech; Pennsylvania Town Revises Immigration Legislation; Maryland Town Seeks to Make English Official Language; Math Education to Return to Basics; Rhode Island Primary Race Heats Up
Aired September 12, 2006 - 18:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LOU DOBBS, CNN ANCHOR: Thank you, Wolf.
Tonight, one of the bleakest assessments yet of U.S. strategy in Iraq from one of the Marine Corps' most respected officers. Has the United States lost the battle to defeat terrorists and insurgents in Iraq's largest province? We'll have a special report from both the Pentagon and Baghdad.
And it's primary election day in nine states and the District of Columbia, and many Republican candidates are in open revolt against their party's leadership. Those Republicans furious with the White House and Congress over out of control spending and our wide open borders. We'll have complete coverage here tonight.
ANNOUNCER: This is LOU DOBBS TONIGHT. News, debate and opinion for Tuesday, September 12. Live in New York, Lou Dobbs.
Good evening, everybody.
Top Bush administration officials tonight are struggling to defend U.S. policies in Iraq after a scathing intelligence report on the insurgency. The senior Marine Corps intelligence officer in Iraq says there's military stalemate in Al Anbar province west of Baghdad. The intelligence officer said the United States has already lost the political battle.
The White House strongly defended the administration's strategy in response, repeating assertions the president will always give commanders the troops they need.
The top U.S. Marine Corps general in Iraq today insisted he already has enough troops to complete his mission.
Jamie McIntyre tonight reports from the Pentagon on this damning new assessment of U.S. military action in western Iraq. Michael Ware, who's just returned from Al Anbar province, reports from Baghdad tonight on the huge challenges that face our troops. And Andrea Koppel reports from Capitol Hill on the bitter partisan fight over the president's prime time speech on the war on terror last night.
We turn first to Jamie McIntyre at the Pentagon -- Jamie.
JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Lou, we don't know everything that's in this classified report. It's still secret. But from what we've heard, it sounds pretty defeatist. And that has U.S. commanders in Iraq on the defensive.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
J. MCINTYRE (voice-over): Iraq's sprawling Anbar province west of Baghdad is insurgent territory and headquarters for al Qaeda in Iraq. Anbar is also lost politically, according to a classified analysis by a Marine colonel summarized in the "The Washington Post" by Tom Ricks, author of "Fiasco", the current best-seller that's sharply critical of the conduct of the war.
TOM RICKS, AUTHOR, "FIASCO": The military basically could win any technical engagement it had, but there was very little security progress coming from that. And that the political and social systems were deteriorating and that al Qaeda in Iraq, the insurgent group, was filling the vacuum.
J. MCINTYRE: The publication of the dire assessment drew a quick response from the superior officer of the colonel who wrote it. In a video statement, the two-star general endorses the report's still secret conclusions but disputes the defeatist characterization.
MAJ. GEN. RICHARD ZILMER, COMMANDING GENERAL, MULTINATIONAL FORCE: Recent media reports fail to accurately capture the entirety and the complexity of the current situation in Al Anbar province in Iraq.
J. MCINTYRE: In a later conference call with reporters, General Zilmer went farther, insisting the war in Anbar was not lost.
ZILMER: I have never heard any description about the war being lost before last weekend. We are winning this war. We are certainly accomplishing our mission.
J. MCINTYRE: Zilmer conceded the recruitment and training of Iraqi security forces, his primary mission in Anbar, is behind schedule. But he insisted additional U.S. reinforcements wouldn't make any difference in the long run, because progress depends on social and political change, not military might.
At the White House, spokesman Tony Snow said U.S. commanders know they're free to ask for what they need.
TONY SNOW, WHITE HOUSE SPOKESMAN: If the president gets a recommendation from the combatant commanders to send more troops to Al Anbar province, they will get them.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
J. MCINTYRE: But Lou, reporters embedding with U.S. troops in Iraq constantly hear complaints from lower level officers that they need more troops to complete their mission. It raises the question of why senior commanders don't seem to agree -- Lou.
DOBBS: Jamie, thank you very much. Jamie McIntyre from the Pentagon.
About 30,000 of our Marine, soldiers and sailors are fighting Sunni insurgents and al Qaeda terrorists in Al Anbar province. Our commanders want to turn over that province to the Iraqi army. But the two Iraqi divisions in Al Anbar are under strength, and they are short of equipment.
Michael Ware has been embedded with U.S. troops in Al Anbar's capital, Ramadi. Michael joins us now from Baghdad.
Michael, is the situation in Al Anbar province as bad as the intelligence report apparently suggests?
MICHAEL WARE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Lou, it's been this bad at least for at least a year, perhaps two. I mean, the intelligence report is not a revelation at all. It's what intelligence reports have been saying for the last 12 months. It's what military intelligence officers on the ground have been screaming about for over a year.
I mean, I've been going to Al Anbar province in Ramadi and surround since 2003. I mean, nothing has changed. I mean, America is not committed to the fight there. There has not been enough troops there from the beginning. All they're being -- all they're doing is being asked to hold the line. So you're feeding Marines and soldiers into what effectively is an al Qaeda meat grinder.
