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Outrage over Newt Gingrich's Comments; More Confessions from Captured British Marines; House Speaker Nancy Pelosi Addresses Israel; North Caroline Police Shooting Suspect in Custody

Aired April 01, 2007 - 19:00   ET

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

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I can understand why you are so angry by our intrusion into your waters.

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RICK SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: More seeming confessions, this time by two British marines. We're going to be having the very latest developments in this heated standoff between Britain and Iran. It's over the fate of the 15 British troops of course and we're following this developing story tonight.

Also, a group of volunteer contractors save the day and the house for a young man with cerebral palsy, a sad story with a happy ending.

And our top story, outrage over language used by former House speaker Newt Gingrich. And hello everybody, I'm Rick Sanchez. Never one to shy from stirring the pot, Newt Gingrich has done it again.

Not for the first time he has railed against schools that provide bilingual education. This time, though, he's chosen a combination of words that stirred the sensibilities of people from Madrid through Miami to Montana. Take a listen now to how he put it in the speech at the nation's capitol.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NEWT GINGRICH, FORMER HOUSE SPEAKER: We should replace bilingual education with immersion in English so people learn the common language of the country and so they learn the language of prosperity, not the language of living in a ghetto.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: Indications seem to be that he is comparing a ghetto with the Spanish language, or at least that's the way a lot of his critics are taking it tonight. You are going to be hearing from some of them and we're going to break it down right here for you in the CNN NEWSROOM.

Both sides, now what do you think, by the way? We're wondering, do you think that perhaps Gingrich went too far? Or is he making a valid point? You can e-mail us with your comments at weekends@CNN.com. We're going to read some of them a little bit later in the show. And by the way, you can also give us a call on this. We'd love to hear what you have to say about it. It's 1-800-807-2620. Focusing on the words he used of course, not so much the issues, 1- 800-807-2620.

Also later, we're going to dissect the former speaker's remarks with Latino activist Rosa Rosales of LULAC, that's the League of United Latin American Citizens.

Let's go over to Bonnie Schneider now because there's been a lot of weather affecting us, but none as much to make us think again about something we went through a couple years ago as this. Apparently there's been some kind of earthquake in the Solomon Islands, right, Bonnie?

(WEATHER REPORT)

SANCHEZ: Let's change gears now and look at Iran. Another worrisome turn today in the standoff with Britain over the 15 British troops captured at sea and held for 10 days now. From London, here is CNN's Matthew Chance following this.

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MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Iranian television with another propaganda exclusive, fresh footage of captured British sailors and marines being held at a secret location. There were confessions, too, possibly coerced, about illegally entering Iranian waters. The British foreign office says these displays are unacceptable.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We left the coalition warship at approximately nine nine. Our task, our two boats were to go the area around the Persian Gulf around here, and approximately about 10:00 in the morning, we were seized, apparently at this point here from their maps, from the GPS they've shown us, which is inside the Iranian territorial waters.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My name is Lieutenant Felix Carmen (ph). I operate out of brigade foxtrot 99, using two sea boats that look like this. We were arrested in this location here. Yes, I'd like to say to the Iranian people I can understand why you are so angry about our intrusion into your waters.

CHANCE: That anger has spilled out onto Tehran's streets. Chants of death to Britain, protesters throw rocks and fireworks at the British embassy in Tehran earlier, demanding the expulsion of the British ambassador. Iran's President Ahmadinejad has been characteristically hard-lined. "British occupying forces did trespass our waters," he said. "Our border guards detained them with skill and bravery. But arrogant powers, because of their arrogant and selfish spirit, are claiming otherwise."

There have been words of support from Britain's allies, not least President Bush, who voiced his condemnation from Camp David.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It's serious, because the British hostages issue is a serious issue, because the Iranians took these people out of Iraqi water. And it's inexcusable behavior.

CHANCE: At the church service in the hometown of the only female captive, Faye Turney, there were prayers for the safe return of all the British personnel. European leaders have also been calling for an early end to the standoff. But as this crisis enters a new week, diplomacy has yet to deliver. Matthew Chance, CNN, London.

