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Former Congressional Page Hires Oklahoma Lawyer Stephen Jones; Republican Senator John Warner Sounding Dire Warning on Iraq; Kim Jong-il Still Threatening To Carry Out Nuclear Test; Make Your Money Last a Lifetime; Is Bush A Drag?; Difficult Mission For African Union Peacekeeping Force in Darfur; Reporting Graphic Details Of Foley Scandal Can Be A Challenge

Aired October 07, 2006 - 12:00   ET

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

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: "Now in the News" a former congressional page connected to the Mark Foley e-mail scandal could be telling investigators everything he knows next week. His attorneys spoke with CNN, detail from that interview straight ahead here in the "Newsroom."
That scandal playing out on the radio today. In a Democratic response to the president's radio address, this Minnesota congressional candidate accuses lawmakers of ignoring Foley's "predatory signals." Patty Wetterling became a child safety advocate after her son was abducted 17 years ago.

Cuban leader Fidel Castro is reported to be dying of cancer, that according to TIME.com. U.S. intelligence sources tell the Web site Castro's condition appears to be terminal and he is unlikely to return to power.

The Bush family shows up for a christening. The Navy's newest aircraft carrier name for President George H.W. Bush. That's daughter Dorothy doing the honors this morning in Newport News, Virginia.

Unknown gunmen killed two German journalists traveling in Northern Afghanistan overnight. A NATO spokesman said it's not clear if they were killed by Taliban, other militants or thieves.

And one of the view remaining veterans of baseball's Negro League has died. Buck O'Neil was a star player and manager who eventually became the first black major league coach. He featured prominently in the 1994 PBS documentary "Baseball" and just eight months ago, fell just one vote short of being inducted into the Hall of Fame. O'Neil was 94.

Straight ahead this hour, new fallout in the Foley sex scandal. One of the pages who allegedly got explicit e-mail from the former congressman says he'll now talk to the Feds.

Also a key senator comes home from Iraq with some tough talk and an urgent warning.

Plus sign up, save up, and kick back. We're talking about retirement and how to make sure you've got the money you will need. From the CNN Center in Atlanta, I'm Fredricka Whitfield. Welcome to the CNN "Newsroom."

A new player this morning in the drama surrounding former congressman, Mark Foley, a former page connected to the e-mail scandal could be telling federal investigators what he knows as early as next week. Twenty-one-year-old Jordan Edmund has hired Oklahoma attorney, Stephen Jones. Our Brian Todd spoke with Jones about his client's involvement with the former congressman.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A former congressional page at the center of the Foley scandal, a young man who faces many questions. His high powered attorney answers some of them.

STEPHEN JONES, ATTORNEY: Jordan hasn't done anything wrong. He's a witness. He will cooperate fully with the investigation, both the House investigation and Department of Justice.

TODD: Stephen Jones says he represents Jordan Edmund, but Jones would not confirm Edmund exchanged instant messages with Congressman Foley. Edmund finished the page program in 2002. The alleged exchanges first reported by ABC News mistakenly left with a user name on the network's Web site traced by a blogger, CNN and other news outlets to Edmund include this.

From Maf54, ID'd by ABC as Foley, "You're in the boxers too." The reply, "No just got home."

Maf54, "Well strip down and get relaxed."

JONES: They read like some of the novels that are on the market, but I haven't read all of them and I don't know whether they're true or they've been edited, I'm still playing catch-up.

TODD: Pressed further on when these alleged communications might have taken place.

JONES: I don't know what the allegations are other than Congressman Foley allegedly acted improperly, I don't know whether he did or not.

TODD: Another key question, was there physical contact with the congressman?

JONES: I'm certain there was no physical involvement between Jordan and Mr. Foley.

TODD: We also asked Jones about an item on the Drudge report, citing two people close to Edmund saying he goaded Foley into the exchanges as part of a prank. ABC News reports that is not accurate and Jones seems to agree.

JONES: From what I do know, this was not a prank. TODD: CNN along with one of our affiliates has also spoken with Brad Wilson, a page a year before Edmund. Wilson says Congressman Foley's behavior made some pages uncomfortable. He says Foley never made overtures toward him, but did approach a friend.

BRAD WILSON, FMR. CONGRESSIONAL PAGE: He asked my roommate, asking him when he's coming to Florida and then followed that question with the phrase "18 is the magic number." And it was bizarre for all the pages.

