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Walter Reed Hearings; Afghanistan: Overnight U.S. Bombing Killed Family of Nine; Man Accused of Strangling, Dismembering Wife; Deadly Bus Crash

Aired March 05, 2007 - 08:59   ET

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

HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: You are in the CNN NEWSROOM.
I'm Heidi Collins.

T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm T.J. Holmes, sitting in today for Tony Harris.

And for the next three hours, watch events come in to the NEWSROOM live.

Here is what we have on the rundown.

COLLINS: Who knew what, and when did they know it? Questions of accountability in the Walter Reed scandal. Army brass on the hot seat next hour.

We'll set the stage.

HOLMES: And once part of the president's "axis of evil," today part of talks toward normalizing relations. The Bush administration and North Korea.

COLLINS: Concerns driven by the deadly bus crash in Atlanta. What are the rules of the road?

A closer look in the NEWSROOM.

Poor conditions at the Army's premier medical facility, it has sparked outrage. Next hour, top brass will face tough questions from Congress. A House panel now looking into how the nation's wounded warriors were treated at Walter Reed.

CNN Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr following today's hearings.

Barbara, what can we expect today?

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, Heidi, the Army already is quite nervous about today's hearings. One top official saying the Army expects an ugly day. He said they do expect to have personal attacks -- again, a top Army official's words -- personal attacks against the Army leadership for how this situation could have developed, how it could be that hundreds of outpatient soldiers, wounded troops living at Walter Reed, could have been living in these conditions, in such terrible living conditions. But also perhaps an even deeper problem, simply lack of attention to the needs of these patients for months on end.

We are going to hear from the relatives of some of the patients and from patients themselves. One of the men we expect to hear from is Staff Sergeant John Daniel Shannon (ph). He was badly wounded, his skull and eye socket shattered by an enemy bullet. And once he became an outpatient at Walter Reed, he says he was really left to fend for himself for some considerable period of time.

So, there will be a lot of very tough questions, quite an unpleasant day ahead for the Army -- Heidi.

COLLINS: Barbara, as we step back and take sort of a bigger view of all of this, how do we think it will impact the Army as a whole, and then Secretary Gates as well?

STARR: Well, you know, Secretary Gates had made his -- his leadership move last week, basically relieving the Army's secretary, Francis Harvey, of duty, essentially accepting his resignation, firing him. This is Mr. Gates putting his marker on the table that this scandal is very serious and that the leadership, starting right with President Bush, wants the matter fixed very quickly.

There will now, of course, be a commission that President Bush wants to review military facilities across the country. But for the troops serving on the front line, this is a very deep, very emotional, very personal issue, Heidi, because when someone joins the volunteer military, the promise the military makes is that if you get hurt, you will be looked after for the rest of your life until you are better. And clearly, the Army failed here, and that is something that is going to hit very hard, be very tough for them to recover from -- Heidi.

COLLINS: We know that they will be investigating it deeply.

All right. Barbara Starr, our Pentagon correspondent.

Thanks so much. We know you will be watching that. We will be watching that as well here and dip into those proceedings throughout the morning at the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee's national security panel.

HOLMES: Meanwhile, in Afghanistan, the death toll comes down a bit, but public anger at the same time is going up. Afghan authorities now say eight civilians are dead and nearly three dozen wounded at the hands of U.S. troops. That incident now under investigation. Also under investigation, an overnight bombing that may have mistakenly killed a family of nine.

The details now from CNN Senior International Nic Robertson. He's in Kabul.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The very latest incident occurred in Kapisa Province overnight, Sunday into Monday. According to U.S. military officials, enemy combatants fired a rocket at a U.S. military in that province just north of Kabul. The rocket missed.

They then saw enemy combatants go into a compound. They called in air support, two 1,000-pound bombs were dropped on a building there. They can confirm that there were nine deaths in that bombing. But according to the deputy governor of Kapisa Province, he says that the dead include five women, three boys and one man.

