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Anti-War Protests in Washington; President Bush Challenges Critics of his Iraq War Plan; Singer Crystal Gayle's Tour Bus Stolen

Aired January 27, 2007 - 10:00   ET

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

T. J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: A live look here as the anti-war protesters begin gathering on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., this hour.
A lot more on this story to come here.

But now, from the CNN Center, this is the CNN NEWSROOM.

It is Saturday, January 27th, 10:00 a.m. in Washington, 7:00 a.m. out West.

Good morning to you all.

I'm T.J. Holmes.

BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: A very busy NEWSROOM it is.

Good morning, everybody. I'm Betty Nguyen.

We do have a live report from Washington. That is straight ahead.

But first, here is a check of some of the headlines this hour.

(NEWSBREAK)

NGUYEN: Now let's get you over to Reynolds Wolf for a quick check of the weather outside, where it's still very cold. And it should be. It is January.

REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Oh, yes.

(WEATHER REPORT)

HOLMES: Anti-war protests and counter-demonstrations set to get under way at this hour in the nation's capital.

CNN's Gary Nurenberg is covering things for us there.

Good morning to you, Gary.

GARY NURENBERG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, T.J.

The rally, which is scheduled to start in one hour, and the march from the National Mall to the Capitol, which is scheduled to start in three hours to see by three days an expected test vote in the Senate declaring against the natural interest, President Bush's plan to increase the number of American troops in Iraq.

The timing is not coincidental. Many of the march organizers spent much of Friday and will spend much of Monday lobbying congressional offices in support of that resolution and in support of plans to cut off funding for the war effort.

The rally scheduled here will have Hollywood celebrities -- Jane Fonda; Tim Robbins; Susan Sarandon; some members of Congress; former presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich; Jesse Jackson, all rallying against an increase in troops for the war.

That kicks off about an hour from now, T.J. We will cover it throughout the day and we'll keep you up to date.

HOLMES: All right. Gary, we appreciate it. We'll be checking back in with you.

Thanks so much.

NGUYEN: And the right to protest is, of course, preserved in the First Amendment.

CNN Senior Political Analyst Bill Schneider offers some historical perspective to today's demonstrations and those a generation ago.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SR. POLITICAL ANALYST (voice-over): An anti-war protest march evokes a lot of strong images -- '60s radicals, flag burning, Jane Fonda. The organizers of Saturday's march say this is not the same.

TOM MATZZIE, WASHINGTON DIRECTOR, MOVEON.ORG: It's not just about protest. It's about citizen engagement with their government. Back then, the protests were louder and more visible -- sit-ins, disruptions, often with an anti-American tone. We're not seeing much of that now.

One reason? No draft. Another reason, anti-war activities have a powerful ally they didn't have in the '60s.

MATZZIE: It's not just the anti-war movement anymore. There's now an anti-war public.

SCHNEIDER: Sixty-three percent of Americans oppose the president's troop increase. The anti-war protest is aimed at Congress.

MATZZIE: You were elected with a mandate from the American people on Iraq. It's time to fulfill it. Congress needs to stop the president's escalation in Iraq.

SCHNEIDER: President Bush made this plea to Congress.

BUSH: Our country is pursuing a new strategy in Iraq and I ask you to give it a chance to work.

SCHNEIDER: But when it comes to influencing Congress, an unpopular president is no match for an unhappy public. Members of Congress have to answer to the voters. So do candidates running for president.

SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D), ILLINOIS: At some point, we've got to step back and say what are our responsibilities in the face of obstinacy on the part of the White House?

SCHNEIDER: One conservative Republican contender has already broken with President Bush on Iraq.

SEN. SAM BROWNBACK (R), KANSAS: It is difficult to understand why more U.S. troops would make a difference.

SCHNEIDER: So have two other potential Republican candidates.

GEORGE PATAKI (R), FORMER GOVERNOR, NEW YORK: Sending more American troops into Baghdad is unnecessary to achieve the core victory over Al Qaeda In Iraq.

SCHNEIDER: Senator Chuck Hagel's criticism has been full- throated.

SEN. CHUCK HAGEL (R-NB), FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE: And I think all 100 senators ought to be on the line on this.

What do you believe? What are you willing to support? What did you think? Why are you elected?

If you wanted a safe job, go sell shoes.

SCHNEIDER (on camera): Only one presidential candidate, Democrat Dennis Kucinich, is scheduled to speak at this weekend's anti-war march. Why are the candidates staying away? Probably because they're worried it could like the '60s. Jane Fonda is on the program.