TODD (on camera): Wilson said he thought that meant the age of 18. We called Mark Foley's attorney, David Roth, for reaction to Brad Wilson's accounts and Stephen Jones' comments. Mr. Roth did not return our calls.

Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Let's talk more about these revelations with Sumi Das who is in Washington -- Sumi.

SUMI DAS, NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Thanks very much, Fredricka. Well, the question of who knew what, when is one that people are still trying answer here in Washington. Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert has maintains that his office took action on the Foley matter in November of 2005, but a new article from the "Washington Post" suggests otherwise.

The "Post" reports that a current congressional staff member says that Hastert's chief of staff, Scott Palmer met with Mark Foley at the capitol to discuss complaints about Foley's behaving and that meeting took place long before November of 2005.

Now a spokesman from Dennis Hastert's office, Ron Bonjean, has given us the following response. He tells CNN, "The Standards Committee is investigating this matter and we are confident in its ability to determine the real facts."

Meantime the Democrats are continuing to put pressure on the GOP. Patty Wetterling, a Minnesota congressional candidate delivered today's Democratic response to President Bush's radio address and in a somewhat unusual move, although this address was delivered on the radio, it was also taped on camera. We haven't seen that happen in quite some while.

Wetterling said the obvious predatory signals sent by Foley were swept under the rug by congressional leadership and that they were doing so to protect their political power.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

REP. PATTY WETTERLING (D), MINNESOTA: This is not about overly friendly relationships between adults and children; this is about ways children are too often viewed as sexual objects. And this is not about partisan politics, protecting our children is not a Democratic or Republican issue. It is an American issue. That we are all concerned about.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

DAS: Patty Wetterling is running for the Minnesota Sixth Congressional District seat and that has been a Republican-leaning district. It was formerly occupied by Republican Mark Kennedy who served for three terms but he left the seat open to run for Senate.

Wetterling is also an advocate for child safety rights. Her son, Jacob, was kidnapped 17 years ago and he's never been found -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: And Sumi, what's making this investigation that much more complicated for all of us to keep up with is because we're being introduced to a whole lot of new names and the chronology of events so much so this "Washington Post" article also talks about a meeting that the former aide to Foley was a participant in trying to schedule involving Hastert, as well as Foley's aide. So what more is being said about this going as far back as 2003?

DAS: Yes, we've been joking. You're absolutely right, Fredricka. We've been joking this is like cramming for the SATs, there are so many players in this issue, in this story. You know, the speaker's office has only given us a statement that I just previously read to you. They are leaving this to the Ethics Committee to sort of sort it out and so we will continue to try to dig on this one, but in the meantime, they are saying that because there's an ongoing investigation, they've been rather tight lipped.

WHITFIELD: Sumi Das, thanks so much for Washington.

Well, now too Iraq and more violence today. A suicide bomber killed, at least 14 people in the northern city of Tal Afar today. Attacks elsewhere killed three people. And the U.S. military reports an American soldier was killed in combat yesterday.

Is there a strategy for winning the war in Iraq? Bush administration officials say that despite some setbacks they have a strategy in place that is working. Critics counter that the plan is failing. Now a key senator weighs in with a bleak assessment.

CNN's Jamie McIntyre reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN SR. PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Citing what he calls the exponential rise in the number of death, both U.S. and Iraqi, along with the failure of the government Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki to disarm the warring militias. Republican Senators John Warner is sounding a dire warning, while he still has hope, it's fading fast.

SEN. JOHN WARNER (R-VA), ARMED SERVICES CHMN: I assure you in two or three months if this thing hasn't come to fruition and if this level of violence is not under control and this government able to function, I think it's the responsibilities of our government, internally, to determine is there a change of course that we should take?

MCINTYRE: Just back from meeting with Iraqi officials and U.S. commanders in Baghdad, Warner is giving voice to what many inside and outside the Pentagon are coming to believe -- namely U.S. strategy are standing down as Iraqi forces stand up is failing.

COL. DOUG MACGREGOR, U.S. ARMY (RET): This change that the senator is talking about is long overdue. We have no business occupying Central Iraq. It has been enormously wasteful, the change that's indicated is departure at the earliest opportunity.