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SANCHEZ: Meanwhile in Jerusalem today, Israel's military intelligence chief informed the country's cabinet that Iran is hunkering down for possible U.S. military strikes. Major General Ahmos Shaman (ph) reportedly told officials that Iran is making defense preparations, according to those reports, believing attacks could occur sometime this summer. President Bush has repeatedly said he's focused on diplomacy as the best means to persuade Iran to dial back its nuclear program.

Also addressing Israeli lawmakers today, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, speaking to the Knesset. Pelosi said that she will raise the plight of kidnapped Israeli soldiers held by Hezbollah when her designation visits Syria. Hezbollah and Hamas militants get strong support from Syria. Pelosi's planned visit to Damascus is drawing criticism from the White House, which refuses to conduct direct talks with Syria.

Meantime, the Israeli prime minister, Ehud Olmert, is calling for a meeting of moderate Arab leaders now. Mr. Olmert met with German Chancellor Angela Merkel today in Jerusalem. Afterward he invited Arab heads of state to discuss a Saudi initiative for peace between Israelis and Palestinians. Arab leaders met Thursday in Riyadh to discuss reviving the plan. It was proposed five years ago, by the way, it offers recognition to Israel in exchange for certain conditions.

Now let's turn to Iraq and the news out of there late this afternoon. The military announced that the deaths of six American soldiers occurred southwest the Baghdad. Four soldiers were killed when a roadside bomb blew up as they responded to the explosion that killed the first two.

Also, we're following this story. Tonight John McCain is giving a firsthand report on Iraq after touring Baghdad with the military. As expected, he's saying things are getting better. Senator McCain was joined by several other Republican lawmakers on the unannounced visit. CNN's Frederik Pleitgen is in the capital of Iraq.

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FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Senator McCain was in Baghdad today as part of a Republican congressional delegation to assess the situation on the ground. Now, McCain backtracked from comments he made earlier this week here on CNN saying that some neighborhoods in Baghdad were safe enough for westerners to stroll through them. But McCain did say that he believes the situation in Iraq is improving and he also says he believes the Baghdad security plan is working.

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: I believe that we have a new strategy that is making progress. And it's not to say that things are well everywhere in Iraq, far from it. We have a long way to go. We read everyday about suicide bombings, kidnapping, rocket attacks and other terrible acts. And I'm not saying that mission is accomplished or last throes or a few dead enders, but what we don't read about every day and what is new since the surge began is a lot of the good news.

PLEITGEN: McCain and his colleagues visited a market in central Baghdad with General Petraeus. And all of them said they were amazed by how well they were received by the Iraqi locals. And also how fairly freely they were able to move around. Now Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, responding to a reporter's question, reiterated his belief that setting a deadline for American troops to move out of Iraq is a mistake.

SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: I think you see four people here who believe more now than ever, believe now more than ever, it would be a huge mistake to set a deadline because it is working. There are signs of progress. We're doing now what we should have done three years ago. And if you set a deadline now, it will undercut everything positive that's going on. That's not me saying that. That's every soldier I've talked to today. That's the Iraqi police commander, who said, please stay with us. Things are getting better.

PLEITGEN: The visit comes after a deadly month here in Iraq and numbers published by the Iraqi government today say that the civilian death toll here in Iraq is rising. More than 1,800 civilians were killed here in Iraq in March and almost 3,000 were wounded. Now only today two truck bombs in the northern city of Mosul killed another two civilians. Frederik Pleitgen, Baghdad.

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SANCHEZ: But here's an interesting perspective now from someone who's been involved in something very much like Iraq. In an "Associated Press" interview, former secretary of state Henry Kissinger is saying "a military victory in Iraq is no longer possible," his words.

Mr. Kissinger, who helped engineer the U.S. withdrawal from Vietnam, says the problems in Iraq are too complex. He says the faceless nature of the insurgency and the Sunni/Shia divide make negotiating peace more difficult.

Kissinger says the best way forward is to reconcile the differences between the warring sects with help from other countries. He also warns a sudden pullout of U.S. troops could unleash even more chaos. Two police officers are dead, sparking a massive manhunt. This is in North Carolina. Anna Crowley from our affiliate WCNC is standing by now with more on this story. What happened, Anna?

