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Iran-Britain Standoff; Troop Buildup in Iraq Paying Off?; U.S. Flexes Navy Muscle; Abandoned Babies; Not The "Finest" Hour; Day Care Hostage Drama in the Philippines; Fighting Cancer; Million Dollar Oops

Aired March 28, 2007 - 14:00   ET

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

DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: Hello. I'm Don Lemon, live at the CNN world headquarters in Atlanta.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Fredricka Whitfield.

For the first time, Iranian television shows pictures of some of its British captives. Our top story's developing right now.

You're in the NEWSROOM.

LEMON: But first at the top of the hour, we want to update you on a developing story happening in Chicago, a high-rise fire in a residential building. Smoke poured out of this building earlier today, and firefighters are on the scene. It was thick smoke pouring out.

We were told just moments ago by Larry Langford, a spokesperson for the Chicago Fire Department, that the fire has been contained. It was in the cooling system on the roof on the 45th floor of this tower. There were no emergency evacuations, but some people left the building on their own.

Again, the situation in Chicago, a high-rise fire that appears to be in control in an air conditioning unit on that roof. If the situation changes, we'll certainly bring it to you right here in the CNN NEWSROOM .

WHITFIELD: Meantime, a lot of developments to tell you about this hour in the case of those British sailors and marines detained by Iran. An Iranian television network has released the first images of the British navy personnel since they were seized last week. The video includes shots of Faye Turney, the only woman in the group.

The Iranian government, meantime, released this letter which it says was written by Turney. In the letter, which has not been authenticated, Turney admits that the Brits entered Iranian waters. Britain, of course, insists they were never in Iranian waters. The British Defense Ministry has released GPS coordinates to back that up.

Earlier today, Iran's foreign minister told CNN that Faye Turney could be set free as soon as today or tomorrow. In the meantime, the British government is reacting to the video of those captured sailors, as well as to the letter said to be written by Turney.

CNN's Paula Newton is standing by in London.

For starters, Paula, Britain is saying that Iran has already broken Geneva Conventions by showing this video, or even having her say on tape the things that she said.

PAULA NEWTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Oh, for sure. And the response was short, terse and quick. It was unacceptable. They say, "We have grave concerns about the circumstances under which she made those statements."

You have to think, Fredricka, that here many predicted that this situation would escalate to this point, but now it has happened. And it's a whole new ball game in terms of the way they deal with this issue.

Of course what they object to, first and foremost, is the stress that seeing this kind of video can put on the family of Faye Turney and the others who were shown in these videos, but let's take a look at what she said in an interview on Iranian television right now. And have a look at her. She's very calm, very measured, but clearly quite nervous and tense.

Let's have a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FAYE TURNEY, DETAINED BRITISH SAILOR: My name is Leading Seaman Faye Turney. I come from England. I serve on Foxtrot 99, and I've been in the navy nine years. I live in England at present.

I was arrested on Friday the 23rd of March. Obviously, we trespassed into their waters.

They were very friendly, very hospitable, very thoughtful, nice people. They explained to us why we've been arrested. There was no aggression, no hurt, no harm. They were very, very compassionate.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: As I say, calm and measured, but quite tense, quite anxious there. And, of course, British officials reacting and saying that is just completely unacceptable that she would be made to have to endure that interview and then have it aired on Iranian TV.

Now, more than that, they released a letter, as you were saying before, Fredricka, of what she apparently had written of her own free will, in her own writing. Of course, the British officials dispute that. But at the same time here, is key in terms of what was in the letter.

In terms of her saying -- describing, saying, "We were in the boats when were arrested by Iranian forces as we had apparently gone into Iranian waters," clearly making her write this in this way is not, you know, a voluntary thing, British officials are saying, and that it is just -- totally goes against all Geneva Convention rules to have her say this. And again, the British government reiterated that in fact they have proof that says that they were 1.7 nautical miles within Iraqi waters. And they continue to maintain that. The Iranians say, of course, that they were about a half a mile inside Iranian waters.