MCINTYRE: but even as Warner says the situation is in his words "drifting sideways" he argues withdrawals would simply turn the Iraqi oilfields into a treasury for the world terrorist movement and he expressed continued faith in the U.S. commanders.

WARNER: And we've got to stand behind them and give those military operations the time needed to succeed.

MCINTYRE (on camera): What went wrong? Senator Warner blames himself along with former CENTCOM commander, General Tommy Franks for not asking the right questions about Iraq's history and culture. Had they paid more attention to the problems the British had forming Iraq near lily a century ago, he says, "they would have had a better understanding of how difficult it would be to forge a working government from three rival ethnic groups."

Jamie McIntyre, CNN, the Pentagon.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Another war now and another assessment, despite a surge of violence in Afghanistan, an upbeat evaluation from Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. In an opinion piece in today's "Washington Post," Rumsfeld cites progress in number of areas including the economy, health care, and troop strength.

Rumsfeld says five years after the fall of the Taliban, "The trajectory is a hopeful and promise one." But not everyone agrees. Administration critics point to daily attacks they say make Afghanistan look more and more like Iraq.

Today, a NATO soldier was killed by a roadside bomb in Southern Afghanistan and an Afghan police officer was killed by a suicide attack in the East.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JEFF KOINANGE, CNN AFRICA CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): There just aren't enough of them and they don't have enough firepower to protect even themselves from the warring factions here.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: The problem with trying to keep the peace in Darfur, we'll take you to the front lines of the crisis. The U.N. warns North Korea not to go ahead with a nuclear weapons test. The pressure is on, what's next?

And are you ready? Make sure you've got your funds for your retirement. We'll tell you how.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: This weekend marks the first anniversary of the devastating earthquake in Pakistan and India. About 80,000 died and millions left homeless, thousands are still living in tents today.

Sudan admits there have been human rights abuses in Darfur, but a Sudanese official says allegations of widespread abuse are overblown. He says a U.N. report was largely based on fabricated data.

So far, no decision on possible sanction against Iran. In a joint statement, the U.S. and five other nations say they're deeply disappointed that Iran is continuing nuclear enrichment, but stopped short of calling for U.N. Security Council sanction.

North Korea, again on the radar, Kim Jong-il still threatening to carry out a nuclear test, it could happen any time, Japan is demanding strong punitive measures if the test isn't called off, and the U.N. warns abandon plans or else.

Our Pentagon correspondent, Barbara Starr, reports.

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): North Korea's leader Kim Jong-il happily waved to his military commander as the world pressure mounts for him to cancel plans to conduct his country's first nuclear test.

Pyongyang's announcement has thrown diplomatic efforts at the United Nations into a frenzy. If there is a nuclear detonation, the world changes.

JOSEPH CIRINCIONE, CNTR. FOR AMERICAN PROGRESS: This immediately affects the calculations of South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, all of whom might decide that they need to have their own independent nuclear arsenal as well. If North Korea gets away with this, Iran will be encouraged to go forward.

STARR: Assistant Secretary of State, Christopher Hill sounded ominous this week saying, "North Korea can have a future or it can have this weapons. It cannot have both."

But the Bush administration is avoiding talk of a preemptive strike or a military response afterwards.

DONALD RUMSFELD, DEFENSE SECRETARY: That's decision for the country; it's a decision for presidents...

STARR: There is plenty of U.S. firepower in the region, 28,000 troops in South Korea and some 20 warships based out of Japan. Half a dozen B-52 bombers are in Guam, but what is the target? U.S. intelligence shows North Korea is preparing several sites for a potential test. But one intelligence analyst told CNN it's a game of nuclear three card Monty, trying to force the CIA to guess which hole in the ground is the right one.

The first signs of a nuclear detonation will come from more than 100 underground monitoring stations around the worlds. Spy planes, such as this nuclear sniffer, are already flying overhead and satellites are trained on the region 24/7.

(on camera): But will the intelligence community be able to quickly tell what North Korea has done after a missile test? Intelligence analysts tell CNN that little useful information was ever collected after North Korea's July missile test.

Barbara Starr, CNN, the Pentagon.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Still ahead, Democrats smell blood and some Republicans turn on their own as midterm election season races towards November. You know why.

And news too lewd for the tube. The House page scandal leaves reporters groping for words.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Tired of traffic jams, those electronic leashes called Blackberry and cell phone, work, bills?