Meanwhile, al Qaeda's headquarters is there. Military intelligence knows that and doesn't have enough troops to move against it, Lou.
DOBBS: Michael, let me ask you, what is the assessment among the Marine officers, the Army officers there as to why they are not getting the troops that apparently those -- those men on the ground, those commanders on the ground there, say they need and want?
WARE: There's no shadow of a doubt, Lou. It's politics. They obviously can't publicly contradict their commander in chief, but they know that war is never divorced from politics. Things need to appear to be going well on the ground.
As a senior American commander told me not so long ago, it's the big lie. If you ask for something, you're admitting that there's a problem. And in fact, the Marine general tonight who commands Al Anbar province did not say he has enough troops for Anbar province. He said that, under his current mission, he has enough troops. His current mission is defined simply as training Iraqis.
He said, "If my mission changed and I was told to win this insurgency against al Qaeda, then my metrics, my troop levels would have to change."
So, in fact, the Marine commander tonight came out and basically said he does not have enough troops to fight al Qaeda. And while we sit and wait for the Iraqi army to miraculously appear, al Qaeda continues to operate unfettered and get stronger -- Lou. DOBBS: Michael, thank you very much. Michael Ware reporting from Baghdad.
Apparently, most Americans who assume the mission is victory are misunderstanding the mission.
Today insurgents in Iraq killed one of our Marines in Al Anbar province and one of our soldiers in Baghdad. Two thousand, six hundred seventy-one of our troops have now been killed in this war. More than 20,000 of our troops have been wounded, 20,113 of them. Of those troops, 9,158 have been seriously wounded.
At the same time, the number of American casualties in Afghanistan is also rising as radical Islamists step up their attacks. Two more of our troops have been killed in Afghanistan, one in combat, the other in an accident. Two hundred sixty-five of our troops have been killed in Afghanistan since the war started there nearly five years ago.
Iraq's prime minister, Nuri al-Maliki, today made his first official visit to Iran, a country the United States considers a state sponsor of terrorism. The Iraqi prime minister met with Iranian President Ahmadinejad in the Iranian capital of Tehran. The Iranian president declared he will help Iraq establish security and stability. U.S. and British commanders say Iran has been providing weapons and training for the insurgency in Iraq.
In this country, top Democrats today blasted President Bush for his prime time 9/11 speech last night. Democrats accuse President Bush of playing election year politics in his address.
Republicans strongly defended the president, one of them asking whether Democrats are more interested in protecting terrorists than the American people.
Andrea Koppel reports from Capitol Hill.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: On the steps or the nation's capital, a brief show of bipartisan spirit on 9/11 didn't last long. Immediately after President Bush's prime time speech, Massachusetts Democrat Ted Kennedy issued a scathing critique, saying, "The president should be ashamed of using a national day of mourning to commandeer the airwaves to seek support for a war in Iraq that he has admitted had nothing to do with 9/11."
It was the president's defense of his Iraq policy that got Democrats fired up.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The safety of America depends on the outcome of the battle in the streets of Baghdad.
KOPPEL: But Kennedy also used the 9/11 anniversary to draw attention to Iraq. Hours before the president spoke, he sent a letter to his own supporters, criticizing the president's Iraq policy. And today other Democrats, too, jumped on the Bush-bashing bandwagon.
SEN. HARRY REID (D-NV), MINORITY LEADER: The American people last night deserved better.
KOPPEL: Democratic leader Harry Reid said on 9/11 especially, Americans deserved a break from politics.
REID: Sadly, it was a missed opportunity for President Bush, who obviously was more consumed by staying the course in Iraq and playing election year partisan politics than changing direction for this wonderful country.
KOPPEL: Pennsylvania Republican Rick Santorum fired back at Reid.
SEN. RICK SANTORUM (R), PENNSYLVANIA: We play petty politics constantly here on the floor of the Senate, even after a solemn day of remembrance.
KOPPEL: While House Majority Leader John Boehner went even further, questioning Democrats' patriotism. Speaking to reporters off camera, Boehner said, "I listen to my Democrat friends, and I wonder if they are more interested in protecting the terrorists than protecting the American people."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KOPPEL: And just a few moments ago, in a continued effort to blunt the president's efforts to command the national stage to basically, through national television, get his message across on national security, congressional Democrats circulated this letter addressed to the presidents of all the major television executives, including CNN's, arguing that if President Bush continues to get live national television time to talk about national security issues in the coming weeks, Lou, that Democrats should get equal time -- Lou.
DOBBS: Andrea, thank you. Andrea Koppel from Capitol Hill.
The White House today said President Bush didn't mean to stir up a political hornet's nest. White House press secretary Tony Snow insisted the president's speech was nonpartisan.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TONY SNOW, WHITE HOUSE SPOKESMAN: The president did not want to try to turn this into a Democrats versus Republican thing. But you cannot talk about the war on terror without talking about Iraq. And furthermore, you can't talk about 9/11, especially when Osama bin laden himself says Iraq is at the center of all this, without mentioning it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DOBBS: President Bush will continue to defend his conduct of the war in the days ahead. President Bush is next scheduled to deliver a major speech on the war on terror to the United Nations on the 19th of this month.