If we get to some of the really heart-wrenching stuff, there, though, you know, in the letter she also says, "Hopefully it won't be long until I am home to get ready for Molly's birthday party, with a present from the Iranian people." Clearly, a contrived letter, but again, it brings out the plight of this woman sailor who has a 3-year- old daughter waiting for her at home and a husband.

And this is most likely the thing that is going to push the British government into acting and acting quickly on different channels. Right now they are saying that any activity with the Iranians is pretty much ineffective, and, in their words, cold.

You are going to have families in Plymouth, specifically the family of this woman, very, very distressed and wanting to know what their government is going to do to get these sailors back. As you had mentioned, everyone hopeful that in fact they will be releasing Ms. Turney very, very quickly, and, in fact, the Iranian officials had indicated that to CNN -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right, Paula. Now, what about from Turney's family? Anything from them?

NEWTON: Nothing as of yet. Some pictures have been released, and certainly they say -- through family and friends, they say that they are staying strong. But, you know, here in the British media, what was aired was an interview done with her prior to being captured. And it says that she accepted all the risks, that her parents made it very clear about what the risks could be.

Still, though, obviously it pulls at the heartstrings. She is the only woman there right there. She has a 3-year-old daughter. And I think perhaps the Iranians -- some people here believe perhaps the Iranians will release her first, and only as a gesture of goodwill.

We'll have to wait and see.

WHITFIELD: Paula Newton.

All right, Paula. Thank you so much, from London.

LEMON: Except for President Bush saying that he supports Tony Blair, you may have noticed that Washington seems to be staying on the sidelines in this dispute, and you may be wondering why.

Our State Department correspondent, Zain Verjee, has an explanation, and she joins us now live from Washington.

Hi, Zain.

ZAIN VERJEE, CNN STATE DEPT. CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Don. Well, the U.S. government really has not come out making harsh statements or strong demands, or condemning Iran. Senior U.S. officials tell CNN that the U.S. has really been playing it low key on purpose, because the British government has asked that the U.S. does that.

The U.S. says it's not going to say or do anything that would jeopardize British efforts to get their crew freed. And the U.S. also knows that it has a very difficult, testy relationship with Iran and really doesn't want to complicate things right now. So, the comments that you're hearing from the State Department are really limited, saying only that the capture of the British military personnel was illegal and that they should be released.

Now, this morning, the deputy State Department spokesman, Tom Casey, also added that the U.S. really wanted to see Iran do the right thing and resolve the dispute peacefully. He also says the U.S. fully supports the British position that they were in Iraqi and not Iranian waters when they seized.

There are also questions about whether the British crew was seized in a tit-for-tat mission, because, as you know, Don, the U.S. has captured Iranian operatives in Iraq. And the question is, you know, could the Iranians be using for -- rather, could the Iranians be looking for a prisoner swap? The U.S. says that there are no discussions about any kind of swap at all, and the British haven't even asked them to do so -- Don.

LEMON: State Department Correspondent Zain Verjee.

Thank you so much.

WHITFIELD: They are in a stare-down right now, Democrats in Congress and the president. Senators are chugging forward on a bill that would set a date for U.S. troops to pull out of Iraq. A roll call yesterday defeated a Republican bid to strip deadlines from the war funding bill. The president says the date-setters are wasting their time.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The House and Senate bills have too much pork, too many conditions on our commanders, and an artificial timetable for withdrawal.

(APPLAUSE)

BUSH: And I have made it clear for weeks, if either version comes to my desk, I'm going to veto it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: A couple of Senate Republicans did break ranks yesterday, voting for a troop down-draw with a non-binding deadline of March 31, 2008. John McCain was not one of them. He wants the deadline removed. He told our Wolf Blitzer that he sees the troop surge as already paying safety dividends in Baghdad.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Here's what you told Bill Bennett on his radio show on Monday. "There are neighborhoods in Baghdad where you and I could walk through those neighborhoods today. The U.S. is beginning to succeed in Iraq."

