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Iraq Strategy; Top Iraqi Leaders Blast Iraq Study Group Report; The Obama Effect; Poisoned Spy Mystery
Aired December 11, 2006 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: You are with CNN. You know what that means. That means you are informed.
Hello there, everybody. I'm T.J. Holmes.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Tony and Heidi are off today.
Good morning, everybody. I'm Betty Nguyen.
We do have some developments coming in to the NEWSROOM on this Monday, the 11th of December. Here's what's on the rundown.
HOLMES: President Bush and Iraq war strategy. He's getting advise today from diplomats and retired generals. The president's remarks live this hour.
And politics best served hot in cold New Hampshire. Illinois senator Barack Obama testing the presidential campaign trail.
NGUYEN: Oh Christmas tree, why are you coming down? A grinch lands at Seattle's airport. We're going to tell you all about it this hour, right here in the NEWSROOM.
HOLMES: It is, of course, dominating President Bush's agenda again this week. What is the best way forward in Iraq? And today the president is holding strategy sessions at the State Department and in the Oval Office.
CNN's Elaine Quijano joining us now live from the White House.
Hello again to you, Elaine.
ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, T.J.
That's right, at this hour, in fact, behind closed doors over at the State Department, the president is engaged in one of those strategy sessions. He's meeting over there with the vice president, as well as Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and other top aides about the way forward in Iraq.
The president, of course, embarking on a listening tour of sorts inside the beltway, if you will, as he weighs the various options on Iraq. And this afternoon, as part of that, he'll be sitting down with a group of five historians and former generals. And all of this, of course, coming amid speculations about what the president might do next. Of course, this is coming on the heels of that report by the Iraq Study Group that called the situation in Iraq "grave" and "deteriorating.". Well, those close to the White House, including the president's former chief of staff, say that the administration is open to change.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANDREW CARD, FMR. WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF: I agree, there's an awful lot that can be done. The president will take a look at the efforts in Iraq with fresh eyes. That's why he's bringing in a new secretary of defense.
He'll -- I'm sure that he's asked Secretary Rice and the other members of the cabinet to take a fresh look at the situation in Iraq. But clearly, we have to do things differently, but we have to be careful that we don't leave Iraq as a place where the terrorists can find safe haven to attack us, and that we don't leave Iraq as a cesspool of hatred that will boil over and complicate our life in that part of the region for a long time to come.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
QUIJANO: And the consultations will continue tomorrow and Wednesday, including a video conference the president will have with top military commanders in Iraq, as well as the U.S. ambassador to Iraq, Zalmay Khalilzad.
Now, the president right now is waiting on the results of three internal administration reviews, one from the State Department, one from the Pentagon, one from the National Security Council. As for when he might announce changes to his Iraq policy, senior Bush aides say that it could come in a speech, possibly before Christmas -- T.J.
HOLMES: Elaine, we're hearing word, we're calling them rumors right now, really, reported rumors out of -- out of Baghdad that possibly Nuri al-Maliki, the prime minister, there's an effort under way to get him out of there. Now, is that, these rumors, as they are right now, is that on the White House's radar right now?
QUIJANO: Yes. You know, White House Press Secretary Tony Snow was asked about that, T.J., just a short time ago in the off-camera briefing this morning, and he said, "Look, it's not true." He flatly denied it, and he basically said that there is no move afoot to oust Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki.
So how did these reports come about, or the rumors, if you will? Well, Snow says he believed somebody stitched together what he called some unrelated threads and jumped to conclusions. And he went on to say that President Bush does have confidence in Prime Minister Maliki, but also another top Shia politician, he says, a powerful one, expressing support as well, Abdul Aziz al-Hakim. And you'll recall President Bush sat down with Mr. al-Hakim here at the White House last week -- T.J.
HOLMES: All right, Elaine. Thank you so much.
And we do want to remind our viewers that the president, of course, meeting today with a lot of folks, getting input on what should be the next way forward -- or the way forward in Iraq. We are expecting comments from him at 11:45 Eastern. And they will be brought to you live here on CNN.
NGUYEN: Well, from Iraq's president, a firm rejection of the Iraq Study Group's report. Jalal Talabani says the group's recommendations violate Iraq's sovereignty.