Tomorrow I'll have a few thoughts about playing politics tomorrow with the wars in both Iraq and Afghanistan. And to read my commentary tomorrow, go to CNN.com.
Radical Islamists terrorists linked to al Qaeda today tried to storm the U.S. embassy in Damascus. Syrian security guards repulsed their attack, killing three terrorists and capturing another. One of the Syrian guards was killed in the gun fire. No Americans were killed nor wounded.
Incredibly, the Syrian embassy in Washington blamed the United States for those attacks. The embassy said U.S. policies in the Middle East have fueled what they call, quote, "extremism, terrorism and anti-U.S. sentiment."
Still ahead here, local officials all across this country are taking action to tackle our illegal immigration crisis, because the federal government has failed to secure our borders. We'll have that special report.
And rising congressional outrage over the case of two Border Patrol agents facing up to 20 years in jail for shooting a Mexican drug smuggler, given immunity to testify against the Border Patrolmen. Three congressmen among those who want the federal government to reopen the case join us here.
And our schoolchildren are falling dangerously behind students in other countries in mathematics. An entire generation of Americans has failed to make the grade in math. We'll have that special report and a great deal more, straight ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
DOBBS: Across the country tonight, communities are intensifying their fight against this nation's illegal immigration crisis and the refusal of foreigners to assimilate into the country.
Bill Tucker reports from Hazleton, Pennsylvania, where local officials have just passed a new version of their ground-breaking local ordinance against illegal immigration. And Lisa Sylvester tonight reports from Washington on the town of Taneytown, Maryland, which is fighting to establish English as its official language. That's controversial there, believe it or not.
We begin with Bill Tucker in Hazleton -- Bill.
BILL TUCKER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Lou, the vote happened just moments ago. And by a vote of four to one, the council voted to adopt its modified ordinances.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TUCKER (voice-over): The city of Hazleton is refining its ordinance to crack down on illegal aliens. Certain employers doing business with the city will be required to participate in the federal government's basis pilot program to verify that their employees are here legally. Those employers will be given three days to respond to any violation charges.
And the city's added a new twist.
MAYOR LOU BARLETTA, HAZLETON, PENNSYLVANIA: It gives the legal United States worker an opportunity to sue, to take action against the employer for any lost wages due to them because of the hiring of illegal aliens.
CHRISTOPHER SLUSSER, HAZLETON CITY SOLICITOR: In drafting the ordinance the way it's been drafted, it allows us to revoke the business license of an entity who is employing an illegal alien and continues to do so, despite the fact they're notified of the violation.
TUCKER: The other significant change, no longer will landlords be required to verify attendants' legal status. The city will now require all renters to register at city hall, where their legal status will be verified by the city.
Pro-illegal immigration groups are expected to file immediate challenges.
A grass roots campaign has risen to support the town. Hazleton has received more than 10,000 letters and more than $35,000 in donations that frequently are less than $10.
BARLETTA: It's the message sent behind that money when most of these letters and donations are accompanied by a little note that says, "I wish I could send you more, but I'm -- I'm in between jobs." Or "This is all I can afford but keep fighting." And I think it's the message that comes along with it.
TUCKER: It's a message this man understands. He contributed to the cause.
DANIEL DEPRETIS, HAZLETON RESIDENT: Something that I strongly agree with, and I think the mayor is on the right track, and our government doesn't seem to want to do anything about it.
BARLETTA: So he feels he has to.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TUCKER: Now, the decision was made by the city council to separate out the English only portion of the ordinance and put it all on its own. Lou, that ordinance supporting English only in the city passed by a unanimous vote -- Lou.
DOBBS: Bill, thank you very much. Bill Tucker from Hazleton, Pennsylvania.
There is widening debate across the nation over whether English should be the official language of the United States. One of the fiercest battles is being fought in suburban Maryland where a community is torn over the issue.
Lisa Sylvester reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LISA SYLVESTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Taneytown is not a place that's used to stirring up controversy. It's a quiet, rural community in Carroll County, Maryland. But the town is in the middle of a larger debate. Should English be declared the official language?
PAUL CHAMBERLAIN, COUNCIL MEMBER: Here in Maryland, there's 117 different languages. In Carroll County, there's 23 different languages. I feel that we need to get everybody on a common ground so that we're not divisive, so that we're working to bring communities together.
SYLVESTER: Council member Paul Chamberlain knocked on 500 of his neighbors' doors, taking an informal survey on the issue. All but three people favored making English the official language. He's now introduced a proposal to make this law.
The town could follow in the footsteps of other communities, including Hazleton, Pennsylvania, and 28 states that have already declared English the language of government business.
Critics dismiss these proposals as unnecessary.
KEVIN APPLEBY, U.S. CONFERENCE OF CATHOLIC BISHOPS: It's sort of a proposal that doesn't have a problem. Most immigrants learn English pretty -- pretty quickly, faster than previous generations of immigrants do.