The Interior Ministry here also confirmed nine civilian casualties in that particular strike. And that comes hard on the heels of the information about -- at least comes hard on the heels of President Hamid Karzai condemning the incident that took place at Jalabad Airport, where a suicide bomber attacked a U.S. military convoy. A gunfight ensued during what U.S. military officials describe as a complex ambush in a civilian area, killing at least eight Afghans, wounding more than 30 others who were taken to the hospital.

It is a very sensitive political time. There is widely expected to be a Taliban offensive, a step-up in action, a spring offensive right now.

The political stakes are high because it is widely expected the Taliban will capitalize, in propaganda terms, on those civilian casualties, trying to build support. U.S. military, NATO here, very concerned. They say they take every step to avoid civilian casualties, and they say these two incidents are indicative of what they see the Taliban trying to do, which is conduct operations where there are civilians and where there may be -- where there's every likelihood of being civilian causalities.

And they blame the Taliban for taking -- taking offensive actions where civilians can be caught up. But it is of deep concern, not only to NATO, but also to the Afghan government.

They want NATO to be supported. They want NATO to be supported because they want to see the reconstruction here that will build support for President Hamid Karzai and, therefore, diminish support for the Taliban.

These two incidents, however, not conducive for that at the moment. Not conducive for continuing to build support for NATO and for President Hamid Karzai.

Nic Robertson, CNN, Kabul, Afghanistan.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS: Another suicide car bombing shatters lives in central Baghdad. More than two dozen deaths are reported in today's blast at a book market. The area includes a mix of Sunni and Shiite-owned shops. It was the largest bombing in the capital in three days.

Also in Baghdad, a series of deadly attacks on Shiite pilgrims. Right now, they're easy targets for insurgents. Thousands of Shiite pilgrims have set out on foot for the holy city of Karbala for a major religious observance. HOLMES: A grief-stricken Alabama town saying farewell. Funerals are being held today for some of the eight students who were killed last week in a tornado. Thursday's twister slammed into Enterprise High School, trapping students in that rubble.

The town of Americus, in neighboring Georgia, also battered by the same storm system. Two people died there. Disaster recovery centers are being set up in both Enterprise and Americus.

COLLINS: Boy, that was just unbelievable. Chad Myers here with us this morning, this Monday morning, hoping to look at a better picture than we were looking at on Friday.

(WEATHER REPORT)

(NEWSBREAK)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: Want to get you some details now on a situation that happened in Michigan and how it is developing now. The story about a dismembered woman. Want to take you back to what happened.

Stephen Grant is the suspect. He's 37 years old, and he is accused of killing and dismembering his wife, a 34 years old woman, mother of two, businesswoman. This happened last month.

Today now we see some video. Actually, we will see that shortly here of him during all of these court proceedings that are taking place today.

Also, a little bit of sound coming in from the sheriff in the area. Let's go ahead and see if we can listen in to what he has to say now about the case.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHERIFF MARK HACKEL, MACOMB COUNTY, MICHIGAN: The information we have in this particular situation, kind of to reveal, is somewhat interesting. Knowing that the attorney withdrew from this particular case, Stephen Grant became very aware of that, contacted our officers, our investigators, and indicated that he did want to talk, wanted to speak with them -- and to clear his mind in this particular situation.

He was forthcoming with a lot of information and very detailed in his descriptions of exactly what took place. A lot of the physical evidence and information we have was corroborated by his actual statements, and he did indicate exactly the methods of which he caused her death and how he actually dismembered her body, and that he did, in fact, take her out to a fielded area out by Stony Creek to discard the body itself.

Now, I'm not going to get too specific on exactly, you know, what was said and how it was said. That is something the prosecutor's office is obviously the lead on and will make a determination as to what evidence he can talk about, what information we have. We are very guarded for obvious reasons. We want to make sure the prosecutor has everything he needs to carry this case forward. We are confident he does. And we will continue to work with him on other information in making sure that we...

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: So, that Sheriff Mark Hackel there. As you hear, he is explaining that apparently Stephen Grant has confessed to killing and dismembering his wife's body. Of course, so much that they cannot say at this point because that investigation clearly ongoing.

Just so you know, Stephen Grant is still in the hospital. You may remember that he was found in a snow-covered forest, and he is now recovering from hypothermia. So we will continue to follow developments on this one for you and bring them to you if anything else should happen today.