Our senior international correspondent, Nic Robertson, has the latest from Baghdad.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): In the north of Baghdad, spiraling sectarian violence. Sunnis forced from their homes in apparent retaliation for a mortar attack on a nearby Shia neighborhood. The newly homeless Sunnis blame the Shia- dominated government for not coming to their aid.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): We asked the Iraqi army to come, but the army didn't interfere. And it seemed that there was a collusion between the Iraqi army and the militia.
ROBERTSON: Fears that are heightening divisions, polarizing political debate, just a week before a national reconciliation conference called by the prime minister.
OMAR ABDUL-SATTAR, SUNNI ISLAMIC PARTY (through translator): We will not participate in any future government unless we have a real share in security and political decisions.
ROBERTSON: And to this poisoned political atmosphere, a new shock: robust rejection of the Iraq Study Group's report by the country's Kurdish President.
JALAL TALABANI, IRAQI PRESIDENT: The Baker-Hamilton is not fair, is not just. And it contains some very dangerous articles which are undermining the sovereignty of Iraq.
ROBERTSON: At issue, the study group's proposal to ratchet up the number of U.S. military trainers embedded with the Iraqi army. The Kurds' other top leader, Massoud Barzani, also blasted the report, saying it's not compatible with reconciliation, criticizing recommendations that would put Kurdish oilfields under central government control.
Away from the political turmoil and sectarian violence, outgoing U.S. secretary of defense Donald Rumsfeld slipped into the country under a veil of secrecy. A farewell tour of U.S. bases in the north, west and center of Iraq thanking soldiers and Marines. His message for the troops very personal, at times as much prophetic as reflective.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: And Nic Robertson joins us live.
Nic, I want to get to the way forward in Iraq in just a moment, but we are just getting word into CNN that in Al Anbar Province there's been an incident involving a U.S. helicopter.
What do you know?
ROBERTSON: Well, Betty, we know it's a Marine helicopter, we know that it's carrying 21 people. We know that all 21 are accounted for.
What we've been told by military spokesmen here is that a Marine helicopter was forced to make a hard landing in Al Anbar Province and that 18 people on board are wounded. Now, we're not clear at this stage why it had to make the hard landing.
Last week, another Marine helicopter, a CH-46, made an emergency landing in a lake in Al Anbar province. In that incident, a total of five people died. There were 16 on board the helicopter. It got into the water, managed to get to the edge of the water.
This incident, with 21 people on board, a Marine helicopter, sounds like it was also a CH-46 helicopter, a transport helicopter used by Marines. They generally fly them at night around the country for security reasons. They are common -- commonly in use here, a lot to transport Marines and other service personnel around Al Anbar Province.
The details at the moment very, very sketchy. But we do know that 21 people all accounted for on board. Eighteen of them are wounded -- Betty.
NGUYEN: OK.
As soon as we get more information, of course we'll bring it to you right here on CNN.
But Nic, let me ask you this. As we talk about the plan forward in Iraq, I understand there's going to be a national reconciliation conference on December 16th. How is that shaping up?
ROBERTSON: There's a lot of behind-the-scenes work going on at the moment, where politicians, particularly the prime minister and some of the leading politicians, are trying to sort of bring more parties into the political grouping, into the political center here. And particularly, looking to the Sunnis, a large number of whom feel very disenfranchised and under pressure and under threat at the moment.
If this national reconciliation conference is to be successful, it will have to pull in all these different groupings. And until now, the government hasn't been able to do that. This seems a very problematic time to try and have national reconciliation, where the divisions only seem to be getting deeper and the political positions just widening at the moment -- Betty.
NGUYEN: We'll see if it works.
Nic Robertson, thank you for that.
U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan making the final major speech of his term today. And one report says the U.S. will be in his crosshairs.
Annan has chosen the Truman Presidential Museum and Library for that address. He's expected to blast the Bush administration's handling of the war in Iraq and prisoner abuses. Annan believes the U.S. has a special responsibility to the world as a superpower and has failed to deliver.
His term ends December 31st. The Annan address live in the noon Eastern hour, and we will bring you portions of it.
HOLMES: Not a candidate, but Senator Barack Obama sure is looking like a candidate. And he's sounding like a candidate. And a lot of people are listening.
CNN's John King reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D), ILLINOIS: Sorry, guys. I didn't mean to cause this fuss.
JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Of course he did. First impressions are important in politics. The more fuss, the better.
Barack Obama, meet New Hampshire.
OBAMA: How are you? Good see you?
KING: New Hampshire, meet Barack Obama. A crowd of 1,500 at a sold out state Democratic Party fundraiser, on a Sunday afternoon.
OBAMA: I am telling you, New Hampshire, America is ready to turn the page. America is ready for a new set of challenges. This is our time, a new generation. That is preparing to lead.
KING: Earlier, 900 people at a book signing that had to be moved to a big conference room.
He is, without a doubt, the hottest commodity in American politics. Never mind that he's just 45 years old, and was elected to the Senate only two years ago.
AL BORQUE, NEW HAMPSHIRE VOTER: We're so tired of the standard- type politicians that we've been used to for so long. It was very exciting, as far as I was concerned. Hope he runs.
KING: Whatever his decision, Democrats here and across the country are buzzing about the Obama effect.
Senator Hillary Clinton is accelerating her campaign planning. Other hopefuls, Indiana Senator Evan Bayh, also in New Hampshire this weekend...
SEN. EVAN BAYH, (D-IN): Good to see you again. How have you been?
KING: ... can only hope experience matters as much as star power when it really counts a year from now.
BAYH: Would it be nice to be a celebrity and have untold millions? Of course it would. But I think we'll have enough. You know, it's a lot like the story of David and Goliath, David did OK.
KING: New Hampshire holds the first presidential primary. Senator Obama's first visit came after three trips to the kickoff caucus state, Iowa. Top aides are quietly building a campaign team. And there's encouragement galore.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Eventually getting active for Obama?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Sure.
KING: A final decision, due early next year.
OBAMA: I am suspicious of hype. I'm still running -- running things through the traps.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: Well, let's take a look here at where the senator stands on the issues.
He opposes the war in Iraq and supports the phased redeployment of U.S. troops. He previously called for a U.S. troop withdrawal by the end of this year. Now he says he'd meet with U.S. commanders to establish a timetable.
Obama is against same-sex marriage but he does support civil unions. And on taxes, he supports eliminating the so-called marriage penalty and extending the child tax credit.
NGUYEN: Well, Olympic Park bomber Eric Rudolph says the government is trying to drive him crazy in prison. Listen to this.
In letters to a Colorado newspaper, Rudolph complains about his solitary confinement. Rudolph says he spends 23 hours a da in his 7x12-foot cell and gets little exercise. Rudolph writes it's designed to cause mental illness and leave him with health ailments such as diabetes and heart disease.
Rudolph is, as you know, serving a life sentence at a supermax prison in Colorado for three separate bombings that killed one person in Atlanta and one at a women's clinic in Birmingham, Alabama.
HOLMES: A tragic accident or a plot? The report on the death of Princess Diana, where the probe points. That's ahead in the NEWSROOM.
NGUYEN: Speaking of plots, the radioactivity spreads as the plot thickens, and a poison spy's widow levels accusations. The Litvinenko investigation, that's here in the NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Well, it's been nearly a decade since Princess Diana's death. A span filled with constant questions and conspiracy theories. Now a new report, well, it could provide answers, because there is word a British inquiry has concluded Diana's death was indeed an accident.
To the BBC. Tests have confirmed Diana's driver was drunk when the car crashed in a Paris tunnel back in 1997. The government report is due out this week, and there's a surprising twist. The British newspaper "The Observer" says U.S. intelligence was eavesdropping on Diana's phone calls hours before her fatal crash.
CNN is working to verify that report.
HOLMES: The widow of poisoned ex-spy Alexander Litvinenko speaks out, and the investigation into his death now spans three countries. The latest developments in Germany. Hamburg police are following a trail of Polonium-210 radiation left behind by another former spy.
Our Paula Hancocks picks up the story from there.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): German police say this man, Dmitry Kovtun, is being treated as a suspect in the international hunt for the killers of former KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko. Kovtun is a former soldier in the Soviet army, and one of the men who British police say met Litvinenko in this London hotel on the day he was given a fatal dose of radiation.
German police say they have found traces of Polonium-210, the material used in the poisoning, at the apartment of Kovtun's ex-wife. They say Kovtun stayed there the night before flying to London and meeting Litvinenko. German police say there is "... a reasonable basis for suspicion that Dmitry Kovtun may not just be a victim, but could also be a perpetrator." Their investigation now focuses on whether Kovtun illegally handled radioactive material.