Bill Schneider, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: So we want to know what you think this morning. Does criticism of the war hurt the troops on the battlefield?

E-mail us. Here's the address right there on your screen, weekends@cnn.com. And we received a ton of responses. Just want to let you know we'll read a few a little bit later this hour.

HOLMES: We now want to look at some of the latest headlines out of Iraq.

A call for more diplomacy there. That is coming from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who led a congressional delegation to Baghdad.

Also, a crowded Baghdad market the scene of a pair of deadly bombings this morning. As many as 13 people were killed. A suicide bomber set off the first blast, which was followed up minutes later by a car bomb explosion.

And in eastern Baghdad seven people were abducted from a computer store by gunmen dressed as Iraqi police officers.

NGUYEN: President Bush on a collision course with Congress over the war in Iraq. Now, lawmakers set to debate resolutions next week opposing the president's troop buildup, but Mr. Bush is pushing back against critics of the plan.

Live now to the White House and CNN's Kathleen Koch.

Thank you, Kathleen. What's the latest there?

KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Betty, there is certainly frustration here at the White House. And you heard President Bush express it yesterday, because no sooner had he come out in the State of the Union Address and ask Congress, please give my plan at least a chance to work, then the senators, as you heard Bill Schneider just report, started debating these non-binding resolutions, basically saying they had no faith in this troop increase.

President Bush this morning has already been on the phone with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. A spokesman for the National Security Council, Gordon Johndroe, says that the two men discussed "steps being taken to implement security plans in Baghdad and reaffirm to their mutual commitment to move forward."

Now, clearly, President Bush wants a similar commitment from members of Congress, yesterday telling lawmakers that they have "an obligation and a serious responsibility," therefore, to put their own plan -- or sorry, excuse me -- to put up their own plan as to what would work, and President Bush again defended his Iraq strategy.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: One of the things I found in Congress is that most people recognize that failure would be a disaster for the United States. And in that I'm the decision maker, I had to come up with a way forward that precluded disaster.

In other words, I have to think about what's likely to work. And so I worked with our military, and I worked with Secretary Gates to come up with a plan that is likely to succeed.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOCH: Now, President Bush also yesterday stood up for his new an administration's new get-tough strategy when it comes to Iranian operatives who are found to be fomenting violence in Iraq. It's a new capture or kill strategy.

President Bush insisting that if someone is trying to "harm our troops or stop us from achieving our goal in Iraq, or kill innocent Iraqi citizens, then we will stop them" -- Betty.

NGUYEN: CNN's Kathleen Koch.

We thank you.

KOCH: You bet.

HOLMES: And while the fight continues over what to do in Iraq, this is what U.S. troops are actually doing in Baghdad.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ARWA DAMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Through the window of a crumbling theater it could almost be a normal world outside, but this is Haifa Street in central Baghdad.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: And this is combat, up close. We'll take you inside the battle for Haifa Street.

NGUYEN: Also, it's a parent's worst nightmare, and this family's reality, kicked off a passenger plane after their child threw a tantrum. What could the family and the airline have done differently? Well, we're going to ask an expert.

Plus this...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're concerned that somebody who may not be a great bus driver is driving a bus around. We hope nobody gets hurt.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: Yes, this all has the makings of a great country song -- prison escapee on the run, trying to see his sick mother...

NGUYEN: Got you.

HOLMES: ... steals a Nashville legend's tour bus.

NGUYEN: Uh-oh.

HOLMES: And I'm not making this up at all. We're going to make this one Crystal clear to you.

That is ahead here in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CRYSTAL GAYLE, COUNTRY MUSIC SINGER: I can't control it. I'm not going to let it bother me. I do want it back and I hope it still runs. (END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: She's talking about her bus. That's country music legend Crystal Gayle.

Her missing tour bus is what she's talking about. That bus, just the latest chapter in the troubling saga of a fugitive on the run who may have only wanted one last visit with his dying mother.

We get the story from Erika Lathon of affiliate WZTV in Nashville.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PHILIP GATZIMOS, CRYSTAL GAYLE'S HUSBAND & MANAGER: We were amused and surprised and shocked. It's almost so unreal that -- you know, how can you react?

ERIKA LATHON, REPORTER, WZTV (voice over): Crystal Gayle's husband and manager was stunned to learn that the tour bus they left parked at a travel center in Whites Creek (ph) was stolen from the lot Thursday night.

GATZIMOS: We're concerned that somebody who may not be a great bus driver is driving our bus around. We hope nobody gets hurt.