You know, everything we hear, that if you leave the so-called Green Zone, the international zone, and you go outside of that secure area, relatively speaking, you're in trouble if you're an American.

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: You know, that's where you ought to catch up on things, Wolf. General Petraeus goes out there almost every day in an unarmed Humvee.

I think you ought to catch up. You see, you are giving the old line of three months ago. I understand it. You certainly don't get it through the filter of some of the media. But I know for a fact that much of the success we're experiencing, including the ability of Americans in many parts -- not all, we've got a long, long way to go -- we've only got two of the five brigades there to go into some neighborhoods in Baghdad in a secure fashion.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: So, listen to the point of view of one of our correspondents who is in Baghdad, who says, not so fast.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAEL WARE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: No way on earth can a westerner, particularly an American, stroll any street of this capital of more than five million people. I mean, if al Qaeda doesn't get wind of you, or if one of the Sunni insurgent groups don't descend upon you, or if someone doesn't tip off a Shia militia, then the nearest criminal gang is just going to see dollar signs and scoop you up.

Honestly, Wolf, you'd barely last 20 minutes out there. I don't know what part of Neverland Senator McCain is talking about when he says we can go strolling in Baghdad.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: CNN Baghdad correspondent Michael Ware and Republican senator and presidential hopeful John McCain both speaking with CNN's Wolf Blitzer.

LEMON: A quick update now on those British sailors held in Iran. Let's rejoin CNN's Aneesh Raman. He's at the Arab League Summit in Saudi Arabia, and he joins us now via broadband -- Aneesh.

ANEESH RAMAN, CNN MIDDLE EAST CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Don. A couple of developments to bring to you. First, we understand -- and we've shown this video now for over an hour, within it a letter that has been written by the woman sailor to our family. We understand she's written three other letters. Among them, a letter to the British people, a letter to the British parliament, and as well a letter to the Iranian people.

We also understand the letter she wrote to her family was handed over to the British ambassador to Tehran earlier today in a meeting with foreign ministry officials. Now, the Iranian foreign minister himself is where I am, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. I spoke to him a short time ago on the sidelines of the Arab summit here.

He confirmed to me that Faye Turney, the woman sailor, would be released, in his words, very soon. Earlier today, he had suggested the release could come as early as today, if not tomorrow.

Now, the video shows the British military personnel seemingly in good condition. They're seen eating.

Faye Turney is interviewed. In a statement, she says the Iranians who have been holding her have been friendly, have been hospitable.

It is a starkly different image than what we saw in June 2004, when British military personnel were held by Iran. At that time they were held only for three days, but at the same time, video released while they were in captivity showed them blindfolded. At the time, Iran said that they had confessed to illegally entering Iranian waters, as they're saying about these current British military personnel. But after they got out of Iranian custody, those who were held in 2004, they disputed that claim.

Now, we do expect at some point soon the release of the woman sailor. What that means for the other 14 is a big question.

It seems her release is about cultural sensitivities within Iran, the fact that a woman was being held. She's confessed, according to the Iranians, to crossing into their waters. Given that confession, the fact that she's being released, you'll assume that could happen then to the other 14, but they are still being held. And a very real prospect exists, that they could face trial on charges of espionage.

Hard-liners within Iran citing rising tensions after the second round of sanctions were slapped on the Islamic republic. And five Iranians currently being held in Iraq are increasingly calling for a trial -- Don.

LEMON: Aneesh Raman in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Thank you so much for your report.

WHITFIELD: Britain and Iran at a standoff as the U.S. Navy conducts war games in the Persian gulf. Coincidence, or a show of force? Military analysis from retired General James Marks, straight ahead in the NEWSROOM.

LEMON: Also, 18 months, three abandoned babies, one mother? That's the question.