STEPHANIE OSWALD, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, "TRAVELGIRL" MAGAZINE: The more busy and crazy our lives get, the more we need to press the pause button and say, whoa, I need to breathe. I need to relax and I need to gain perspective.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Consider taking a spiritual vacation, to help you unwind from the daily stresses of life.

OSWALD: Spiritual vacations can take many different forms. And people think spiritual, oh that must be mean religion, but that's not always the case. It can be about religion but it doesn't have to be, it's really about finding yourself, living in the present and also sometimes stepping into simpler times.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And for some people, it's about contemplating major life changes.

OSWALD: A lot of people go on trips because they're going through a transformation, they've had a death in the family, they've had a newborn, they've just had a divorce.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Whether your spiritual journey takes you to you a scenic location, an inn, or a monastery, the one common denominator is taking time to rest, reflect and renew your spirit. OSWALD: People don't have a lot of time. A lot of times these are just a weekend away or an afternoon -- a Sunday afternoon up in the mountains.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: So, you work hard for your money. And if you're smart, you're saving for retirement, right? Well, building a nest egg is only half the battle. Once you retire, you may have to make that nest egg last for a couple of decades or more. Cybele Weisser of "Money" magazine is here to tell you how to retire rich and make your money last a lifetime.

Good to see you, Cybele.

CYBELE WEISSER, "MONEY" magazine: Hi, Fredericka.

WHITFIELD: All right, so you're taking advantage of your 401k at work, you've set aside some money in your IRAs, so your golden years are golden? That's it?

WEISSER: Well, the key is that you're not saving enough. And this is where people run into problems is that they procrastinate the process of starting retirement savings and then they don't save enough to ensure themselves a comfortable retirement.

WHITFIELD: All right, so a lot of folks, maybe they bypassed the option in their 20s because they never saw themselves getting older, but say you're in your 30s or your 40s, you're finally taking advantage of those thing, does it mean saving more than just that 10 percent that recommended for most Americans?

WEISSER: You know, it depends on what your retirement goals are. And it's really crucial for people to have a plan. So you should go to your 401(k) Web site and log on and if you can come up with a retirement savings goal. And that will tell you how much you need to be putting away each month.

WHITFIELD: Are you finding, though, that even when people set aside some money, whether it's in their savings accounts or these 401(k)s that here comes retirement and then suddenly they realize, you know what? I really don't have enough money.

WEISSER: It certainly does happen, so you know, it's important to do as much planning ahead of time as you can. And you know, if you find that you're running short of those goal when you're older, you may need to start saving more, yes.

WHITFIELD: And unfortunately, what's happening to a lot of folks, they hit their mid year -- or their mid life, you know, years and they lose their jobs, so they're unable to continue contributing to those 401(k)s like they did before. At this point now, the bottom line is just trying to make those month to month bills.

So what's your recommendation to them? Are they looking at retirement is, you know, put on the back burner or perhaps they have to work the rest of their lives?

WEISSER: Well, I mean, of course you have to do what you can, it's really important to try to keep saving a little bit and try not to tap those retirement accounts. Obviously this is easier said than done if you just lost your job and you're just struggling to make your ends meet. But, you know, if you tap your retirement accounts early, you're almost guaranteed to come up with a shortfall. So we try to tell people to hang on and to try to keep saving a little bit if they possibly can.

WHITFIELD: And a lot of times people are tapping into those retirement funds as well as tapping into their savings because the rate of inflation is increasing and the cost of living is increasing and a lot of folks are finding out, you know what, I really don't make as much as I need on a month-to-month basis to make ends meet.

So, what is the recommendation on perhaps the highest yielding savings plans out there?

WEISSER: Well, one important thing people need to remember is to not put too much of their savings into bonds, so you know, keep a healthy amount of stocks into you portfolio, even if you're getting a little older, because that's where you're going see the maximum gain.

So, people frequently make the mistake of -- they I get nervous and they think, well, you know, I don't want my portfolio it to be too risky, they put lot into bonds a little too early and they don't want to lose out on the gain when they've still got 10 years or more to work.

WHITFIELD: All right, Cybele Weisser of "Money" magazine, thanks so much for the advice.

WEISSER: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: Hopefully those golden years are looking sparkly.

WEISSER: We hope so.