The Russian news service Interfax says Kovtun is being treated for radiation poisoning in Moscow.
Litvinenko's wife Marina broke her silence Sunday, telling "The Sunday Times" how her husband came to the realization he had been deliberately poisoned.
MARINA LITVINENKO, ALEXANDER LITVINENKO'S WIDOW: And he said, "Marina, I feel like people who was poisoned with chemical." You know, because they started, they got some systems (ph). But of course I told him, "Sasha, it's unbelievable. I can't -- I can't believe what happened."
HANCOCKS: British police are continuing their murder inquiry in Moscow Monday. Two police officers involved in the case have also tested positive for Polonium-210. London police say both men are well.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: And our Paula Hancocks joining us now.
And Paula, this stuff just seems to be spreading all over the place. We keep hearing about new infections. It's popping up here and there. Now we're talking about new infections in Germany.
What do you have on that?
HANCOCKS: That's right. Yes, just in the past couple of hours we've heard from German prosecutors that there's a possible four more people who they believe could have been contaminated with this radiation.
Now, we understand that it is the ex-wife of Mr. Kovtun, who I was just talking about in that report. Obviously, it was her apartment where they found the radiation traces because he had spent the night there before coming to London and meeting Litvinenko. Also, his ex-wife, his two children, age 1 and 3, we understand, may be contaminated, and the ex-wife's partner. So at this point it really is spreading.
They say that this particular contamination is likely only to have happened with intensive bodily contact, which means obviously just by shaking somebody's hand it's not likely to be passed on at this point. So they don't believe though there is a further worry in Germany itself, other places that Kovtun went to, for example, a restaurant and also a shop to buy trousers. There was no radiation there at all.
But it really is increasing, this particular very intriguing and very complex case. And, of course, now panning three countries.
And according to some of the Russian media organizations, we now understand that Lugovoi, one of the other people who met Litvinenko with Kovtun, has been investigated by British police. We understand detectives have questioned him for three hours today. But at this point he is only a witness -- T.J.
HOLMES: All right. Paula Hancocks for us.
Thank you so much.
NGUYEN: Well, we were expecting to get the results today from an investigation determining exactly what caused the Sago Mine explosion that killed 12 miners back on January 3rd, but we understand that has since been delayed.
Let's go on the phone right now to CNN producer Winnie Dunbar to give us the latest on what sparked this delay.
Winnie, what do you know?
WINNIE DUNBAR, CNN PRODUCER: Yes, hey, Betty. How are you doing?
We've just been told from a number of sources, including a representative from the West Virginia Coal Miner's Association that the report that was to be released today explaining the cause for the explosion that killed the 12 miners at Sago Mine has been delayed for a week. According to my sources, they say that a number of family members of the victims were dissatisfied with the initial report and, as a result, Governor Joe Manchin from West Virginia has decided to not release it today.
NGUYEN: Now, what do you mean dissatisfied with the report? Because there was some early word that possibly it could have been, the explosion, the result of lightning or something weather-related.
DUNBAR: Right. The initial word that we got out of the report was that the main headline was going to be that lightning caused the explosion.
Now, I haven't been able to get a hold of any of the victims' families, but when I was able to talk to them on Friday, a number of them said that they didn't feel it was right for the state to blame lightning or Mother Nature for something that could have been prevented by a number of different things in mining -- miners and the like.
NGUYEN: So they don't like the lightning scenario here, but if -- I mean, you're talking about something that could have been prevented. That's two different cases here. This report was to look into the cause, not the possible prevention.
DUNBAR: Right. I mean, they say that even though it was lightning that could have caused this, they feel like it's just completely a crutch for the mining association, and that's what's happened here.
NGUYEN: Well, we'll see if the report remains the same a week from now when it's expected.
Next Monday, correct, Winnie?
DUNBAR: Exactly.
NGUYEN: All right.
CNN producer Winnie Dunbar.
Thank you for that.
HOLMES: Americans sick and tired on the job and getting no relief.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Nearly half of all workers in the private sector don't get any paid sick time. And lower-waged workers are the hardest hit.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: CNN's Alina Cho with the debate over no work, no pay.