Details just ahead in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(NEWSBREAK)

(WEATHER REPORT)

WHITFIELD: Well, something else to look out for, riptides. They're proving to be pretty deadly for swimmers in Cocoa Beach, Florida. Lifeguards had to pull nine people from the water yesterday. One man drowned. A 69-year-old who was pulled to shore by other swimmers, he later died after being taken to the hospital.

LEMON: And about 100 people crammed aboard a dilapidated sailboat, reached the Florida shore today, but were quickly rounded up. The Coast Guard believes they fled Haiti about three weeks ago. One man died in the crossing. Three others are in critical condition from dehydration.

The others may soon be on their way home. Haitians who make it into the U.S. illegally are generally sent back, unlike most Cubans.

New problems for a police officer caught on tape beating a female bartender. Plus, we hear from the police top brass.

That is just ahead in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: So, Shakespeare once posed the question, what's in a name? According to Macy's, quite a lot. Susan Lisovicz is at the New York Stock Exchange with a story of a big name in retailing.

(BUSINESS REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Hello. I'm Don Lemon, live at the CNN world headquarters in Atlanta.

WHITFIELD: And I'm Fredricka Whitfield.

Britain says it has satellite troops its sailors and marines did not stray into Iranian waters. Iran insists otherwise. All this, as the U.S. conducts war games in the area.

You're in the NEWSROOM.

A lot of developments to tell you about this hour in the case of those British sailors and marines detained by Iran.

An Iranian TV network has released the first images of the British navy personnel since they were seized last week. The video includes shots of Faye Turney, the only woman in the group. The Iranian government, meantime, released this letter which it says was written by Turney. In the letter, which has not been authenticated, Turney admits that the Brits entered Iranian waters. Britain, of course, insists they were never in Iranian waters. The British defense ministry has released GPS satellite coordinates to back up that claim that they were not in the wrong waters. Earlier today, Iran's foreign minister told CNN that Faye Turney could be set free as soon as today or tomorrow.

DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: If Iran is sending the world a message by holding a British naval crew, the western powers in the Persian Gulf are sending a message too, with a large-scale naval exercise. Two U.S. aircraft carrier groups launching fighters, hunting submarines, flexing enormous military power. The Pentagon says the exercise was planned long before Iranian forces seized 15 British troops, but they briefed it up to make a strong statement even stronger.

Now, in the Gulf today, two carrier groups, the Eisenhower and the Stennis, with more than a dozen support vessels. Now British forces are also patrolling the same waters.

So if this huge Navy exercise is indeed a show of force, who's the intended audience? The timing was important even before even tension shot up between Iran and Great Britain. Let's bring in our military analyst, Retired Brigadier General James Marks.

General, I want to ask you, is this a coincident these beefed up, which appear to be beefed up war games happening?

BRIG. GEN. JAMES MARKS (RET.), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Well, this is routine. The United States and coalition partners have a routine presence in the Persian Gulf. I mean that dates back decades. So it is a matter of routine.

So that's a strategic decision that's been made a long time ago to have that kind of presence. The primary requirement is to ensure the free flow of oil through the Straits of Hormuz. To beef it up and change the tactics, certain that changes all the time.

LEMON: All right. So you said it's not unusual to beef that up. How much planning goes into these exercises, general?

MARKS: Oh, a whole bunch of planning? These things are not exercises that occur real quickly. What happens is, a lot of planning and a lot of what's called contingency operations are planned well in advance. They keep them in a little kit bag and then they reach into them and they exercise different tactics, techniques and procedures. So, again, this is rather routine.

LEMON: OK. Let me ask you this. It appears mostly that Washington is sort of on the sideline, except for the president saying that he supports Prime Minister Tony Blair. What is the U.S. role, if any at this point, with the seizure of those British officers?