SYLVESTER: But there are many concerns the recent newcomers have lost their incentive to learn English, with many services offered in English and Spanish.
K.C. MCALIPIN, PROENGLISH: It sends the message, which is a very harmful message, that it's OK to come to this country and not make the effort to learn English and assimilate to this country.
SYLVESTER: Communities like Taneytown are considering action because the federal government has not stepped in. Eighty-five percent of the world's countries have an official language. The United States government is one of the few exceptions.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SYLVESTER: And more than 70 percent of Americans are in favor of making English the official language of the federal government. A proposal has passed the Senate. It does not bar the government from using other languages, but makes it clear no one has a right to demand government services in a language other than English, unless specified by law. The House, Lou, has yet to pass similar legislations -- Lou.
DOBBS: As we can often say on this broadcast with seemingly greater frequency, only in America. Lisa, thank you very much. Lisa Sylvester from Washington.
Still ahead, members of Congress are outraged that two U.S. Border patrol agents face 20 years in prison for enforcing border security. I'll be joined by congressmen who were outraged and demanding that their case be reopened.
Republicans fighting for their political lives in several key primary battles. Incumbent Senator Lincoln Chaffee could lose his seat. We'll have a live report from Rhode Island on that election and all of the major races.
And there is a war being waged in this country over how mathematics should be taught in our schools. Educators warning schools have to return to basics. It could be we're learning. We'll have a special report and a great deal more coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
DOBBS: There's a new conclusion tonight about the best way in which to teach our students mathematics. An influential math teachers group has now determined that the best approach is not the so-called new math in which children are issued calculators early on. Instead, it's back to basics. An approach that parents and mathematicians have been asking for this for years.
Christine Romans reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In math class across America, it's back to basics. According to the influential National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, by first grade students should grasp basic addition and subtraction. Second grade, quick, accurate multi-digit addition and subtraction. Third grade, multiplication, division and fractions. A list of basic math skills laid out clearly through eighth grade.
JIM RUBILLO, NATIONAL COUNCIL OF TEACHERS OF MATHEMATICS: What is it that students really need to know? What are the building blocks, the core ideas upon which all of the other important ideas are built? And so this is an attempt to do that. It's saying the concept of focusing is the important thing here.
ROMANS: Education experts hope these new guidelines put the so- called math wars to rest, a war begun with a directive from this same group in 1989 that critics say de-emphasized math fundamentals for children in favor of calculators and vague problem solving skills.
TOM LOVELESS, BROOKINGS INSTITUTION: It's true that they need to be able to solve problems and learn how to apply their knowledge in a practical sense to solve real world problems. But they also do need to know some basic computation. They need to know how to add and subtract and divide and multiply whole numbers.
ROMANS: Consider these whole numbers. In fourth grade, students in Singapore, Hong Kong and Japan have the best math skills. American students rank twelfth. By eighth grade, American students ranked 15th and are outskilled by students in Latvia, Russia, and the Slovak Republic.
According to the Thomas B. Ford (ph) Foundation, two-thirds of children attend schools in states with mediocre education standards or worse. And they give American math education a D plus.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROMANS: Those students in the rest of the world are getting a very focused fundamental early education, and it's working.
DOBBS: New reason for hope for American's bright future and our kids. Thank you very much, Christine Romans.
Time now to look at some of your thoughts.
Beth in New York: "Dear Lou, it is nice that Congress remembers 9/11 by singing on the Capitol steps. However, it would be much more meaningful if they went inside and passed bills providing security for our border, without amnesty and for our ports. Then they could prove they really remember the loss of life that day and that they are doing all they can to prevent such loss in the future."
George in Tennessee: "Dear Lou, how can we win a war if we can't even secure our borders? We're telling the enemy exactly how to defeat us."
And Jenny in New York: "If, as Bush says, 'We have to be right 100 percent of the time and the terrorists only have to be right once,' why are we only inspecting five percent of our cargo?"
Bob in Texas: "Support U.S. port security. Buy American!"
Send us your thoughts at LouDobbs.com. More of your thoughts coming up here later in the broadcast.
Next, we'll have a full report on one of the day's most closely watched primary elections. In just a few hours, the polls close in nine states and Washington, D.C.
And the president's speech last night, pure patriotism or partisan politics? And the case of the two U.S. Border Patrol agents facing prison terms. Outraged, three congressmen now demanding that the case be reopened will be our guests here. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
DOBBS: Rising anger in Congress over the case of two U.S. Border Patrol agents. They shot a Mexican drug smuggler. That smuggler then was given immunity by the U.S. attorney to testify against the Border Patrolmen. Three congressmen among those now demanding that the government reopen that case. They'll be joining us here in just a moment.
But first, Republicans and Democrats tonight exchanging charges and countercharges about the president's prime time 9/11 speech. The White House strongly defending the president from Democratic accusations the president played politics.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REID: By focusing on Iraq in the manner he did, the president engaged in an all-too-familiar administration tactic, a Bush administration tactic: Conflate and blur the war on Iraq with response to 9/11.