HOLMES: Now new details this morning about that deadly bus accident here in Atlanta. Federal investigators are taking a close look at the highway interchange where the crash happened.

There have been more than 80 accidents at that same intersection in the past 10 years or so. Six people died in that crash on Friday, 29 were injured. The charter bus was carrying a baseball team from a small Ohio college.

Investigators believe the driver mistook an exit ramp for the regular HOV lane. One NTSB official says it is not business as usual at that intersection and drivers need to know that.

So, let's take a look at that left-hand exit ramp leading up to the intersection where the bus crashed into a barrier and fell to the highway below. The NTSB says it can be tough for drivers to figure out.

You're kind of taking a ride here right now.

What about the signs? Were they clear enough as well? Let's head to the highway and look at the lessons from another state.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GREG HUNTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Greg Hunter in Springfield, Virginia, and I'm at a place called the Mixing Bowl. It's an intersection that is very, very congested. Let me show you what I mean.

If you take a look up here, it's where 395, 95, and 495 all meet. There's an HOV lane. You can go left. You can go right. You can go straight.

It's one of the most accident-prone areas in the Washington, D.C., area. Five hundred thousand cars a day pass through here. Now, imagine what this looks like to a first-time driver. What would you expect? Well, according to one transportation expert we talked to, driver expectation is very, very important. For example, drivers expect to exit on the right-hand side of the road. And according to that same transportation expert, for every right-hand exit -- there are 50 of them -- there's only one left-hand exit. So it kind of violates driver expectation.

But even so, those left-hand exits should be marked in a very uniform way -- a rectangular sign, yellow with black lettering saying "left" or "left exit". Also, HOV lanes -- that bus in Atlanta was involved in an HOV lane. Those lanes need to be marked in a very specific, uniform way, with an arrow pointing down straight over the HOV lane, diamonds in the HOV lane.

And finally, signs should look the same day or night, whether your headlights hit them or whether sunlight hits them. They should be the same shape and about the same color.

Greg Hunter, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS: Normalizing relations the goal of U.S. and North Korea. Officials meeting today in New York.

The discussions coming out of last month's six-party talks. North Korea agreed to start shutting down its nuclear program for millions of dollars in energy and financial aid. But our next guest says don't expect to see a denuclearized North.

Han Sung-joo, former South Korean foreign minister and former ambassador to the U.S., he is in Seoul with us this morning.

Mr. Ambassador, thanks for being with us.

I'd like to begin with you explaining to us, if you could, the significance of these talks, and, more importantly, what you think will come out of them.

HAN SUNG-JOO, FMR. SOUTH KOREAN FOREIGN MINISTER: Well, this talk is very significant in the sense that this is the first -- first bilateral talks between the United States and North Korea, which the U.S. has been refusing during the past few years. And they'll be talking about shutting down North Korean nuclear facilities, they'll be talking about the possibility of removing North Korea from the countries sponsoring terrorism. They'll be talking about the possibility of normalizing relations between North Korea and the United States.

COLLINS: All right. So, they have 60 days to do all this. That was the deadline originally.

How serious do you think North Korea is in coming through with their promises?

HAN: Well, they have made promises which are not very difficult to implement, and so they will shut down their facilities, certainly the known facilities, and they will allow inspectors. And that is -- that is not a very tall order for North Korea to perform. And so, this does not necessarily mean that it means denuclearizing North Korea, but they will be able to deliver what they have promised.

COLLINS: So, then this was obviously carefully orchestrated -- make promises that you know that you can keep without really getting to the heart of the issue, denuclearization?

HAN: Well, that's true. And the United States, in fact, made it possible for North Korea to make those promises, and that the U.S. is accepting it as a good promise.

COLLINS: All right. Let's gets to this, then, if we could, Mr. Ambassador.