MARKS: Well, this is a British issue, absolutely correct. What the United States would do in this case is, they would provide support in terms of over-watch, surveillance, security and certainly diplomatic communication and full support of the Brits. And if the Brits needed something from the U.S. in this particular case, there would be full consultation between the United States and the U.K.

LEMON: I want to ask you about this video that's just coming out of the 15 British soldiers, and specifically the one female -- I should say marines, rather, sailor, -- and the one female sailor. She apparently penned a letter and also was interviewed. My question is, is this against the Geneva Convention to talk to someone who is being held captive like this? Because we don't know the conditions, if they're under duress or not.

MARKS: Yes, you know, truly, you don't want to do that at all. Whether it is applicable in the Geneva Conventions, I'm not a lawyer, I wouldn't want to even venture a guess. But it's inappropriate. First of all, the action's illegal. The Brits were in Iraqi territorial waters. That's been confirmed. So it's now down a very slippery slope in terms of how the U.K. is going to get these folks back.

LEMON: OK. You're standing there, you know, with the map there, and all of this apparently happening in the Persian Gulf, specifically the Shatt al-Arab, which is a waterway which separates Iraq and Iran. Explain to us the region and what you have there behind you, general.

MARKS: Absolutely. Let me orient you just a sec. Obviously, Iran and Iraq. The Shatt al-Arab is located right here. What's highlighted now is Iraqi territorial waters and Iranian territorial waters. And this is the Persian Gulf.

Now what happened very specifically is the HMS Cornwall, the British ship, was located down here. There was a cargo ship up here that was off-loading some cargo and the British ship, the Cornwall, launched two boats. Two boats from the ship came forward just to check out what was taking place at the merchant ship. And at that point, after that inspection took place, the boats were returning to the Cornwall and the Iranians intercepted one of those boats, as indicated right there, clearly within territorial waters of Iraq.

LEMON: All right. I'm glad you explained it to us, but I wanted to get your reaction to this new video coming out before you explained that to all of us.

What happens if the British, I guess, government asks the U.S. to get involved? Might that be an option for us?

MARKS: Probably not. This is a bilateral issue where the U.K. has got to deal with Iran on a very specific issue. The U.S. would probably get involved in a non-kinetic sense in terms of sharing intelligence, maybe some logistic support, maybe some security, but not in terms of a kinetic strike to go get those British citizens.

LEMON: All right. This is quite a complicated issue. Anything that I didn't ask that you think that should be answered and that people should know about this entire situation?

MARKS: No, I think that sums it up pretty well. This is a bit of a very touchy situation. It needs to be resolved very quickly.

LEMON: All right. General Marks, thank you so much, as usual.

WHITFIELD: An abandoned newborn left in the bed of a pickup truck. Shocking enough when it happens once, but police in California say this is the third time in 18 months and all of the babies are from the same mother. It's an unbelievable story from reporter Christine Musson of CNN affiliate KGPE in Fresno.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was about this big, stiff, frozen.

CHRISTINE MUSSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT, (voice over): It was on the night of December 3, 2006, that a newborn baby girl was found in the back of this pickup truck in Maria Pena's driveway.

MARIA PENA, FOUND INFANT: I never checked the pickup. I never did. I wish I would have.

MUSSON: The newborn, now named Angelita DeOrosi, or little angel of Orosi, is the third child since February 2005 left in this neighborhood. Now DNA shows all three have the same mother.

PENA: I can't understand her. I can't. I don't know why she would do something like that.

MUSSON: And while Pena tries to make sense of the situation, the Tulare County Sheriff's Department wants to know who the children's mother is. The department is now offering a $5,000 reward to anyone with information.

SGT. CHRIS DOUGLAS, TULARE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA, SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT: There is at least one person who knows what's happening and the circumstances as to why it's happening this way.

MUSSON: California's safe haven law has been in place since 2000. These are three sites in the Cutler/Orosi area where newborns can be taken.