LATHON: Police say the man behind the wheel is Texas prison escapee Christopher Daniel Gay. The tour bus showed up on surveillance video at USA International Speedway in Lakeland, Florida. That's where Gay allegedly told track officials he was a bus driver for NASCAR driver Tony Stewart.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, we figured something was wrong. He didn't act the part. The bus didn't look the part.

LATHON: Track officials got suspicious when Gay couldn't produce any identification.

BARRY WILLIAMS, RACE TRACK MANAGER: And as I read the tag number, he said, "I'm going to McDonald's." And I said, "You're going to McDonald's in this?" "Oh, yes. Yes. I always do."

And I took the tag number down and walked back. He jumped in the motor home, locked the doors and pulled out.

LEANN NEWMAN, SUSPECT'S SISTER: He didn't mean no harm. He didn't. He's just scared. And the only thing he wanted to do is see my mom. That's all he asks.

LATHON: Police say on Monday Gay stole a Wal-Mart tractor- trailer in Manchester in an effort to visit his dying mother in northern Cheatham County.

(on camera): These tire tracks show you exactly where Gay abandoned that stolen 18-wheeler on Monday night. He stopped in this field, which is about 50 yards away from his mother's mobile home. It sits just on the other side of that wooden fence. But by that time, police were closing in and Gay was forced to run off into the woods.

NEWMAN: He needs to turn himself in because it's just getting worse. And I hope that the people that he took things from, I hope that they forgive him.

GATZIMOS: My heart goes out to the guy's mother, you know, and his family. It's an odd story.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(NEWSBREAK)

HOLMES: Well, of course a lot of people getting ready to head to Miami for the Super Bowl that's coming up, but we might just need to go because the weather there...

NGUYEN: Much nicer.

HOLMES: ... is much nicer.

(WEATHER REPORT)

NGUYEN: Well, have you had your breakfast just yet? Because coffee and doughnuts have had a lot in common, but never more than what you're about to see now. You'll want to stick around, because we're going to tell you about a new breakfast treat to help jump-start your day.

That's a little bit later.

HOLMES: Coming up first, parents who spank their kids go to jail for doing so. If so, my parents would have life in prison right now.

NGUYEN: Stop it. They aren't that bad.

HOLMES: We're going to tell you about a California bill that proposes that that happens, parents go to jail for spanking kids. We'll take a closer look at the controversy, actually.

That's straight ahead in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Well, parents of unruly children always rustle with discipline. How much is too much or too little? A lawmaker in California thinks any physical punishment is inappropriate. Her bill threatens jail time and fines for spanking a small child, saying it's traumatizing and teaches violence.

Governor Around Schwarzenegger calls the proposal unenforceable.

What about the family who got booted off of an AirTran flight because the screaming toddler just refused to get strapped in her seat? Yes, it was embarrassing for the parents, but was there anything mom or dad could have done without making a bad situation even worse? Well, "Taming the Spirited Child" is the upcoming by well-known parenting expert Michael Popkin. You may remember him as the author of the popular "Active Parenting" education videos.

And he joins us today.

Thanks for being with us today.

MICHAEL POPKIN, PARENTING SPECIALIST, AUTHOR: Sure. Glad to be with you.

NGUYEN: Let's first talk about the child that threw the tantrum on the plane. Parents get kicked off.

Who's at fault here, the parents or the airline?

POPKIN: I don't think anyone's at fault. Sometimes they, you know, lose control and have tantrums.

NGUYEN: Yes, but should they have been kicked off?

POPKIN: Absolutely.

NGUYEN: You think so?

POPKIN: Yes. I don't know how that airline handled it. Hopefully they gave them some lead time and said something empathetic like...

NGUYEN: Well, they were given a flight at a later time. A free flight for it.

POPKIN: Yes. But you have got regulations. That child has to be in the seat with seatbelts before you can take off.

You've got 112 passengers that have to make connections. So the airline did the right thing. Hopefully, they did it respectfully and empathetically. But this family needed to either get the child in the seat, or put out a fight.

NGUYEN: Well, you know what? It brings to light a lot of the problems that parents face when they're out in public with their children. And kids are going to have a meltdown.

POPKIN: Sure.

NGUYEN: They will, and it happens. It may happen a lot, especially with a spirited child, as you like to call them. I think that's a nice way for saying a child who really does like to throw some tantrums.

But so what can you do in these cases to really calm this child down?

POPKIN: Well, in the immediate situation, what the parents should have done was not focused so much on calming the child down, but getting her in her seat. And you do that with a choice.