TONY SNOW, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: I think Americans are united on important things, and they also understand that in politics, there will be a vigorous debate about how best to pursue the goal.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DOBBS: The Democrats tonight resuming their criticism. Senator Reid and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi demanded equal time from the networks if the president uses television time for what they call political speeches.
The White House continues to insist this nation's massive current account and budget deficits are nothing to worry about. White House Economic Adviser Edward Lazear said today this nation's projected $260 billion federal budget deficit is, quote, "actually in pretty good shape."
Lazear said the 2006 billion-dollar current account deficit isn't sustainable, but he says he expects a gradual reduction. Today's comments remind us of what a former White House economic adviser had to say about outsourcing. It was Greg Mankiw, if you remember, who said more than two years ago, outsourcing could, quote, "prove a plus for our economy in the long run."
U.S. trade deficit is widening yet again. This time to another all-time high, jumping a full 5 percent in July at a $68 billion clip. This nation had a $19.5 billion trade deficit with China in July, and that makes up almost a third of the total trade deficit. We're on track to exceed $800 billion this year. That would be, yes, another record.
The communist Chinese government tonight is announcing its second free speech crackdown of the week. Communist China forbidding its courts from releasing a wide range of information to the media without state approval. China announced earlier this week foreign news organizations need state approval before distributing any pictures or news within China.
Space shuttle astronauts are making preparations for the second of their three space walks tomorrow. During today's six-and-a-half- hour space walk, astronauts began attaching a 17 1/2 ton addition to the International Space Station. The 45-foot structural truss will double the power available to the space station.
Hurricane Florence today made its closest approach to the United States. Florence is now some 600 miles off the coast of Nantucket. Continues to trigger rough surf, ocean swells and rip currents up and down the East Coast. Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Gordon strengthening in the Atlantic. It could become a hurricane by tomorrow. And like Florence, it's not expected to hit the United States.
This broadcast continues to aggressively follow the case of U.S. Border Patrol agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean. The Border Patrol agents face 20 years in prison while the Mexican drug smuggler that the U.S. attorney gave immunity to receives absolutely no prosecution. More than 20 members of Congress have now sent a letter to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, demanding the U.S. government reopen this case.
Joining me tonight, two congressmen who signed the letter and a congressman ready to send his own letter of outrage. Congressman Walter Jones of North Carolina, Louie Gohmert of Texas, and Ted Poe, also of Texas.
Gentlemen, good to have you with us.
Let me turn to you first, if I may, Congressman Poe. This letter makes it very clear your position, calling for a reopening of the case. What do you expect to be the response from the attorney general?
REP. TED POE (R), TEXAS: I hope the attorney general at least reads it and understands the importance, that a miscarriage of justice has occurred here. His own department, the Justice Department, prosecuted the wrong person. It sounds like the prosecutor was working for the Mexican government instead of the American government, giving the drug dealer immunity. And then he actually, after giving immunity, the drug dealer committed another crime and he gave him immunity on that second case after he illegally came to the United States.
So they're on the wrong side of the law and they are on the wrong side of the facts in this case, and we hope that the Justice Department gets it right this time.
DOBBS: Are you confident, Congressman Gohmert, they will?
REP. LOUIE GOHMERT (R), TEXAS: No, I'm not confident at all. I mean, any prosecutor -- and of course, Ted and I have both been district judges -- any judge, any prosecutor knows you have all kinds of cases to choose from. You pick and choose the cases you think are important.
Ted says they're on the wrong side of the law. I'd say they're on the wrong side of the border. This -- and the other thing, you know, I've got the press release from the U.S. attorney's office, and the sides they say -- they take here. Compean swung his shotgun around in an attempt to hit the poor drug dealer with the butt of his weapon, but he lost his footing and fell face down in the dirt and brush.
Now, back in Baylor Law School, they taught us all kinds of criminal law, but they also said, in the end, you apply the smells test, and you apply the smell test to this. It stinks.
DOBBS: Congressman Jones, why would Johnny Sutton, the U.S. attorney, proceed with this prosecution in this particular way, in your estimation?
REP. WALTER JONES (R), NORTH CAROLINA: Lou, in my opinion, this is one of the most greatest examples of an injustice that I have ever seen in my life. And that's why I, along with my colleagues here tonight, as well as others, we are writing the attorney general that you made reference to, and we're going to demand an investigation as to what was the justification to pursue an indictment against these two heroes, as far as I'm concerned.
DOBBS: Congressman Gohmert and Congressman Poe, Texas, it is sitting obviously on the border with Mexico; it is a dangerous border by any definition. Crime is out of control. We don't even mention the war on drugs anymore. But Mexico is the source of the principal -- the principal source of cocaine into this country, meth into this country, marijuana and heroin.
Why in the world should there even be a discussion at this stage as to whether or not our Border Patrol agents have the responsibility, the mission to stop illegal immigrants from crossing that border and drug dealers from crossing that border?