That's ahead in the NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Well, you feeling sick? Working anyway? Been there. You're not alone.
T.J.'s coughing over here. A fake cough.
For many Americans paid sick leave is not part of the job description. Oh, no. But CNN's Alina Cho reports that could change when the new Congress takes charge.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHO (voice over): Rachel Sobel (ph), mother of two, quit her job last December when she was forced to make a choice, her job or her son. Leo had broken his arm and needed her care.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I had to be home with him.
CHO: But she couldn't. She already used her paid time off, which included only two sick days. So she quit to care for her son.
It's a dilemma lots of Americans face. Nearly half of all workers in the private sector don't get any paid sick time. And lower-wage workers are the hardest hit. With Democrats about to take control of Congress, they're vowing to fight for a change.
SEN. EDWARD KENNEDY (D), MASSACHUSETTS: I, quite frankly, am tired of playing defense. I think it's time that we played offense.
CHO: Next month, Senator Ted Kennedy will reintroduce a bill that would require companies with 15 or more employees to provide full-time workers seven days of paid sick leave a year.
KENNEDY: If it's good enough for the members Congress, good enough for the Senate, the House of Representatives, it's good enough for hard-working people.
CHO: It's already good enough for San Francisco. The city recently approved a similar measure, the first in the nation to do so. Kennedy says it should be federal policy. Business leaders say if paid sick leave is that important, Congress should raise taxes to pay for it.
RANDEL JOHNSON, U.S. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE: People get sick, they need time off. Why should the employer necessarily have to bear that burden?
CHO: Rachel (ph) now has a part-time job which affords her more time with her kids, but less money.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Bye-bye.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Bye.
CHO: What she really wants is a full-time job that allows her enough time off to take care of her kids when they're sick and get paid at the same time.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's really all American workers who deserve this.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: And to get your "Daily Dose" of health news online, here's all you have to do. It's pretty simple. Log on to our Web site. You'll find the latest medical news, a health library and information on diet and fitness. The address, right there, cnn.com/health.
ANNOUNCER: Breaking news, revealing developments. See for yourself in the CNN NEWSROOM.
NGUYEN: Among our top stories this morning, President Bush getting input as he plots the way forward in Iraq.
HOLMES: And the issue dominates the president's agenda this week. And today, two strategy sessions.
The president has been meeting with State Department diplomats to review options. And later, a meeting with historians and former generals in the Oval Office. These strategy sessions come just days after the bipartisan Iraq Study Group recommended major changes in Iraq strategy.
And after the president meets with the State Department officials we are expecting to hear from him. That's coming up in about 15 minutes, 11:445 Eastern. And when he steps out to make those remarks, you will see them live, here on CNN.
Meanwhile, dozens of bullets, school children dead, and a father in anguish. Police say Palestinian gunmen killed three children outside a Gaza City school today, pumping bullet after bullet into their car. The driver was also killed. Three other children were wounded.
And according to The Associated Press, police say it was an apparent botched assassination attempt on the dead children's father, an intelligence officer loyal to the Fatah Party of President Mahmoud Abbas.
Ending the violence in Iraq. Is Iran the answer? We take a closer look, right here in the NEWSROOM. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: It's good to go. The shuttle ready for its Rendezvous with the International Space Station this afternoon. The astronauts got a good look at the outside of discovery, checking for damage that might have happened during launch. This is a view of those heat tiles that we hear so much about. Discovery lit up the sky Saturday night. Check this out, such a beautiful shot, as always. A nighttime launch, mind you. They will drop off American astronaut out Sunita Williams (ph). They're also bringing a two-ton addition to the space station.
(WEATHER REPORT)
HOLMES: Well, you certainly don't see this every day in Iran, protests. News agencies report a group of students from a banned group briefly interrupted a speech by the Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. They were booing and chanting "death to the dictator." It's also reported the president kept his cool, for the most part, and finished his speech. Iran's state-run newspaper picked up on the story, but the paper gave the impression that the students were not referring to the president as a dictator.
Bombs, bullets and beheadings, all part of the unrelenting violence in Iraq. Can Iran be actually part of the solution? That's something at least the Iraq Study Group has suggested.
CNN's Elaine Quijano has a closer look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT, CNN NEWSROOM (voice over): The Iraq Study Group believes talking to Iran without preconditions is worth a shot to try to improve the situation in Iraq.