I know that there have been questions that have come up regarding U.S. intelligence on North Korea's uranium enrichment program. Listen with me, if you would, to the chief intelligence officer for North Korea. This is where he was testifying before Congress just last week.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOSEPH DETRANI, SPECIAL ENVOY FOR SIX-PARTY TALKS: We had high confidence, the assessments was with high confidence that indeed they were making acquisitions necessary for, if you will, a production scale program. And we still have confidence that the program is in existence at the mid-confidence level.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: Mid-confidence level. What does that say to you, sir? How much does the United States really know about exactly what's going on with North Korea?

HAN: Well, mid-confidence level means that it can go either way. There's no 100 percent confidence with that intelligence.

What the United States is saying now is that the U.S. is sure that they have imported or purchased the centrifuge equipment for uranium enrichment, but that doesn't necessarily mean that they have the program.

And so, as long as the North Koreans will ultimately declare that they have the equipment, whether they have used it or not is another matter. In the past, the U.S. was convinced that they were using it to have a program. But that's not -- that's not a matter that North Korea has to clarify now.

COLLINS: All right. Ambassador Han Sung-joo.

We certainly appreciate your insight on this matter. We know that you'll be watching it closely, along with us.

Thank you, sir. HOLMES: Calling on the National Guard. They were among the first to respond in Enterprise, Alabama, but is the Guard really equipped to handle major disasters?

That's ahead in the NEWSROOM.

COLLINS: And we're "Minding Your Business." Stephanie Elam is in for Ali Velshi this morning. She's here now, too, with a preview.

Hi there, Stephanie.

STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi. Well, do you like a clean house but hate the house work? Well, there may be some help on the horizon a la Rosie from "The Jetsons".

I'll tell you about it coming up in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: Robots that do the dishes, mow the lawn, iron your clothes? That's no longer science fiction.

We're "Minding Your Business" with Stephanie Elam, who is telling me where I can pick up one of these robots who will also wash cars.

Is that right?

ELAM: Well, you've got a little bit of time, T.J.

HOLMES: OK.

ELAM: Don't go looking it for it just yet.

HOLMES: All right.

ELAM: It's not quite yet. But this is coming from the International Federation of Robotics, which I just like saying because I didn't know there was such a thing.

But they say that there is 1.9 million robots already being used in private and domestic use as far as 2005. There's iRobot -- that company actually the first publicly traded company with robots in service. But the service industry is just starting to pick up now when you look at robots in the home, and they're saying that, really, South Korea is driving this move towards robotics.

They're saying that this is one of their key economic drivers, where actually they have 10 listed and this is one of them. They're saying that they're putting $50 million a year for a decade into robotics because they really do think that this is the future of all things.

Now, one pundit saying that the growth in service robots is actually somewhere between 50 percent and 400 percent a year. And they're saying it's probably about 20 years. So, you know, you're just going to have to iron or have somebody else iron for you, T.J. I doubt you iron.

But 20 years until you have a machine that irons your clothes for you in your house.

HOLMES: I'll have you know this shirt is crisp because of what I did to it. I ironed it this morning.

ELAM: Right.

HOLMES: What else are we keeping an eye on today? Besides my shirt?

ELAM: Besides your shirt, yes. Well, let's talk a little bit about the markets...

HOLMES: All right.

ELAM: ... because obviously we'll be looking at that.

(STOCK MARKET REPORT)

HOLMES: So, it's going to be OK.

ELAM: It's going to be OK. Hold on.

HOLMES: All right. Stephanie Elam, thank you so much.

ELAM: Take care.

COLLINS: Reports of mold, mice, rundown rooms. Next hour, Congress begins investigating problems at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Among those testifying at today's hearing, the former commander for Walter Weed who was fired last week. Lawmakers also will hear from soldiers who were treated at the facility.

HOLMES: U.S. troops in Afghanistan, first they were talking about Taliban fighters. Now, outraged civilians are reeling against them. The reason, Afghan authorities are blaming U.S. troops for two deadly incidents.

They say a U.S. air strike overnight mistakenly killed a family of nine. Coalition officials say the bombing targeted insurgent fighters.

An investigation is under way right now into that case, and also a weekend incident. Afghan leaders say Americans opened fire on a crowd after being trapped in a Taliban ambush. The toll, at least eight civilians dead, more than 30 wounded. The Pentagon says it's premature to blame U.S. troops for civilian deaths.