POE: I don't understand the concept of the federal government by allowing immunity to drug dealers. We ought to give both of these Border Patrol agents medals and send them out there to bag another one rather then trying to put them into penitentiary. It's chaos on the Texas border. It's lawlessness. The drug cartels are very organized. And obviously, the federal government got it wrong. You'd think they're working for the Mexican government instead of the American people.
GOHMERT: And Lou, the way you phrased the question, you set it all out there. In order to stop the drugs, the poison that's pouring into this country, you have to create what we used to call in the Army a pucker factor on the other side, where they actually pucker up when they think about even coming across and bringing their poison.
This sends the message that the wrong guys are going to pucker up. We should be protecting our Border Patrol, not -- and I don't believe you mentioned in your scenario, we brought this drug-dealing thug back across and had the bullet removed from his rear end at our own hospital. Pretty sad scenario.
JONES: Lou, I want to thank you, and I want to say to those who are watching this show, please call the White House, please call the Attorney General Gonzales and demand that there be an investigation.
I have written to the president. I've had two phone calls to the White House. This is my second letter, along with my colleagues, to Attorney General Gonzales. And we are going to demand action.
And I want to thank you for taking the lead on this issue, because this is an injustice that we should not stand by and see happen.
DOBBS: Gentlemen, thank you for being here. Congressman Jones, Congressman Gohmert, Congressman Poe, we thank you and your colleagues who are actively pursuing the matter.
JONES: Thanks, Lou.
POE: Thank you.
GOHMERT: Thank you so much.
DOBBS: That brings us to the subject of our poll tonight. Do you believe the United States government should reopen the case of border agents Ramos and Compean? Yes or no. Please cast your vote at LouDobbs.com. We'll have those results here later in the broadcast.
Approximately 100 federal, state and local law enforcement officials are right now apprehending suspects in a major marijuana growing and trafficking ring in Northern California. Authorities say the pot farm is tied to Mexican drug cartels. Casey Wian is with the law enforcement agents at this very hour. We'll have his full report in tomorrow night's broadcast on this operation.
Coming up next, the president's speech, the war on terror. What's the public opinion? I'll be talking with three of the country's most popular talk radio hosts.
And it's primary election day in nine states in the nation's capital. A lot's on the line. It's the Rhode Island race that is receiving the most attention. Senator Lincoln Chafee, he's in his toughest political battle yet. We'll have that live report. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
DOBBS: Across the country tonight, many Republican congressional candidates are in open revolt against their parties on the issues of federal spending and border security. There are important primary votes in nine states tonight and the District of Columbia as some GOP candidates are fighting straight ahead against their party's leadership as well as their opponents in the Republican Party. Dana Bash reports from Rhode Island, where Senator Lincoln Chafee faces a fierce primary challenge from a conservative outsider.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How are you feeling this morning, senator?
SEN. LINCOLN CHAFEE (R), RHODE ISLAND: Feeling very well, beautiful day.
DANA BASH, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): If there is one Republican the GOP establishment wouldn't mind losing, you'd think it would be Lincoln Chafee.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Tough decision? CHAFEE: Very easy.
BASH: He opposed to the president's tax cuts and Supreme Court pick. He supports abortion rights and stem cell research, the only Republican senator to vote no on the Iraq war.
CHAFEE: If there is any remorse, it's that I didn't get more people to vote the way I voted.
BASH: Chafee isn't just a Republican who votes against Bush policies. He actually voted against Mr. Bush in 2004. His challenger from the right, Stephen Laffey, says Chafee is out of step with the Republican Party and needs to go.
STEPHEN LAFFEY (R), RHODE ISLAND SEN. CANDIDATE: I call him irrelevant. He is the most irrelevant senator in the United State Senate.
BASH: Chafee is Rhode Island political royalty.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Have fun at the beach.
BASH: He and his late father John are the only GOP senators elected from this progressive state since the depression. The Laffey challenge is remarkable enough, but what makes this race extraordinary is the support Chafee is getting from the White House and national party. It's not so much they want him to win. They think they need him on the November ballot to keep this seat in Republican hands.
CHAFEE: Mayor Laffey is behind 30 points to the Democrat in most polls and I'm neck and neck.
BASH: So the Senate GOP Campaign Committee is spending more than a million dollars, slamming Laffey, a fellow Republican, with ads like this.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Laffey raised taxes twice.
BASH: And national party organizers and volunteers are helping Chafee turn out votes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: his race is very close and your vote is extremely important.
BASH: Laffey has outside help, too. He calls Chafee a rhino, Republican in name only. The Conservative Club for Growth's ad blitz included this attack on Chafee.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He opposed the tax cut for you, while he backed the pay raise for politicians.
BASH: Laffey labels himself a reformer, the anti-Chafee and is as rambunctious as Chafee is reserved.
LAFFEY: My opponent has seven years to reform Washington. He's failed. Washington is in the wrong direction and everybody knows it. (END VIDEOTAPE)
BASH: Now the polls close in about two hours and 15 minutes. Both campaigns are reporting high turnout. Both campaigns insist that favors their prospects tonight. But the key for Senator Chafee is getting unaffiliated or independent voters to vote for him.