Either, "You need to calm yourself. Maybe you're having a bad day and it's really, you know, not fun being here. But when you get in the seat and we're going to take off. You're either going to do it yourself, or do you want mommy and I to put you in your seat?"

NGUYEN: Yes. But you know what they do when they make the stiff back and they won't get in the seat and all of that. And it's really difficult. So, should you explain to the child why this is necessary, kind of walk them through that?

POPKIN: No.

NGUYEN: No?

POPKIN: You tell them, "You need to get in the seat so they can take off." Once they get in their seat, they can play a game, they can watch a movie, they can...

NGUYEN: Ah, the little bribe.

POPKIN: Well, it's a win-win choice. (INAUDIBLE) kicks in.

But at some point you can use some force. (INAUDIBLE) pick you up and put you in the seat.

NGUYEN: All right.

(CROSSTALK)

POPKIN: No, absolutely not. You pick her up, you put her in her seat, you fasten her seatbelt. Then you start to calm her down.

But once she's in the seat with the seatbelt, the plane can take off. And you've got some time to calm her down m. But trying to talk her into getting up on her own (INAUDIBLE) seat, that's where parents lose it, where they try to be...

(CROSSTALK)

NGUYEN: And the child's mad. The parents are mad.

POPKIN: Yes.

NGUYEN: So let's just move this on a little bit to that spanking legislation...

POPKIN: Right.

NGUYEN: ... where parents could face a $1,000 fine, maybe even jail time. Is that taking it too far?

POPKIN: Jail time is certainly taking it too far. And I don't think that's the intent of the bill.

I think the intent of the bill is to say, we can do better than spanking children. We've all got better discipline techniques. We know spanking doesn't work in the long run. With spirited kids, it's like throwing water on a gas fire, a oil fire. You just fill it up.

NGUYEN: So it doesn't work? I mean...

(CROSSTALK)

NGUYEN: Let me tell you, it worked on me.

POPKIN: In the short run it sometimes works. And it helped better 20 or 30 years ago than it does now.

NGUYEN: Why is that?

POPKIN: But in the long run -- because kids see it as disrespectful and unfair. And in their unconscious mind, it's, you hurt me, I'll have to hurt you back.

NGUYEN: Oh, I see.

POPKIN: And for them to hurt you back is by misbehaving more down the road. And parents tend to understand that it's disrespectful in a society for us to hit people. We don't live in a society that tolerates corporal punishment anymore. We don't have the stockades. We don't have (INAUDIBLE). Kids see that and say, why are you hitting me?

NGUYEN: But quickly, as a parenting specialist, having an age limit on when you can spank a child, is that important just physically because really little children can't handle a spanking?

POPKIN: No.

NGUYEN: No?

POPKIN: I think they just arbitrarily (INAUDIBLE) because they thought it maybe will go through. I think it doesn't make sense really to spank kids at any age. We know there are much better techniques.

There are natural consequences. There are timeouts, the combination of (INAUDIBLE). There's problem-solving, all kinds of things we can teach parents to do. We've been doing that for years in our (INAUDIBLE) courses that don't need you to resort to spanking.

NGUYEN: All right. Like go to your room, maybe?

POPKIN: Well, that doesn't work on an airplane, does it?

NGUYEN: No. In that case, absolutely not.

How about writing an essay on why you shouldn't act like this on an airplane?

(CROSSTALK)

POPKIN: The 3-year-old, it's either, get in the seat yourself or we'll put you in the seat.

NGUYEN: Exactly.

POPKIN: And then with being a spirited kid, some of these kids are overly sensitive to their environments. (INAUDIBLE) you have got to look on how to prevent this from happening. If you go on trips, you go to restaurants, any place where you're in public, bring things for the kids to play with... crayons, video games.

NGUYEN: Like the tantrum, be ready for it should it happen. And of course you have got a lot of good advice in your book. And we appreciate it.

And as for that legislation, we'll see if it goes through.

We appreciate your time.

Michael Popkin, parenting specialist.

Thank you.

POPKIN: You're welcome. Thanks.

NGUYEN: T.J.

HOLMES: Well, anti-war protesters are gathering in Washington right now. Just taking a live look here, and we're going to have a live report straight ahead here in the NEWSROOM.

Also coming up...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAMON (voice over): Down there is where we are going with a Stryker platoon, into an area that U.S. and Iraqi units have been trying to clear of insurgents.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: Down there at the end of Baghdad's dangerous Haifa Street. CNN's Arwa Damon reports from the front lines.

That is straight ahead in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Now in the news, giving you some live pictures of anti- war protests going on in Washington at this hour. Organizers of today's rally say they hope the protest sparks a nationwide movement to bring the troops home from Iraq. They're predicting some active duty troops will take part in today's protest.