COLLINS: Well, as we just heard from Stephanie Elam, we are going to be watching the bell today. We also have Susan Liscovicz down there on the New York Stock Exchange floor.

(MARKET REPORT) HOLMES: Fixing problems at Walter Reed. Is a new commission the answer? A closer look at a time-honored Washington tradition. That's coming up in the NEWSROOM.

COLLINS: Heading to the airport for a U.S. Airways flight today? Well, here's some advice. Saddle up and get there early. Travel problems ahead in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: Reports of mold, mice and rundown rooms. Next hour, Congress begins investigating problems at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, and among those testifying at today's hearing the former commander for Walter Reed who was fired last week.

Lawmakers also will hear from soldiers who were treated at the facility.

Meanwhile, President bush is promising a commission to investigate the problems, but do commissions really get anything done?

CNN national correspondent Bob Franken reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): When politicians and other celebrities gets into trouble, they often go into rehab. But just as often, when there's scandal in Washington, like the one at Walter Reed Hospital, someone calls for a commission.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRES. OF THE UNITED STATES: I'm announcing that my administration is creating a bipartisan presidential commission.

FRANKEN: The president's announcement Saturday didn't stop one Democrat from having his own novel idea Sunday.

SEN. CHARLES SCHUMER (D), NEW YORK: An independent commission to look at all of the outpatient facilities throughout the country.

FRANKEN: We can't seem to have too many commissions. Or can we?

SEN. TRENT LOTT (R), MISSISSIPPI: Let's not pass the buck. Where a study is done three months, six months, and they come back and it'll wind up at somebody's door.

FRANKEN: Former Congressman Lee Hamilton knows commissions. He's been cochairman of both the 9/11 Commission and the Iraq Study Group.

LEE HAMILTON, FMR. 9/11 COMM. VICE CHAIRMAN: The value of commissions sometimes can be hugely important in the public policy debate. Other times they're just totally ignored.

FRANKEN: Or followed selectively. When the Iraq Study Group said it would not oppose a short-term redeployment of U.S. troops, President Bush ordered his so-called search, and sometimes things don't happen right away. Take the study group's recommendation to hold diplomatic talks with Iran and Syria. No way, said the administration. Well, guess who's attending some regional meetings with the U.S.?

CONDOLEEZZA RICE, SECY. OF STATE: The Iraqi government has invited all of its neighbors, including Syria and Iran, to attend both of these regional meetings.

HAMILTON: The political heat can be very strong on a policymaker.

FRANKEN: Which means some commissions just can't be ignored, like a 9/11 commission or a base closing commission.

But when it comes to commissions, Lee Hamilton is one of the kings.

HAMILTON: I'm serving on a new commission. And the commission's on the war powers.

FRANKEN (on camera): So, for the foreseeable future, Lee Hamilton, for that matter, all of Washington, will not be out of commission.

Bob Franken, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS: Planning to check in at one of the popular skip-the- line kiosks for U.S. airways this morning? Well, if so, forget about it, and get in line like all those other people. The airline reports a problem with its new computer system. It's advising passengers in Boston, Las Vegas, Charlotte and Philadelphia they could face long lines today. The airline has almost two dozen employees to Charlotte to help passengers check in today. Charlotte is the airline's busiest hub.

(WEATHER REPORT)

HOLMES: Well, dealing with disaster, some of the nation's first responders may not be well enough equipped in times of tragedy.

CNN's Kathleen Koch has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: They're supposed to respond in the wake of deadly natural disasters, like the tornadoes that just swept through the southeast, to other incidents like terrorist strikes and nuclear accidents.

But a new report has found 88 percent of National Guard units are so short on equipment they're not ready to do their jobs.

MAJ. GEN. ARNOLD PUNARO (RET.), COMMISSION CHAIRMAN: The equipment readiness of our Guard and Reserve today is totally unacceptable.

KOCH: The commission on the National Guard and Reserves found more is being asked of the Guard and Reserves than ever before, but funding and equipment isn't keeping pace. A shortage of high-water vehicles to evacuate citizens has left the Guard in Louisiana unprepared to face another Hurricane Katrina.