DOUGLAS: Where you can drop off a newborn child up to 72 hours without any questions, without any prosecution. You can drop that baby off and it's in safe hands.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And, sadly, the little girl found in the back of that pickup truck did not survive. Her two siblings did.

LEMON: Armed with an Uzi, he held dozens of preschoolers hostage for hours. So why is he being treated more like a folk hero than a felon? An incredible story from the Philippines, coming up in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) LEMON: Take a look at this. Does this look like a felony to you? Well, it certainly does to prosecutors working the case of the off-duty Chicago cop and the woman bartender. Now they've upgraded the charges against 12-year police veteran Anthony Abbate, to felony aggravated battery. Initially he was charged with simple battery, which is a misdemeanor. Now the victim says Abbate attacked her when she tried to cut him off.

A half dozen other Chicago cops have been stripped of their authority after a bar fight with businessmen. That was back in December. The city's top cop is fed up. To Charles Thomas now with CNN affiliate WLS for that.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PHIL CLINE, CHICAGO POLICE SUPERINTENDENT: Let me say that the past two weeks have been disheartening and embarrassing for me personally and professional.

CHARLES THOMAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT, (voice over): Backed by his top brass, the self-described disgusted superintendent tried to regain command. Cline called the videotape beat-down of a lady bartender by off-duty Officer Anthony Abbate, "shameful and wrong," and the superintendent reaffirmed his effort to fire the 38-year-old Abbate.

CLINE: Anthony Abbate has been arrested, criminally charged, stripped of his police powers and we are moving to fire him.

THOMAS: But Cline also said there does not appear to have been another cop involved who reportedly threatened the victim and tried to bribe the beaten bartender. The superintendent also confirmed he'd seen another videotape made December 15th by security cameras at the Jefferson Tap and Grill on the near north side. Cline says the tape, which has not yet been made public, shows six now suspended off-duty officers beating four businessmen. And worse, he says, it shows one of the six, a sergeant, waving off a responding patrol car while the beatings continued.

CLINE: The state attorney's office has assured me that they will return criminal charges as soon as their investigation is done. I expect that to happen in the next couple weeks.

THOMAS: Finally, Cline said he'll demote a 25th district captain who allegedly ordered police at Grand and Central to shield Anthony Abbate from the media during Abbate's court appearance. Cline accused the captain of misusing police resources in a "terrible lack of judgment."

CLINE: If you try and shield officers that are accused of misconduct, then you're going to have to suffer the consequences.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: That was Charles Thomas of CNN affiliate WLS.

Cline says he's speeding up the process of stripping police authority from cops accused of wrongdoing.

WHITFIELD: Thirty-two children on a bus, a man with a grenade and an Uzi at the wheel. Outside, confused parents and a cheering crowd no less. It's a bizarre hostage drama in the Philippines. One that started as the preschoolers' field trip? Anjali Rao on the scene for us in Manila.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANJALI RAO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The hostage drama finally came to an end after the 32 children and their four teachers were trapped on the bus for 10 hours in the blazing Manila heat by the main hostage taker Jun Ducat. The children are now in a hospital being looked over by doctors, in case they've suffered any physical ailments while they were onboard the bus. As for Jun Ducat himself, he and his accomplice have been questioned rigorously by police here in Manila. Tomorrow they are expected to be charged with kidnapping, abduction and child abuse.

Still, though, it appears that his demands were met. The government has said that they will give the children of the daycare center that he founded, the 145 of them, free education all the way until they finish college, which is pretty amazing considering the state of Turtery (ph) education in this country. So many children don't make it at all because of the cost of sending your child to further education.

Perhaps amazingly though, Jun Ducat has an enormous amount of support here. When he was setting the children free, rather than being berated by the thousands of people gathered there. Others were holding up placards saying, we support Jun Ducat, don't punish him. People were lighting candles to support his drive for better education for this country's poor.