In the meantime remembering America's first space disaster, memorial services under way in Florida honoring the crew in Apollo, the fire there, 40 years ago. There's a live picture of that service. We do have a live report as well from CNN's John Zarrella in just minutes.

Let's get you this developing story out of Kenya. Police in Nairobi are searching for gunmen who reportedly carjacked a U.S. embassy vehicle and then shot and killed two women inside. The carjackers reportedly escaped with that vehicle and according to the Associated Press, police say the gunmen were armed with assault rifles.

HOLMES: (INAUDIBLE) the country's crisis after a week that saw worsening violence. This morning Lebanon's prime minister is reaching out to political opponents. Sources also report the prime minister is asking the head of the Arab League to get involved.

Gaza fighting takes more lives. This latest feud between Hamas and Fatah factions has left 18 dead and dozens wounded over the past few days. Just today three people killed near a university. The fighting has suspended talks aimed at bring Fatah into the coalition government with Hamas.

Well, if you are just tuning in here, Washington, DC, the scene of anti-war protests and counter-demonstrations today. It began in the top of the hour with a bid (ph) called women say pull out. CNN's Gary Nurenberg is there and joins us now live. Gary.

GARY NURENBERG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi TJ. We're starting, waiting rather for a rally that's scheduled to begin at 11:00 Eastern time. A number of organizations involved in this effort to convince Congress to either cut off funding for the effort in Iraq, bring the troops home or at the very least, support a resolution saying as it will be introduced on Tuesday, that the increase in troops there is against the (INAUDIBLE) Among the organizations a group called military families speak out. Scott Smith has a son who's serving in Iraq right now. Mr. Smith, why take the time and make the effort to come here today? What's the message you want to send?

SCOTT SMITH, SON IN IRAQ: I want to say is actually to the congressional delegation which is you've got to de-fund this. You've got to stand up. This is the only way that this is going to wind down. The administration isn't going to do it. I don't want my son killed. I don't want his buddies killed. This is a horrible situation to put them in and it's the wrong place for them to be.

NURENBERG: Now, as you understand the Bush administration has the best way to protect your son is to send more troops over there to stabilize the country.

SMITH: That's nonsense. 23,000 is a made up number. That's all they can come up with. What that's doing is extending my son's stay there. They'll extend it and they'll recycle some people who have already been there.

NURENBERG: Mr. Smith's thanks for (INAUDIBLE) Mr. Smith's daughter, Emily Miller is here as well today. Ms. Miller, I'm sure that when military families across the country listened to your dad, there with many of them throwing things at their television set saying that we should be supporting our troops and this is absolutely not the way to do it.

EMILY MILLER, BROTHER IN IRAQ: Well, I respect their right to hold that view, but at the same time we can say that enemies hate us, every freedom that we stand for and then condemn us for exercising those freedoms. I'm sorry that they feel that way, but my brother is a proud patriot who wants me to be here. He wants to serve his country but he wants to serve the country in the right way. I would say to the military families, we're trying to do this because we do love our troops, because we do love our country and we'd like to see our military resources and my brother's life and soldier's lives used for the right thing. We're sorry. We're sorry to offend them. (INAUDIBLE) come around. They're welcome to join us.

NURENBERG: Ms. Miller, thanks very much for taking the time this morning. They're here from Colorado for this rally today. As we said, there are counter demonstrations taking part, taking place rather here in Washington throughout the day. TJ, we will cover both sides as the day continues.

HOLMES: All right, Gary. Thank you so much. We'll see you a bit later.

NGUYEN: Well, all morning long we've been asking you for your thoughts about the anti-war protest in Washington DC today0. Do you think criticism of the war is hurting U.S. troops on the battlefield? And we do have some responses and some really good ones. The first one is from a former member of a Marine Corps counter insurgency team. I can say that anyone - or to anyone, that says anything that leads the enemy to believe that he can win or that we will quit is killing U.S. troops pure and simple. That is from Mike.

HOLMES: We have another one here from Cindy in Bowling Green. She says our troops understand how our government works and know the protesters are fully supportive of the troops, regardless of how opposed they are to this ugly war. How can a sign that says bring our troops home safely be bad for anyone?

NGUYEN: And Anna writes, I do feel that anti-war efforts hurt our men in the service. I had a son that marched on Baghdad. When other countries see how weak the American government and some of its people are, then this will embolden all the radicals.