LT. COL. PETE SCHNEIDER, LA. NATL. GUARD: No, absolutely not. You know, Katrina, catastrophic event, by its nature completely overwhelmed the state resources and the local resources. We are down equipment. We need to be fully equipped.

KOCH: The Virginia National Guard, too, has a long list of shortfalls.

COL. ROBERT H. SIMPSON, VA. NATL. GUARD: Wheeled vehicles, generators, nightvision goggles, radios, some engineering equipment. Those are the things that we use in almost every kind of disaster.

KOCH: Colonel Robert Simpson says the deficit leaves his forces unable to respond adequately to a major chemical, biological or nuclear incident in the nation's capital.

SIMPSON: You know, major disaster, that's correct, we could not. We would need the help from our sister states.

KOCH: Some lawmakers believe it's time the National Guard was made a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

SEN. PATRICK LEAHY (D), VERMONT: This way, they could say, you know, we're ready to go; where's our share of the equipment? And that's not a turf thing; that's a life and death.

KOCH (on camera): The report offers warnings that if major changes aren't made soon, the ability of the National Guard and Reserves to do their job will continue to deteriorate. And the safety of American citizens will be increasingly at risk.

Kathleen Koch, CNN, the Pentagon.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS: Outrageous Ann Coulter. Did the conservative pundit go too far this time? Harsh Reactions from both sides of the political coin ahead in the NEWSROOM.

HOLMES: This is just not funny at all. Police say what happened to these little boys is just unbelievable. That's coming up, ahead in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: You already know to catch us weekday mornings from 9:00 a.m. until noon Eastern, but did you know, you can take us with you anywhere on your iPod.

HOLMES: Got you on my iPod right now. I do.

COLLINS: CNN NEWSROOM podcast available 24/7, right on your iPod.

HOLMES: Well, this is some disturbing video to tell you about that has not landed two Texas teenagers in jail, and they're facing charges of injury to a child. And this is why. Police say it appears that little boys, ages 5 and 2, are being taught how to smoke marijuana.

Sandra Hernandez with Texas affiliate KDAF in Texas has the shocking details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SANDRA HERNANDEZ, KDAF REPORTER (voice-over): This home video shows a 2 and a 4-year-old boy smoking pot in the living room of their great grandparents in Watauga, while their mother, Shattoria Russell, was asleep in her room with a toothache. This is the first time she talks on camera.

SHATTORIA RUSSELL, MOTHER: Yes, I was in the room because my tooth and stuff, it was hurting. I had took my (INAUDIBLE). When I take them, I sleep.

HERNANDEZ (on camera): You didn't know this?

RUSSELL: I didn't know what was going on, because I was sleep.

HERNANDEZ: You didn't smell anything?

RUSSELL: I was sleep.

HERNANDEZ (voice-over): Shattoria says she first saw the video on TV, and couldn't believe her brother, 17-year-old Demetrius McCoy (ph), and his buddy, 18-year-old Vanswan Polty (ph), would teach or force her children to smoke pot.

RUSSELL: I was hurt. I didn't believe that my brother had did that. It was wrong. He shouldn't have gave him whatever he gave them.

HERNANDEZ (on camera): Are you angry?

RUSSELL: Yes, I am. But I don't think he should do hard, hard time. I think, like, he should be like on probation or something like that. I don't think he should have to stay years and years away.

HERNANDEZ (voice-over): Shattoria says she's unaware of this ever happening before, but Watauga Police Chief Bruce Uris says the tape clearly shows this wasn't the first time the children smoked marijuana.

CHIEF BRUCE URE, WATAUGA POLICE: He's holding it like he's done it before. He's inhaling, and this isn't the first time.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You got the munchies.

HERNANDEZ: McCoy's great grandmother couldn't believe the video she first saw on TV.

SHIRLEY RUSSELL, GREAT GRANDMOTHER: It was really shocking, you know, because I didn't know what to think. I didn't know what was going through his mind to do that. To teach him a lesson, that's what it needs, a lesson. He needs discipline.

RUSSELL: It wasn't my fault, and I think my kids should be here with me, instead of CPS.