WHITFIELD: All right, thanks a lot.

WEISSER: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: All right, Reynolds Wolf in the Weather Center and it would be nice if there's sunny skies everywhere.

(WEATHER REPORT)

WHITFIELD: All right, thanks a lot, Reynolds.

Well, fighting to keep the peace in Darfur, coming up, CNN's Jeff Koinange takes us on patrol with the troops on the front lines of the Sudan crisis.

Plus the battle's brewing on Capitol Hill over the Iraq war and the congressional page scandal. I'll talk to NPR's political editor Ken Rudin coming up.

And too graphic for TV, perhaps? Well CNN's Jeanne Moos looks at the difficulties that journalists are facing these days trying to report on the Foley scandal. All that and more straight ahead in the "Newsroom."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GERRI WILLIS, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Betsy Johnson with her platinum blonde hair and signature cartwheels has rocked the fashion world since she hung with the likes of Andy Warhol and the Velvet Underground.

BETSY JOHNSON, FMR. MODEL: I have a look and I guess it just kind of works.

WILLIS: And she's bringing that look into the homes of millions of her fans.

JOHNSON: The home really lets me show off my different personalities. This house represents Betsy Boudoir, then there's Betsy Betsyville, which is Mexican. Then there's the Betsy Boyfriend and a Betsy Bahamas and there's a Betsy Belle and a Betsy backyard, which is very Doris Day and picket fence.

WILLIS: With her home line due out in the spring, she's also looking for inspiration in her own colorful spaces.

JOHNSON: I guess what's very important to me is to be able to live out my home schizophrenia and I just -- I just have to keep decorating.

WILLIS: Gerri Willis, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Half past the hour, here's what's happening right now in the news. A chat with the Feds looms in the sex scandal involving former Republican Congressman Mark Foley. Lawyer Stephen Jones says his client, a former congressional page linked to the scandal, will likely talk with federal agents as early as next week.

Democrats aren't missing a beat in slamming Republicans over the Foley scandal. The Democratic candidate for Congress in Minnesota, Patty Wetterling, lashed out at Republican leaders on Capitol Hill today. She accused them of ignoring what she says were Foley's obvious predatory signals.

Another day and more carnage in Iraq. A suicide truck bomber killed at least 14 people in the northern city of Tal Afar today, and at least three people were killed in attacks elsewhere. Also, nearly 20 bodies were found, many showing signs of torture.

Gunfire erupts in the DMZ, separating North and South Korea. South Korea has said it has fired warning shots today after soldiers from the north entered the no man's zone. The North Koreans retreated to their side without returning fire. Tension already was high over the North's threat earlier this week to test a nuclear weapon.

Mystery killing in Moscow -- the victim, a journalist, famous for her critical coverage of the war in Chechnya. She was found shot to death today in her apartment building. Police believe she was murdered.

Americans are almost evenly split on how they feel things are going in the country right now. A CNN poll conducted by Opinion Research Corporation finds 51 percent of Americans think things are going well; 49 percent say things are going badly. Fifty-eight percent of those polled say their family is maintaining their standard of living, while 41 percent report falling behind.

Still talking about politics now, congressional candidates are usually thrilled to get campaign help from the man in the White House. But that's not always the case when policies are controversial, such as the war in Iraq. Our Bill Schneider explains.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SR. POLITICAL ANALYST (voice-over): If it's Monday, this must be Reno.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: And Dean Heller is the right person for the United States Congress.

SCHNEIDER: Tuesday, hello Stockton!

BUSH: I'm proud to be here on behalf of Richard Pombo.

SCHNEIDER: Republican candidates had better consider this question -- is Bush a drag? He certainly wasn't in 2002 when the president barnstormed the country, and Republicans unexpectedly gained House seats. But this year, with the Iraq war deeply unpopular, most Americans say they'd be more likely to vote a candidate who opposes President Bush than one who supports him. So Bush is a drag, right?

It could be more complicated. Bush clearly rallies the Republican base. Eighty-four percent of Republicans say they would be more likely to vote for a candidate who supports the president. But he also rallies the Democratic base. Ninety-two percent of Democrats say they'd be more likely to vote for an anti-Bush candidate.

PATRICK MURPHY (D), PENNSYLVANIA CONG. CANDIDATE: I'm Patrick Murphy.