LEE HAMILTON, CO-CHAIR, IRAQ STUDY GROUP: Syria and Iran have very, very great influence over events within Iraq, particularly Iran, but also Syria. And I just don't think you can avoid that.
QUIJANO: That recommendation has unleashed a wave of blistering criticism from those who would argue it would weaken what has been the U.S.'s non-negotiable position that Iraq should not have nuclear weapons.
ELIOT COHEN, JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY: One of the things profoundly unrealistic about the report is the idea you're in negotiation with Iran, where somehow the nuclear issue is put to one side and off the table, and we're not going to deal with that. Well, I'm sure that's not the way the Iranians are going to approach it.
QUIJANO: Just this weekend, Iran's president said his country had begun installing 3,000 centrifuges in an expansion of it's uranium enrichment program. All along, Iran has insisted they are developing nuclear technology for peaceful energy purposes. But with the country awash in oil, the Bush administration and some lawmakers remain skeptical. SEN. TRENT LOTT, INCOMING SENATE REPUBLICAN WHIP: I think Iran is a serious problem. They continue to thumb their nose at the world and go forward in developing the nuclear weapon capability.
QUIJANO: Yet the co-chair of the Iraq Study Group insists the panel isn't recommending the U.S. give Iran a pass.
JAMES BAKER, CO-CHAIR, IRAQ STUDY GROUP: We are not suggesting broad-based, one-on-one discussions with Iran about every subject we have between us. In fact, we say that the nuclear problem should be left in the United Nations Security Council.
QUIJANO: Still, even the incoming head of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee concedes Iran isn't the answer.
SEN. JOSEPH BIDEN, (D-DE) FOREIGN RELATIONS CMTE.: Iran cannot solve our problem for us in Iraq. If we worked it out, they could stop doing bad things, but they're not likely to be able to do good things that will fundamentally alter the circumstances in Iraq.
(on camera): President Bush has shown no signs of backing away from his insistence that Iran must verifiably suspend its uranium enrichment program before coming to the negotiating table.
As for his Iraq policy, this week the president will take part in briefings from officials at the State Department, the Pentagon, and via videoconference from military commanders in Iraq.
Elaine Quijano, CNN, the White House.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
QUIJANO: And as she just mentioned, president meeting with officials from the State Department, chatting about the way forward in Iraq. He's been meeting with them this morning. You're looking at a live picture from the State Department. Here we are expecting to hear some comments, remarks from the president shortly. Don't know if he'll take questions. But that's always the hope, that reporters could possibly get a few in there. But those comments expected to be coming up in 5:30 minutes. We will take them live when they happen.
NGUYEN: And in the meantime, stuck in port, dozens of passengers sickened. It's just the latest flaw in one of the cruise lines shining jewels. So what are they doing to prevent another outbreak? We'll answer that ahead in the NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Well we want to take a look at this because you don't see this every day. Yes, that's a man out there with a jackhammer trying to bring this smokestack down. Kind of unconventional, you'd think they would use some dynamite or something like that. Why not a jackhammer?
HOLMES: What do we know though? We're not the professionals. Keep your eye on that guy during this whole thing ...
NGUYEN: Just hammering away.
HOLMES: ... No matter what you do. Check him out. He's working.
NGUYEN: Run, run. And there comes the smokestack falling down. Let's give you just a little background. Boom, boy that thing went down fast. It's the Cornette's industry's phosphate plant. This is the main smokestack on the site and this facility closed back in 2004 amid financial problems.
HOLMES: I love this.
NGUYEN: We shouldn't be laughing. This is a serious job.
HOLMES: I don't know.
NGUYEN: I'm sure there are hazardous benefits related to that.
HOLMES: Do you think he got in trouble at the job and this is a way to make up for it.
NGUYEN: It was punishment.
HOLMES: To volunteer for this assignment.
NGUYEN: Well than goodness he got out of the way just in time. Again, something you don't see every day, brought to you right here on CNN.
Let's talk about dream vacations. It turns into a nightmare. Nearly 200 cruise passengers return from there trips with more than just memories. Oh, yes, all suspected victims of a nasty virus. The story from Charles Billy from CNN affiliate WSVN in Miami.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHARLES BILLY, WSVN REPORTER: Two ships, two cities, same problem. Sick people. We start at the port of Miami and the world's largest cruise ship, the Freedom of the Seas returning sick for a third time.