That is allowed in this Republican primary today. But Lou, the national Republican Party has already made very clear that if Senator Chafee loses, they're going to pull all of their resources out of the state because they say that if Mayor Laffey wins, that he simply can't beat the Democrat and they want to spend their money, their resources elsewhere for November -- Lou.
DOBBS: All right, thank you very much Dana Bash.
In Arizona tonight, the other principle contest nationwide, Republican Randy Graf also running against the GOP establishment and doing pretty well. Randy Graf is one of five Republican candidates on today's ballot to replace retiring Congressman Jim Kolbe. Graf is running against, and including a candidate that has been endorsed by the national Republican Party and hand-picked. Graf is running on what is largely a single-issue campaign, strict border security, no amnesty for illegal aliens
Today for the first time ever, all of the voters in Maryland were supposed to cast their votes on Diebold touch screen electronic voting machines. It didn't work out quite that way. The computerized voter access cards were not delivered to the majority of the precincts this morning. So voters were told to cast paper ballots or come back later. We'll have a special report on tomorrow's broadcast. We'll tell you how all that e-voting performed all across the country on this primary Election Day.
Coming up here next, the Democrats accusing the president playing partisan politics with last night's 9/11 speech. We'll find out what people are telling some radio hosts. I'll be joined by three of the country's very best. Stay with us for that and a great deal more, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
DOBBS: Coming up at the top of the hour here on CNN, "THE SITUATION ROOM" with Wolf Blitzer -- Wolf?
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Thanks very much, Lou. Unintended consequences, Iran's president rolling out the red carpet for Iraq's prime minister. What he is going on? We'll take a closer look at the growing relationship between a top U.S. ally and a major U.S. foe.
Plus, tracking the Taliban. Pakistan's president now calling them a greater threat than al Qaeda. CNN's Anderson Cooper joining us live from the Afghan/Pakistani border.
And lost in space, literally. Might a bolt dropped by astronauts today be floating around in space and could that cause problems now or in the future? Jeanne Moos will take a closer look. All that Lou, coming up in "THE SITUATION ROOM."
DOBBS: Look forward to it, thank you very much, Wolf. Joining me now, three of the country's very best radio talk show hosts. From Washington, D.C., WOL's Joe Madison, the "Iron Eagle" and new grandfather.
JOE MADISON, WOL IN WASHINGTON: Thank you.
DOBBS: In Los Angeles, Doug McIntyre, from KABC -- Doug, good to have you with us. And here in New York, Lionel, who is nationally syndicated and on WOR right here. Good to have you gentlemen with us.
Let me turn to you first in honor of your new grandfatherhood, if I may, Joe. Congratulations. That's great.
MADISON: Well, thank you and congratulations to you. They're about, what a few days apart?
DOBBS: Just a few days apart. You and I are on the same scheduled, partner.
MADISON: All right. At least our children are.
DOBBS: Exactly. Let's turn to the issue of politics. Did you sense that the president was talking politics? Did your listeners sense the president was talking politics in his speech last night?
MADISON: Almost 100 percent. I mean, they don't believe that Bush is serious about getting bin Laden. They think that this is nothing more than a political speech. They're waiting for an October surprise. They think that he used this opportunity instead of bringing people together because both Republican, Democrat, conservative and liberals suffered on 9/11.
We had the benefit of the world being with us because they knew if they could do it to the United States, they could do to it anybody on this globe. It was just a miserable failure yesterday, from my listeners' viewpoint.
DOBBS: And yours, Doug?
DOUG MCINTYRE, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: Actually, I don't think my listeners -- I think they've tuned out George Bush. I think that they've heard that speech over and over and over and over again, some form therefore. It's stay the course, it's tying Iraq to the very security and survival of the United States in the war on terror.
And I don't believe that there's any new message there. People have made up their minds. They're either going to stay with the president -- the 30 plus percent that are with him -- and the rest of the country is going out and looking for their own alternatives.
DOBBS: Lionel?
LIONEL, WOR IN NEW YORK: Lou, what I love is the freedom reference. A couple of things. He said what we have to understand, what the terrorists hate the most is to see that elderly man pull that lever. I want to look at him and say, Mr. President, freedom does not mean a plebiscite, and every time somebody in the Middle East votes, you get Hezbollah, you get a Hamas, the Muslim brotherhood in Egypt.
He's talking about freedom. I swear to you, if you go back years ago, and take those old speeches, that's what you heard last night. The biggest complaint, especially after the Senate subcommittee came out with basically no correlation between 9/11 and Saddam -- why they even bothered, I have no idea -- you would think after that, he would have been more surgical in his speech, when in fact, it's the same old dribble and gibberish.
DOBBS: And we certainly were not treated to dribble and gibberish from Senator Harry Reid or Senator Ted Kennedy?
LIONEL: No, we weren't. What did they say that was dribblish or gibberishish?
D. MCINTYRE: Well, their denial that the sanctimonious nature of their decrying the chief politician, President Bush, giving a political speech, when they're, of course, giving their versions of political speeches. It's politicians deal with politics and the war is inherently linked to politics.