SCHNEIDER: Democrats all over the country are trying to make President Bush the issue.

MURPHY: Whether it's the war in Iraq, whether it's stem cell research, privatizing Social Security, things that President Bush wants to happen, my opponent goes along. SCHNEIDER: Republicans believe their base can overwhelm the Democratic base because Republicans have the edge in money and organization. What about swing voters? Bad news for Republicans. By a huge margin, independents say think they prefer a Bush opponent to a Bush supporter. Republicans have to reassure themselves that if 2006 is the usual low turnout midterm election, most independents won't bother to vote.

(on camera): The story is told that many years ago, the campaign manager of a very unpopular presidential candidate called a local Ohio congressional candidate.

"I have wonderful news for you," he said. "We're going to be there to campaign in your district." "That is good news," the local candidate responded, "but I'm afraid I'm going to be in Florida visiting my parents." "Wait a minute," the campaign manager said, "I haven't told you when we're coming." "It doesn't matter," the local candidate said, "whenever you show up, I'm going to be in Florida visiting my parents."

Bill Schneider, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Yikes. So the war over the e-mail messages to pages, is that already having an impact on the election? Ken Rudin is NPR's political editor. He joins us now from Washington.

Good to see you again, Ken.

KEN RUDIN, NPR POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Hi, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: So how has this scandal not only altered the campaigning but perhaps already altered the commitment of voters to certain candidate or parties?

RUDIN: Well, that's the real question, and that's the question that Republicans are most nervous about. They don't think that Republican voters -- normal Republican voters will show up to the polls and suddenly vote for Democratic candidates.

WHITFIELD: They feel like they already know that, don't they?

RUDIN: Well, they fear that they may not show up at all, and that's what they're most afraid of.

WHITFIELD: And why wouldn't so many of these voters show up? What really is at issue here? What is, I guess, the problem that many of the voters are seeing in their party?

RUDIN: In 1994, Republicans came to control of Congress promising a different -- a change after 40 years of Democratic rule in the House. They said, you know, we'll have a moral compass that the Democrats didn't present. But, you know, the Democrats have been harping on this culture of corruption all year, and for the most part, a lot of people thought well, that's just, you know, campaign rhetoric.

But when you have the Mark Foley scandal, when you have the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal, a lot of voters say well, what's the difference between Democrats and Republicans? And if that's the case, then the Republican base may be so dispirited that they may not come out one month from today.

WHITFIELD: And so this moral compass has already been shattered just as a result of talk of this scandal. A the lot of things at issue here not just because of the inappropriate contact between a 50- some-year-old man and teenage boys, but the issue of family values, of morality as a whole, and even the issue of Mr. Foley now admitting, you know, in this mea culpa through his attorney, he's gay.

RUDIN: It's not only that. Look, if this were just about Mark Foley, that would be one thing. Mark Foley's seat would be gone. But remember, we saw Barney Frank's sex scandals in the past. We saw Bob Packwood's sex scandals in the past, and basically they were just relegated to those two members.

But given the fact that it's a wide-held suspicion that the Republican leadership in Congress knew about it, then it spreads beyond Mark Foley. It spread beyond Florida's congressional district, it spreads to other members of the Republican leadership and other Republican candidates who either took money from Mark Foley or are a part of the Republican apparatus that many voters are going to blame the GOP for next month.

WHITFIELD: So is the concern that many conservative voters are simply staying home come Election Day? Or that perhaps they'll change their minds and cast their ballots on Democrats?

RUDIN: No. I don't think -- look, I don't think a religious conservative is going to go to the polls and say, gee, I think I really want Nancy Pelosi to be speaker of the House or I think I really want Ted Kennedy and Hillary Clinton to be part of the leadership and the majority in the Senate. That's not what it is.

But again, if you have a Republican leadership that looked the other way -- if indeed that's the case -- if they looked the other way with the Mark Foley scandal, if, you know, the Duke Cunninghams of the world and the Tom DeLays of the world and the Bob Neys of the world involved in some kind of corruption, they'll say why show up? What's the difference between our party and their party. I'll just sit at home.

WHITFIELD: So when we see all these lawmakers in the past few days, from Hastert on down, rushing to the microphone, explaining or giving some timelines of what happened, what didn't happen, is this evidence of a cover-up gone bad or is it simply evidence of a lot of bad decisions, big mistakes?