HOLMES: All right. Now I do think we do have one more here. This one says if we here in America criticize the conduct of the war in Iraq, what are our brave young men fighting and dying for? Iraq freedom should not curtail our own. Again, that one is coming to us from Joseph. So we do appreciate all of your responses to our e-mail question. Please keep them coming. Let us know what you think and we'll try to get some more in here. NGUYEN: Well, a bloody urban battlefield in the middle of Baghdad. It is Haifa Street, once a prosperous thoroughfare, but now the surreal scene of running battles between insurgents and coalition forces. CNN's Arwa Damon was embedded with the combat strike team patrolling Haifa Street filed this report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ARWA DAMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Through the window of a crumbling theatre, it could almost be a normal world outside, but this is Haifa Street in central Baghdad where we can't venture out to talk to people but snatch quick conversations in doorways. This man doesn't want his face shown. The street from here to here is safe, he says. But if you go down there, it's very bad. In one direction kids play soccer in the street, apparently oblivious to the battle ground close by, but down the street Iraq and U.S. forces try to dislodge insurgents.

We are happy to see the Iraqis and the Americans, but we can't be seen saying that, he says. They will slaughter us. They are Sunni extremists as Ali Hussein, a Shia who lives here. He calls them the others. It's sort of a sectarian thing. Here we have Sunnis too, but down there, they are different. He tells us there was a girl who went to the market down there with her child and a sniper shot them. And down there is where we are going with the striker platoon, into an area that U.S. and Iraqi units have been trying to clear of insurgents.

This is one of the Iraqi army patrol bases located on Haifa Street. It was formerly one of Saddam Hussein's palaces and would have been off limits to all of these men. They are fairly optimistic. The Americans here, however, are moving with extreme caution, because no one knows who is still out there or where. When it's not a battlefield, Haifa Street can feel like a ghost town. The snipers, the battles, the intimidation has driven most residents away. But thousands remain, most too afraid to step outside. This 25-year-old and her mother are taking advantage of a lull in the fighting and as they speak of the horrors they have endured, they can't conceal their rage. Bodies in the street and dogs are eating them? Is this how cheap humans have become she asks? The Americans have to protect us. Otherwise they should just leave and let people slaughter each other. But the Americans say they're not going to leave. They're just beginning a new operation to retake Baghdad. Arwa Damon, CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: We do have much more on this bloody battle tomorrow night on CNN. Join Rick Sanchez for an up-close look at the combat. You're also going to hear from more soldiers. It's the battle for Haifa Street. It airs Sunday at 7:30 only on CNN.

HOLMES: Well if you have been online this morning, no doubt you've read all the buzz about the spy poisoning story in London. There's all kinds of new speculation about how (INAUDIBLE) was poisoned, including something about a poison teapot. We're going to go to London now with CNN's Alphonso Van Marsh and he can help us think it through some of this speculation. Hello to you Alphonso.

ALPHONSO VAN MARSH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, a lot of speculation here. Possible developments in the spy murder mystery that has many Britons talking this weekend as we mentioned (INAUDIBLE) who may have been behind the poisoning of Alexander (INAUDIBLE) the former KGB bodyguard who was living here in London.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

VAN MARSH: In a country famous for its high tea, there's new speculation that the British tradition of a cuppa was the clandestine cover to kill a former Russian spy in London. British investigators say a tea pot at the Millennium Hotel tested so high for plutonium 210, a radioactive poison, that they had to seal off areas where it was in use. Now the British press are quoting police sources who say the tea Alexander Litvinenko drank from that teapot eventually killed him last November. Local press reporting that British authorities want to extradite the Russian businessman who met Litvinenko for tea at the hotel on November 1st. Scotland Yard says it has no comment on the local reports. Russian businessman Andre Lukavoy (ph) on the left denies any involvement in Litvinenko's murder. Lukavoy is in Moscow now, but he left a trail of radiation at a number of offices and hotels around London last year. Traces of plutonium 210 were also found on an aircraft in which Lukavoy traveled.

Alexander Litvinenko was a vocal critic of the Kremlin. Just before his death on November 23, he blamed Russian President Vladimir Putin for his poisoning. Russian authorities denied the accusation.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VAN MARSH: In a statement from Millennium Hotel say that all areas where traces of plutonium 210 were found, there's still no accessibility for either staff or hotel guests. Whether police consider the hotel bar where tea was served,(INAUDIBLE) assassin's hit was carried out, police aren't making that known, at least not publicly. TJ.

HOLMES: Alphonso, the story just keeps getting stranger and stranger. Thank you so much, Alphonso Van Marsh for us in London.