And we know that there are so many of them still in this country. Many people still live on less than $2 U.S. dollars a day. In fact, the educational needs are in a very dire state at the moment. Many children going to school where they don't have teachers, they don't have resources. Some of them even having to take lessons in toilet blocks and hallways. Something that Jun Ducat says he hopes will be a thing of the past, especially in the run-up here in the Philippines to midterm elections later this year.

Anjali Rao, CNN, Manila.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: Take a look at this. Who's that? That's our Lou Dobbs.

WHITFIELD: A familiar face around here.

LEMON: Yes, on Capitol Hill today. Our own Lou Dobbs testified about a subject he's covered extensively on CNN's "Lou Dobbs Tonight."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) LOU DOBBS, "LOU DOBBS TONIGHT": Free trade has been the most expensive trade policy this nation has ever pursued. There is absolutely nothing free about ever-larger trade deficits, mounting trade debts, and the loss of millions of good-paying American jobs.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: How did it go? What else did he say? Well, Lou will join us in the NEWSROOM in the 3:00 p.m. Eastern hour to tell us what he really thinks. There's also "Lou Dobbs Tonight" at 6:00 p.m. Eastern. And after that, at 8:00 Eastern, CNN brings you a Lou Dobbs special, "The War Within." Lou takes an in-depth look at America's 30-year-old war on drugs and whether it can ever be won. Lots of Lou Dobbs coming up this afternoon and evening, only on CNN.

WHITFIELD: A fresh call on Capitol Hill. Star power arriving today, demanding more funding for cancer research as well. Details straight ahead in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: A major league gesture from a major university. Ohio State's baseball team opens its home season this afternoon with proceed to benefit the team from Bluffton University. Now you'll remember five Bluffton players died in a bus crash here in Atlanta. It was a few weeks ago. Ohio State's donation is for those involved and their families and to help build a memorial on the Bluffton campus. Buckeyes Coach Bob Todd says, as often as teams travel, he knows it could easily have been his team.

WHITFIELD: It's the last thing they'd want to be known for, but the cancer crisis facing Tony Snow and Elizabeth Edwards have gripped the nation and remind us how far the science has come and how far it still has to go. CNN's John Roberts has more on that.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN ROBERTS, CNN CORRESPONDENT, (voice over): For all the progress medical science makes against cancer, the statistics are still astounding. According to the National Cancer Institute, more than 10 million Americans are living with the disease. This year alone, there will be nearly 1.5 million new cases, and more than a half a million people will die from it.

In the past week, a new spotlight has been shone on this often incurable disease with the back-to-back revelation that Elizabeth Edwards and White House Spokesman Tony Snow's cancer is back. Snow got the bad news just days after he sent out words of encouragement to Edwards on "American Morning."

TONY SNOW, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: Our thoughts and prayers are with John and Elizabeth Edwards because there are a lot of people around the country who have been through the experience not only of cancer, but cancer follow-ups. So I'd like to lay down that, because, trust me, I know. ELIZABETH EDWARDS, WIFE OF JOHN EDWARDS: This is what happens to every cancer survivor. Not that you ultimately get a bad diagnosis, but every time you get something suspicious, you go into alarm mode.

ROBERTS: On Tuesday, the Edwards' offered their praise and prayers to Snow. At every stop along the campaign trail, Elizabeth Edwards' renewed fight took center stage. Other presidential candidates, like skin cancer survivor John McCain, have used their personal stories to bring attention to Washington to fighting the disease, yet advocates are deeply worried that the federal government is actually reducing funds for cancer research, a move they say could undermine the gains made so far.

For the second year in a row, President Bush has proposed to cut funding for the National Cancer Institute, a reduction of more than $30 million. Today, musician and cancer survivor Sheryl Crow was on Capitol Hill urging more federal dollars for breast cancer research.

SHERYL CROW, BREAST CANCER SURVIVOR: There's just so much that we don't know about breast cancer. There are so many different kinds of breast cancer. And the more that I learn about it, the more I feel driven to get the message out to women to be diligent about getting their mammograms and about knowing your family history.