RUDIN: Well, cover-up is too strong of a word and, of course, that is the Democratic Party line, that they've been covering it up for months. And the truth is there are Republicans who did know about Mark Foley's behavior. They may not have known about the salacious instant messages that really got out of control, but if they did know and if they did know that something was wrong and nothing was done, one, their candidates -- the Republican candidates are running scared.

There's some races around the country where the Republicans should be winning in landslide blowouts but the fact is, the Democrats have become suddenly competitive because they say that the Republican leadership turned the other way and that's not what the American people want.

WHITFIELD: NPR's Ken Rudin, thanks so much.

RUDIN: Thanks, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: It was good to see you.

RUDIN: Bye.

WHITFIELD: Well, they are full of hot air in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The city's 35th annual International Balloon Festival is underway and it runs through next weekend. I bet you thought I was saying something else. Well, 700 hot air balloons are expected to fill the skies.

Also in Albuquerque, the CNN Election Express Yourself bus tour. It is one of the tours that the bus -- or one of the stops on the 13 city stops that this bus is making, allowing people to voice their political points of view. And here is a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Certainly the biggest issue is the war in Iraq and security, security from terrorist attacks. So I think everyone is thinking and talking about that nationwide.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Most of all, I'd like to see civility addressed. I'd like to see civility in our political process. I'd like to see us have discussion, rather than yell at one another. I just -- I can't believe that we, as a political process, can't get people to have respect in the institutions and in individuals.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Terror and homeland security will affect my vote because -- it will greatly affect it, because we need to be safe. And I want someone who can provide that safety for me and my children.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: To find out where the tour is headed next, go to CNN.com/election.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: And more of the CNN NEWSROOM this weekend right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) WHITFIELD: We'll now look at the most popular stories on CNN.com. Will North Korea go ahead with plans to conduct a nuclear test? Barbara Starr has a report.

And gay in the GOP. The Mark Foley scandal touches off a debate inside the Republican Party.

And another top pick, a report from Pennsylvania, how the Amish community is coping after this week's school shootings. You can see all of those reports and more at www.CNN.com.

Well, there are about 7,000 African Union peacekeepers in Darfur, Sudan charged with bringing law and order to an area the size of California.

CNN's Africa correspondent Jeff Koinange got a first-hand look at the many challenges these troops face.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KOINANGE (voice-over): These are the men trying to stand in the way of genocide. We tagged along with this battalion of the African Union peacekeeping force in Darfur to see what chance they have of succeeding.

Their assignment on this day is to travel 50 to the town of Tawila, the scene of a recent attack that forced nearly 15,000 villagers to flee their homes. It was a journey these peacekeepers could not complete.

Along the way, the patrol takes a routine stop for information. Just as they are moving out, their commander's radio crackles with a message from headquarters.

(on camera): Halfway on the road to Tawila, we've just been informed that there's some rebel activity not too far from where we are, and that we have to turn around immediately and head back towards El Fasher.

(voice-over): Four weeks ago, this battalion lost nearly a dozen men in a gun battle with anti-government rebels who stole their vehicles and weapons. They are not about to take chances on this day.

We returned to base and these men are tired, frustrated, their morale low. Their new force commander is only days into his new job, but this peacekeeping veteran of wars as far away as Kosovo, Liberia and Congo will be the first to tell you his mandate here is a mission impossible.

MAJ. GEN. LUKE APREZI, AFRICAN UNION FORCE COMMANDER: Simply put, the force has gross inadequacy in men and material. We cannot carry out simple peacekeeping duties. We cannot provide the enabling environment for humanitarian services to do their work.

KOINANGE (on camera): If you had a wish list, if someone said here, General, what do you need to carry out your mission, what would it be?

APREZI: I need at least twice the number of troops I have on the ground, and I need adequate logistics and air assets to be able to carry out the duties as -- for me to carry out the mandate given to me.

KOINANGE (voice-over): But the battalion is back on the patrol, despite their lack of resources and manpower, heading to this makeshift city of plastic tents, population 43,000 internally displaced people, a polite term for refugees in their own country, people like 47-year-old Abubakar Ahmed Abdallah, who recently fled fighting in his village 50 miles away with his wife and 12 children, now trying to make a living selling fruit with protection from these African Union peacekeepers. "I am alive because of these peacekeepers," he says. "God bless them."