97 passengers and 11 crew members infected with norovirus, an intestinal viral infection with flu-like symptoms. The event didn't sit well with some of the passengers and those who weren't sick were angry.
Royal Caribbean immediately sanitized the ship and despite this, it still isn't going to be sailing any time soon. The CDC has informed Royal Caribbean the ship cannot sail for two days during which time it will be sanitized completely.
Royal Caribbean releasing this statement: "Because Royal Caribbean wants to maintain its high health standards on board ships while providing its guests with the best cruise experience possible, the company is following the CDC's recommendation." Passengers were informed.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They told us that the government has basically quarantined until Tuesday.
BILLY: At Port Everglades, the Sun Princess returned after 119 cases of norovirus on the 2,875 passenger ship. The CDC did not issue a no-sail recommendation and it sailed again in the afternoon. Same viral invader, same passenger frustration, but people were gracious in their praise of the crew's reaction.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They came in and they sanitized the room twice a day. They really did everything that they could.
QUESTION: Do you think overall they did an excellent job?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I really do.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: Well, 13 days left until Christmas or something like that?
NGUYEN: A few, yes.
HOLMES; A few. Christmas trees, a lot of you don't even have them up. But they're actually coming down at one busy airport.
NGUYEN: Already.
HOLMES: What in the world is going on. We're going to try to explain this to you in the NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Let's give you another live look at the State Department as we are waiting for President Bush to step through that door right there and speak to the press today.
He's been meeting with State Department officials along with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and as we mentioned some other senior officials there, trying to get their view on what to do next in Iraq. So we're hoping to hear from him any minute now. And as soon as we do, of course, we'll bring that to you live.
(MARKET REPORT)
NGUYEN: Well, those of us here in the NEWSROOM working all day long. Don Lemon fresh off the desk where he's working hard this afternoon.
LEMON; All day long. Barely made it up here.
HOLMES: You all right?
LEMON: How you guys doing?
NGUYEN: Take a breath.
LEMON: The holidays are getting close.
(CROSSTALK)
LEMON: A lot coming up today in the NEWSROOM
His heroic struggle touched people he never knew. Ahead of tonight's hour-long CNN special STRANDED -- James Kim's ordeal, we're talking with a man who endured a similar nightmare.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Once I found the water, I said you know, I can stay out here as long as it takes. I'll stay out here as long as it takes.
QUESTION: Really?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I thought two weeks, three weeks, whatever.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Well, Darryl Hane joins us live with his astonishing story of snowbound survival.
Plus this - madman, maverick, or movie-making maestro? Mel Gibson has become the man that Hollywood loves to hate. But somebody forgot to tell the audience. His new flick "Apocalypto," scores top box office status. We'll check that out. And we'll have much, much more coming up on the p.m. edition of the NEWSROOM starting at 1:00
NGUYEN: Can't wait to see it.
LEMON; You guys will be off by then hopefully right? Are you working like 25 days straight on the weekend?
NGUYEN: That's the way we roll around here.
LEMON: Keep it up. Nice job.
HOLMES: All right Don.
NGUYEN: As you know, we've been waiting for the president to speak after a meeting with State Department officials. Let's take you now to CNN's Elaine Quijano as we look at the camera right there, Lane, waiting for the president to arrive any moment now.
ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right. Good morning to you, Betty. You know, both privately and publicly, the president's aides have been emphasizing recently that the president has not made any final decisions when it comes to changes on his Iraq policy.
In fact over the next few days, the president is going to be getting assessments from a variety of sources about the situation in Iraq. And this morning, it was a private briefing from senior officials at the State Department, including of course Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
The president is at the State Department with the vice president and other top Bush aides. And we do expect them to make some brief remarks here very shortly. This afternoon, we should tell you, that the president will be meeting with a group of outside Iraq experts, about five people, former generals as well as historians to talk about the situation in Iraq. Tomorrow and Wednesday, more consultations. The president will be ...
HOLMES: All right. Elaine, we have to jump in here. We do see the president.
QUIJANO: OK.
(JOINED IN PROGRESS)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: ... With my senior policy advisers here at the State Department. I want to thank you for your hospitality Madame Secretary.