LIONEL: But, Doug, don't you think ...
D. MCINTYRE: The argument is over whether or not Iraq -- if the president is right, that the survival of the nation is dependent on victory in Iraq, then why aren't we acting like it?
LIONEL: But, Doug, don't you think the problem is to call this a political speech? That's like saying that Joe Toree gives a sports speech or a baseball speech. It's all about politics. But I think you're saying and you're saying and we're all saying is that what the president is trying to do is to keep reminding us that somehow this quagmire in Iraq is having an absolute effect on Middle East safety, our safety, and it frankly has been proven not to.
MADISON: Well, I was also going to add something else. I think people's memories aren't as short as they're depending on. I remember being on the Wolf Blitzer show in March of 2002 and telling them that this is not going to be a cakewalk, and being royally criticized by people on the right who said I didn't know what I was talking about, that I was sitting in the comfort of his studio here in Washington, D.C.
LIONEL: That's called eating Shinseki.
MADISON: Well, whatever that means, I guess I was that, but the point is that I was right. The bottom line, it's not a cakewalk and the other bottom line is that most Americans know that this war on terrorism is not linked just to Iraq. It's a global problem.
DOBBS: All right, let's go to that issue. The top Marine Corps intelligence officer assessing things some would argue very realistically, other with some defeatism, apparently, some of critics, particularly about Al Anbar province in Iraq. What we're not discussing and what I'd love to hear, if your viewers are interested. We hear, stay the course. We hear cut and run.
But what we don't hear, it seems to me at least, is -- and I think Doug McIntyre hit this -- you know, if this is serious, if freedom depends upon it, if this nation's future depends upon it, why aren't we conducting this war with a clear path to victory and doing so urgently and immediately and with all of the power and might we possess? I'll ask you to answer that first, if I could, Joe Madison.
MADISON: They can't define victory. Simple as that.
DOBBS: Well, I can.
MADISON: They can't define victory. This is not going to be like victory World War II where someone signs a peace treaty. They cannot define victory. What is victory in Iraq?
LIONEL: It's simple.
DOBBS: OK, go ahead.
LIONEL: Now, victory is when we are met with roses. Victory is when we have a Jeffersonian democracy in Iraq. Victory is when we have New Hampshire primaries. Victory is when everybody holds hands, and votes, sings "Kumbaya," and I'd love to buy the world a Coke. I agree with Joe. Victory is this ridiculously inapposite, inapplicable term to this mess. We're using World War II phraseology for a new war, a boundless war.
DOBBS: Doug McIntyre, you get the last word here.
D. MCINTYRE: Well, I also agree with Joe and I think that victory can't be defined by the administration. I think that we're holding just a holding action right now, keep the casualties low until we can find a graceful exit.
Meanwhile, the Kurds are ready to declare their independence. The Taliban have signed a peace treaty with the Pakistani government, meaning that Osama bin Laden can stay in Pakistan forever, so I don't know how you pull victory out of this. But it doesn't seem like we're even trying at this point. It's a pathetic waste of our soldier's lives. It's an outrage.
LIONEL: And don't forget President Bush is a uniter, not a divider. Today, Iran and Iraq is united for the first time ever. Thank you, Mr. President.
MADISON: And Iraq is singing with "Kumbaya" with Iran as we speak.
DOBBS: Gentlemen, we thank you for being here. We're out of time. The issues, of course, will be here well beyond our allotted time. We thank you, we'll pick it up the next time. Thank you very much.
LIONEL: Thanks, Loud.
MADISON: Thank you.
D. MCINTYRE: Thank you very much.
DOBBS: Joe Madison, Doug McIntyre, Lionel, thank you.
Up next, more of your thoughts and the results of our poll tonight. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
DOBBS: Well, Mr. Attorney General, listen up. Ninety-six percent of this audience responding to the poll says the U.S. government should reopen the case of Border Agents Ramos and Compean.
Let's look at your thoughts. Mike in Iowa: "Lou, say it isn't so. ABC trashing a Democrat? What happened to the liberal bias in the mainstream media? Can't I trust anyone anymore?"
And Rachel in Texas: "Wait a minute, Lou, did I hear you right? The astronauts are doing construction work? I thought those were jobs Americans didn't want."
And R.C. in Florida: "Lou, trying to win the war on terror is like trying to get rid of the anthills in my backyard. Get rid of one, the next day I have 10."
And Tunde in Arizona: "We're winning the war against radical Islamist terrorism like we won the war on drugs."
David in Tennessee: "Lou, in reference to the Iraq war, I keep hearing the new campaign slogan from the current administration, cut and run. Lou, how can you cut and run on a mission accomplished?
Send us your thoughts at LouDobbs.com. Each of you receives a copy of Senator Dorgan's new book, "Take This Job and Ship it."
We thank you for being with us tonight. For all of us here, thanks for watching. Good night from New York. "THE SITUATION ROOM" with Wolf Blitzer begins now -- Wolf.
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