But these peacekeepers didn't reach Tawila, and they don't achieve peace here. There just aren't enough of them and they don't have enough firepower to protect even themselves from the warring factions here. So these are the men trying to stand in the way of genocide. They don't stand a chance.

Jeff Koinange, CNN, on the road with African Union peacekeepers in North Darfur.

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WHITFIELD: Tonight, Anderson Cooper hosts a CNN special report from Africa. "THE KILLING FIELDS: AFRICA'S MISERY, THE WORLD'S SHAME" airs at 8:00 Eastern only on CNN.

And the other overseas conflict winning most of the U.S.' attention, Iraq. Tomorrow, insight from two retired generals, their strategy on what should be done in Iraq. That's starting at 7:00 a.m. Eastern with analysis throughout the day right here on CNN.

And here at home, too graphic for TV. Jeanne Moos reports on how journalists are struggling to cover the explicit details of a Washington scandal straight ahead in the NEWSROOM.

(WEATHER REPORT)

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WHITFIELD: Here's some other stories making headlines across America. Indiana Pacers guard Stephen Jackson is recovering from minor injuries he received during a disturbance at a strip club. Authorities say Jackson fired shots in the air in apparent self- defense after he was slugged in the mouth and then hit by a car outside.

The incident, another blow to the Pacers' image. Jackson pleaded no contest to misdemeanor assault charges after this brawl -- remember this -- two seasons ago? He was sentenced to probation and community service. A third death now linked to E. coli outbreak in spinach. Authorities say a Nebraska woman who died in August was infected with the bacteria. The outbreak sickened at least 190 people. Investigators linked the tainted spinach to several counties in California's Salinas Valley. Last week, the FDA lifted the consumer warning on fresh spinach.

And floodwaters on the rise in Richmond, Virginia. Dozens of homes have been evacuated. In one area, the water was 22 feet deep. It's the second time in just over a month that residents of one neighborhood have been forced from their homes because of flooding.

Well, you think you have a difficult time reading all about it. Too lewd for the tube? Reporting the graphic details of the Mark Foley scandal can be a challenge.

Here's CNN's Jeanne Moos.

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JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): When lines like "how my favorite young stud doing" are among the tamer Internet messages being bandied about in the Foley story, TV's in trouble.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Full of graphic, sexual language, too graphic to be broadcast.

MOOS (on camera): Too graphic to be broadcast maybe, but nothing's too graphic for the Internet.

(voice-over): Prompting warnings like "reader discretion strongly advised" at ABC's Web site, where in between the sometimes downright dirty dialogue, you also get the interruptions. "By right back, my mom is yelling," types one teen. Serious reporters end up role-playing the suggestive stuff, becoming targets for comedians.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What are you wearing?

T-shirt and shorts.

Love to slip them off of you.

JON STEWART, COMEDIAN: There you have it, ABC's Brian Ross, worst phone sex operator ever.

MOOS: And while journalists are doing their best to present solemn reenactments ...

ZAIN VERJEE, CNN ANCHOR: Foley: I miss you lots in San Diego. Teen: Yes, I can't wait till D.C. Foley responds with a smile symbol.

MOOS: ... the real smiles are prompted by Web sites like Invisible Engine.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The following is a dramatization of an actual instant message investigation.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do I make you a little horny?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A little.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Cool.

MOOS: And everywhere there's a LOL, laughing out loud, in the transcript.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ha, ha.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ha, ha.

MOOS: The Huffington Post solicits humorous homemade videos, and one of their top ones at the moment is "Trick or Treating at the Foley." It's a quiz. They give you former Congressman Foley's line, and you pick the correct response. Let's see if you've been paying attention. When Foley asks, "Do I make you a little horny," did the teen answer, "no, my mom made this costume," "a little," or "no, you make me sick."

(on camera): The correct answer is "a little."

(voice-over): You may think this is all a little much. If it weren't for the Internet, we wouldn't be getting the uncensored story, misspellings and all. "So you have a fetich" typed the teen.

The transcript proves that even a congressman ...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did you want to fool around?

MOOS: ...can't seem to fool around without making typos.

Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.

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WHITFIELD: Scary indeed. "IN THE MONEY" is coming up next, plus a look at the top stories in a moment. We'll be right back.

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