We talked about a lot of things. We talked about what's taking place on the ground in Iraq, particularly from the perspective of the State Department.
I must tell you, there are some fantastic, brave souls who are heading PRTs, Prevential Reconstruction Teams. These are all civilian components on the ground there in Iraq.
And we got a briefing from Baghdad and with one of our PRT leaders here in Washington about the challenges and the tasks to help this Iraqi government get a country that can sustain and govern and defend itself.
And no question in my mind, there are some very brave State Department officials who are engaged in this really important endeavor. I want to thank them and their families.
I appreciate the advice I got from those folks in the field. And that advice is an important part an important component of putting together a new way forward in Iraq.
Like most Americans, this administration wants to succeed in Iraq because we understand success in Iraq would help protect the United States in the long run.
We also talked about the neighborhood, the countries that surround Iraq and the responsibilities that they have to help this young Iraqi democracy survive. We believe that most of the countries understand that a mainstream society, a society that is a functioning democracy is in their interests. And it's up to us to help focus their attention and focus their efforts on helping the Iraqis succeed.
I appreciate so very much the Iraqi leadership, taking the lead in its neighborhood. After all, one of the things we're trying to do is help this government get on its feet so it can govern and it can conduct its own foreign policy. But the role of America is to help this young democracy survive.
I am looking forward to continuing my deliberations with the military. There's no question we have to make sure that the State Department and the Defense Department, the efforts and their recommendations are closely coordinated, so that when I do speak to the American people, they will know that I've listened to all aspects of government and that the way forward is the way forward to achieve our objective -- to succeed in Iraq. And success is a country that governs, defends, itself, that is a free society, that serves as an ally in this war on terror.
And the reason why that's vital is because Iraq is a central component of defeating the extremists who want to establish safe haven in the Middle East. Extremists who would use their safe haven from which to attack the United States. Extremists and radicals who have stated that they want to topple moderate governments in order to be able to achieve assets necessary to effect their dream of spreading their totalitarian ideology as far and wide as possible.
This is really the calling of our time that is to defeat these extremists and radicals and Iraq is a component part, an important part of laying the foundation for peace.
And so Madame Secretary, thank you for the briefing. I want to thank your team, here in Washington for their good work and I thank those out in the field who have shown such incredible bravery to do the hard work necessary to secure our country. Thank you all.
HOLMES: We see the president here now, actually not taking questions. But brief remarks, short remarks there, flanked by the Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and also by the vice president.
Again, using the phrase -- the new phrase being adopted now -- the way forward. No longer using the old phrase about staying the course. Don't hear that much anymore.
And our Elaine Quijano is standing by at the White House, listening in for us as well. Elaine, this is the president's job, I guess, for the next couple of days, simply to listen and then the country will listen to what the president has to say.
QUIJANO: Yes, you know something that was noticeably absent from his remark, any remarks, any mention of Iran or Syria, that, of course, a recommendation by the Iraq Study Group in their sobering report that perhaps the United States needs to engage more with Iran and Syria, in trying to address the difficulties in Iraq.
What we heard from the president was an update, if you will, that he received from reconstruction teams undertaking tasks in Iraq, but, of course, the security situation remains tenuous there and the president saying he will make sure, once he talks about his overall changes, whatever changes he decides to make, that in fact it will be closely coordinated with officials at the Defense Department as well as officials at the State Department.
But what we heard him outline there, essentially reiterating what he believes the overall goal should be. And that is to see an Iraq that can one day govern itself, sustain itself, and be an ally in the war on terrorism.
Something that he noted in his radio address, that the Iraq Study Group did in fact say was a correct goal, that goal, the president reiterating it there -- T.J.
HOLMES: All right. Elaine Quijano for us at the White House. Thank so you much. And of course, the president and what he's up to over the next week -- just taking it all in.
NGUYEN: Yes, he called it, the calling of our time to defeat these extremists and radicals. We'll see what the plan for it is for Iraq in the next couple of days. In the meantime, we do want to welcome you to the NEWSROOM. Hi everybody, I'm Betty Nguyen.
HOLMES: And I'm T.J. Holmes. We're sitting in today for Tony Harris and Heidi Collins who have the day off. We are covering the events around the world in this edition -- extended edition of CNN NEWSROOM. Here is what's on our rundown.
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