HERNANDEZ: The boy's great grandfather couldn't agree more.

CALVIN RUSSELL, GREAT GRANDFATHER: I love them. I want them. I'll do anything I can to provide for those kids.

S. RUSSELL: I'm just hoping that they gave them back. That's all I want, is for them to come back.

RUSSELL: In Watauga, for CNN, Sandra Hernandez.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS: Problems at Walter Reed, tough questions about the treatment of wounded warriors. Congress asks, the Army responds. You can watch coming up in the NEWSROOM.

HOLMES: And outrageous Ann Coulter. She's done it again. But this time did the conservative pundit go too far? There's been some harsh reaction on both political sides. That's ahead in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: Reports of mold, mice, rundown rooms. In the next hour, Congress begins investigating problems at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, and among those testifying at today's hearing the former commander for Walter Reed who was fired last week. Lawmakers also will be hearing from soldiers who were treated at the facility.

COLLINS: Conservative starlet Ann Coulter may have pushed the envelope too far this time, drawing heat from both sides now over her latest controversial comments.

Here they are now with CNN's Rick Sanchez.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RICK SANCHEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Say what you want about her, she's loud, she's opinionated.

ANN COULTER: I don't know, I think Democrats have hit on the perfect candidate.

SANCHEZ: She seeks attention, calls people childish names, ticks people off. And you know what, she'd agree with you -- nobody is so, well, Ann Coulter as Ann Coulter.

COULTER: Gore and Hollywood are now telling us...

SANCHEZ: But with her latest anti-liberal tirade, she took outrageous, some say downright hateful, to a new depth.

COULTER: It turns out that you have to go into rehab if you use the word faggot, so I'm -- so kind of at an impasse. Can't really talk about Edwards, so I think I'll just conclude here.

SANCHEZ: But it's hardly the conclusion. More reaction from Congress and from the man insulted, all who think the best comeback is no comeback at all.

JOHN EDWARDS (D), PRES. CANDIDATE: I think it's important that we not reward hateful, selfish, childish behavior with attention.

REP. PETE HOEKSTRA (R), MICHIGAN: We really need to stay focused on the issues and not make this personal.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm not a fan of that kind of rhetoric, and I really don't want to get into it.

SANCHEZ: But Ann Coulter gets into it all the time, and nobody, it seems, is exempt, not even 9/11 widows.

This is from one of her books: "I've never seen people enjoying their husbands' deaths so much."

She goes after former ambassadors.

COULTER: Literally the man at our embassies who made sure the plumbing was working.

SANCHEZ: Even presidential appointment catch her wrath.

COULTER: She's not qualified for position. This isn't like, you know, best employee of the month.

BILL MAHER: But you didn't make that objection with every other of George Bush's appointments.

COULTER: It never occurred to us that he'd nominate, as you say, the cleaning lady. We thought this was clear.

SANCHEZ: Edwards actually posted Coulter's f-word diatribe about him on his Web site, uncensored soliciting campaign dollars, so-called "Coulter cash," hoping to turn the incident in his favor.

Rick Sanchez, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOLMES: A live picture here I believe we're showing from Walter Reed in Washington, D.C., where we're going to have hearings, congressional hearings, some of the first of many, we're expecting, actually, over the days and weeks ahead about just the horrific conditions at some of the facilities of Walter Reed and some of the conditions that some of the young men and women who are being treated for wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are having to deal when they come back injured.

But this will be a hearing today, and we're expecting to hear from some of those injured soldiers who had to be treated at Walter Reed, also expecting to hear from, among others, at least one commander who was just fired last week for some of those conditions at Walter Reed. So we are keeping an eye on this, expecting this to get started at the top of the hour, and we will be dipping in and out, and will certainly be bringing you some of the testimony from there.

Also, keeping an eye, still, on that tragic accident that happened here in Atlanta, and also keeping an eye on the aftermath now. Investigators taking a close look at a highway interchange. Those details ahead in the NEWSROOM.

COLLINS: Do you know what your kids are doing at work? they could be facing dangers on the job. We'll have a new study for you, coming up, right here in the NEWSROOM.

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