NGUYEN: Well, before Challenger and Columbia, there was the Apollo one disaster and right now, the Kennedy Space Center in Florida - here's a live look. Friends and family are gathered to remember the three astronauts killed 40 years ago today in a live report straight ahead.

HOLMES: And then there's this. This is one of those don't try this at home. Don't try this anywhere. Watch these two good buddies play together. We will explain this one in just a little bit, coming up in the water cooler. Yeah, that's not some kind of optical illusion. He's actually doing that with his good buddy here. We'll explain this in our water cooler. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: Well, what does that look like to you, do you see any landmarks there from Oklahoma City?

NGUYEN: If I did, I wouldn't be able to recognize it.

HOLMES: This is what's happening in "Snoklahoma" as we decided to call it. This is a live shot from our affiliate KOC, Oklahoma City, kind of a bit of a surprise here that they have the white-out conditions that they do have. Maybe some snow could be coming along, but not this much. You know it's going to be this much. We're going to get a full forecast from our Reynolds Wolf coming up here shortly.

NGUYEN: In a meantime to a place where there's not snowing but they indeed are remembering Apollo One. It's been 40 years since America's first space disaster took the lives of three astronauts. Ceremonies to remember those space pioneers are under way right now at Kennedy Space Center in Florida and CNN's John Zarrella joins us from the space center as many have come out to reflect. Hi, there, John.

JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, there, Betty. That's right. It is a picture perfect day, clear blue skies here for the memorial service which is going on now behind me as we speak. It is a memorial service for astronauts Grissom, White, and Chaffee who died 40 years ago today, just a couple of miles from here in the Apollo One launch pad fire. Many members of their families are here and certainly many old friends are here, among them, John Young, who walked on the moon in Apollo 16 and Apollo command module pilot Walt Cunningham also here, both of them with very poignant remarks earlier in the ceremony.

And the consensus seems to be as tragic as the fire was from everyone here, that had it not been for the fire, America might not have made to it the moon.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ZARRELLA (voice-over): Three astronauts, Gus Grissom, Ed White and Roger Chaffee were going to run through a simulated launch of the Apollo One spacecraft. The test never happened. Immediately after the three astronauts were strapped in, problems developed, one glitch, one gremlin after another. Wally Schirra, Grissom's backup on Apollo One, remembered the crew and ground controllers having serious communications problems.

WALLY SCHIRRA, APOLLO ASTRONAUT: They were complaining about the communication system. Gus said something like, if I can't talk to you guys, how the hell are you going to talk to me from going all the way to the moon (INAUDIBLE).

ZARRELLA: Five and a half hours after they got into the spacecraft, as engineers worked through the calm issues, a voice was heard. Quote, we've got fire in the cockpit. They tried getting out but the hatch was bolted. 17 seconds after the word fire was heard, Grissom, White and Chaffee were dead. The pure oxygen in the capsule caused a flash fire. Many years later Grissom's wife Betty said she believed her husband's death led to needed changes in the Apollo program.

BETTY GRISSOM, GUS GRISSOM'S WIDOW: I'd like to think they did. (INAUDIBLE) statement was, you learn more from your mistakes than your advances. He's always said that.

ZARRELLA: Grisham and Chaffee were buried in Arlington National cemetery. White is buried at the cemetery at West Point. After the accident the Apollo spacecraft underwent major changes. Among them, flammable materials in the cabin were replaced. The hatch design changed and could now be opened in 10 seconds.

CHRIS KRAFT, FMR. APOLLO PROGRAM MANAGER: I don't think we would have gotten to the moon in the '60 had we not had the fire. It's a terrible thing to say, but I think it is the truth. It gave us a time period to reflect back on what were doing in the design of the space craft.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Tranquility base here. The eagle has landed. It's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.

ZARRELLA: Two years later, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the moon.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ZARRELLA: Now this service is going to wrap up here in a few moments with a replaying (ph) and then this evening out at the site of the accident, a private ceremony for the families only. Betty.

NGUYEN: Somber day there. A lot of reflection but a lot learned from that. John Zarrella, we appreciate it.

HOLMES: Time now to turn to weather. We saw that shot, Reynolds, a moment ago from Oklahoma City. It looks like it's coming down there.

REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Let me show you that kooky, crazy picture once again. Here it is, compliments of KOC, Oklahoma City. The forecast today called for rain. You see not rain drops but no, you see snowflakes. We're not expecting any significant accumulation with this because temperatures believe it or not at the surface are right around 37, 38 degrees. However in the lower levels of the atmosphere, we're seeing some cool conditions and we're expecting most of the snow to melt when it hits the ground. Here's the high shot from above. You see the scattered showers moving right around parts of I-35 and you see that cool air coming in from the north (INAUDIBLE) and that cold air mixing in with that moisture is giving us that snowfall and that cold air is going to be felt in places like Kansas City, back up into Minneapolis where highs with reach between (INAUDIBLE) and 30s, Denver with 27 degrees, 37 in New York, 57 in Atlanta, 73 in Orlando and 57 in San Francisco. Scattered snow showers possible also in the high Sierra as well as through the great lakes possibly into Boston and New York before the day is over. That's your forecast. Back to you. NGUYEN: Thank you, Reynolds.

HOLMES: I wanted you to hear that music first. Now I can start talking to you. As we know, as we've been saying, as Reynolds just told us, winter is here. We want to check in now with Veronica de la Cruz. She has your report. We got Reynolds' report. Now we're getting...

VERONICA DE LA CRUZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You're getting my report.

HOLMES: My report.

DE LA CRUZ: That's right. What you're actually going to get is an I-report. These I-reports viewers have been showing us what it is looking like in their area, weather I-reports and like you said, winter, it has finally arrived. It is definitely time to bundle up. Take a look. Landon McCallister sent us this picture from Fredrickton (ph), New Brunswick. He says he took this picture when there was about a foot of snow. He says this was the first snow of the winter. The roads were horrendous, closing down schools and businesses.

Let's go and get a good read here. What is that? Maybe a couple of degrees above zero it looks like. Bill Thomas sent us this picture from Rhode Island. He said when he saw the thermometer from outside his bedroom winter, he knew that winter had finally arrived and nothing really says it better than that except for maybe this.

This is El Paso, Texas. Roy Flack took this picture outside his front yard. He says there were a few icy roads in town, but thankfully no big accidents. And finally here's a preview of a blizzard that hit Tucson, Arizona this week. This photo sent to us by Jackie Alpers. She says it is the first time she has seen snow in her 14 years of living there, Tucson, Arizona. Wow.

We'll have much more of your I-reports on the snow in the desert. In the meantime, keep on sending us your stories and your pictures at cnn.com/exchange. I just feel bad for all those snowbirds who leave Canada, Minnesota, head to the desert and that's what they get.

NGUYEN: You never know sometimes. That's the whacky weather. Thank you Veronica.

HOLMES: Well, coming up after the break, what could become the hottest thing in crowd control. Yes. It literally makes you feel like you're being cooked alive.

NGUYEN: And we're going to tell you all about it next in the water cooler.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Time now for the water cooler. This is your chance to get caught up on some of those stranger news stories that you might have missed during the week.

HOLMES: This one's kind of strange here. First if you ever see this Hummer, we're about to show you, coming your way. That's not the Hummer.

NGUYEN: There it is.

HOLMES: There we go. I'm curious what the other picture was though. But if you see this Hummer coming, get out of there like these folks are doing. Otherwise it feels like you're on fire.

NGUYEN: Here's why. The invisible heat wave is a new kind of crowd control developed by the military and people in its path - you hear them yelling there - may think that it's actually killing them because the 130-degree ray is non-lethal but it probably doesn't feel like it.

HOLMES: The military says it is non-lethal, but no one has stuck around long enough to find out just how lethal it might be.

NGUYEN: And for good reason. OK, how about this for a hard day at the office? There is that video again. This is (INAUDIBLE), I didn't make that name up and his 17 feet, half ton partner. They perform a croc and roll show every Sunday for tourists in Costa Rica.

HOLMES: The man said he rescued the wounded crocodile five years ago and nursed it back to health and they've been best buddies ever since. We don't know how much the guy's paid. He is not paid enough however, whatever the amount may be.

NGUYEN: Poor guy. I hope they remain friends or that could get deadly.

If that didn't wake you up, how about a buzz donut? That's right. A scientist in North Carolina has figured out how to pump up baked goods with caffeine. He's already approached several coffee and donut retailers.

HOLMES: And if this product does takes off and more than likely it will, a single caffeinated donut will be the equivalent of two cups of coffee.

NGUYEN: Watch out for those donuts.

Well, thousands are rallying in DC to make their voices heard and coming up in just minutes, we'll have a live report from the nation's capital on today's anti-war demonstration.

HOLMES: This skydiver's parachute failed to open. Coming up at noon Eastern, why police say a love triangle is to blame for that.

NGUYEN: And then the president wants to change the way Americans get health insurance. How will that affect your coverage and your taxes? "IN THE MONEY" with Jack Cafferty breaks down the numbers.

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