ROBERTS: Cancer survivor and seven-time Tour de France winner, Lance Armstrong, has long called on Washington to do more, but he says it's not all about funding.

LANCE ARMSTRONG, CANCER SURVIVOR: We can always use more money. Again, I think the biggest issue is leadership, and leadership, you know, that not only starts in the White House, but it trickles down through Congress, through the NIH.

ROBERTS: John Roberts, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: As for White House Spokesperson Tony Snow, well, we understand he's feeling good and not in pain. Snow's deputy announced today that a tumor has reattached to his liver, but it is not inside the liver itself. You can send good wishes to Snow on-line if you'd like to by going to whitehouse.gov. There under the feature section you'll find a link at the top right-hand corner on how to send him a note.

LEMON: That's very nice that people can do that.

WHITFIELD: It really is.

LEMON: All right. What you don't ever want to do with a borrowed car. You saw this yesterday.

WHITFIELD: Oh, my gosh.

LEMON: But we're going to go inside of this whole story, especially, you know, a very, very expensive, borrowed car. WHITFIELD: A million and a half.

LEMON: Yes. Details straight ahead in the CNN NEWSROOM.

WHITFIELD: I'm not handing over any keys.

LEMON: And, voila, there it is, the big board. The Dow is down 103 points. We'll get the official tally from our Susan Lisovicz in just a bit.

You're watching CNN, the most trusted name in news.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: OK.

WHITFIELD: Your favorite.

LEMON: Yes, right. Don't adjust your set, folks. That hairdo, for better or for worse, it's supposed to look like that. It's "American Idol." It's the hopeful Sanjaya Malakar raising the roof and a few eyebrows at that. Not with his performance, but, as usual, with his imitable stage presence or -- midible (ph) -- did I say that right -- and weekly hairdo change. Sanjaya's considered among the weaker singers, but his legions of voters have kept him afloat in the top 10. Tonight, well, it's a results show, so somebody is going home.

WHITFIELD: You know what? People are going to be shocked because I bet you it is not going to be him. And it's not necessarily because of his singing talent, but I'm telling you . . .

LEMON: Cute is not a talent.

WHITFIELD: I'm telling you -- oh, people are voting based on cute on "American Idol." We know that.

LEMON: All right.

WHITFIELD: You know, people are going to fall in love with his hair and then later maybe his voice.

LEMON: Tweens. The producers are like tweens are voting. Those are the folks who are voting in.

WHITFIELD: Right. Right. Right.

LEMON: Yes.

WHITFIELD: All right. We'll be watching. We'll be talking about this again tomorrow, you know.

LEMON: Oh, my goodness.

WHITFIELD: Oh, my gosh. And we are still talking about this. Come one. Does this not make you sick? A million dollar oops. But it's not the first time a fast car has slowed down the hard way. Huh- uh. Let's go back and reflect, shall we? Jeanne Moos.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT, (voice over): Did you ever borrow someone's car then die of mortification because you scratched it? Now magnify that mortification, because what just crashed is a million dollar plus Ferrari, driven by comedian Eddie Griffin.

EDDIE GRIFFIN, COMEDIAN: I just need driving lessons.

MOOS: Griffin was practicing for a charity race to promote his new movie when he decided to take one more spin. At least he didn't get the photographer. The comedian was unhurt, but the Ferrari was totaled. The $1.2 million Ferrari owned by the producer of Griffin's new movie.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm speechless about that because I really liked the car. But it is what it is.

MOOS: It is what it was. Another actor practicing for the charity race was Jackie Chan, who couldn't hid the smirk in his voice as he viewed the crash video.

JACKIE CHAN, ACTOR: Oh, $1.2 million.

MOOS: People seem to get some weird kick out of seeing ultra expensive Ferraris bite the dust. YouTube has a comprehensive selection.

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