ANNA CROWLEY, WCNC CORRESPONDENT: Well, there's now been a break in the case. A suspect is in custody after two police officers were shot.

We're live tonight at police headquarters, where that suspect is upstairs being interviewed as we speak. All of this started last night at about 10:30 when two officers received a call, a disturbance call. They headed out there, and that's when they were shot down. We'll have much more straight ahead.

SANCHEZ: What are some of the officials say about the people who may have shot them, where they may be or what happened to them?

CROWLEY: I'm sorry, I couldn't hear the question.

SANCHEZ: We're just trying to figure out if we know anything else about the perpetrators in this case, as we obvious call them in police language?

CROWLEY: We don't know yet. We only know there's one suspect, and that is the limit of their search. They're not looking for anybody else. We don't know why it happened. As you know, police responding to a disturbance call, so we asked the question -- was the suspect somehow involved in the original disturbance call?

And they said no, he was not. This person was in the parking lot, and had some sort of struggles with the officers at the time that shooting occurred.

SANCHEZ: All right, thanks so much, we'll be talking to you in just a little bit.

Meanwhile, sex offenders as well. This is one to watch out for. New York county has signed one of the toughest safety-zone laws in the state. Our report is in just six minutes on this one.

Also, our top story tonight. Newt Gingrich in the hot seat for comments many find outrageous. We're going to be looking into this and talking to a guest about it. You're watching CNN, the most trusted name in news.

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SANCHEZ: And we welcome you back. I'm Rick Sanchez. As you can see, we're here in B Control, where we've been trying to get the latest videos, and some of the latest information on some of the developing stories we've been following around the country, like this one where a call went out in North Carolina this weekend that no police officers really ever wants to hear, not to mention hi family.

Today two police officers are dead. They were shot responding to a call at a Charlotte apartment complex. So far a massive manhunt has turned up just one suspect. Anna Crowley is with our affiliate WCNC. She's on the story; we see her right back there now. We'll get a chance to talk to her. Anna, are you there, can you fill us in on what happened? It looks like we're having a problem with our audio. She doesn't seem to be reacting to us.

All right, we'll do this. We'll get back to her in just a little bit. I know she's prepared and ready to go.

In the meantime, we'll move on. Let me know when she's ready to go on that one, too. Registers sex offenders who live near a school or park may be forced out of their homes in one New York county, where local leaders have passed a tough new law aimed at protecting children, but critics say the law goes too far. CNN's Jim Acosta explains.

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JIM ACOSTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Tony Gicalone is relieved every time the school bus drops off his 13-year-old son right in front of their home in Putnam County, New York. They live just two doors down from a registered sex offender.

TONY GICALONE, PUTNAM COUNTY RESIDENT: The thought of having one so close to home is frightening.

ACOSTA: That neighbor 36-year-old Brian Morrisey (ph), he moved into his parent's home up the street last summer. His parents, who didn't want to talk to CNN, say their son has repaid his debt to society, nine years in prison for having child pornography.

But a new law in the county means Morrisey (ph) may have to change his address. The law makes it a crime for state-designated, high-level sex offenders to live approximately a half mile of places where children gather. The measure means offenders would have to pack up and move if their home is too close to what the county considers a "child safety zone." Those who don't face jail time.

(on camera): You're in favor of this even if the man has to move out of area?

GICALONE: Yes, I am. He chose to do it. I'm sure he knew the consequences if he'd ever get caught, which he did and he has to pay. Some people say that he already put his time in, in a federal prison. What about the kids?

ACOSTA (voice-over): The county executive defends the idea of forcing offenders out of their homes.

ROBERT BONDI, PUTNAM COUNTY EXECUTIVE: I think they do have rights but of course the residents who live in the county, particularly families that have children, small children, are quite concerned. And they have rights, too.

ACOSTA (on camera): The law would block registered sex offenders from living within 2,500 feet of schools, parks, playgrounds, even places like bowling alleys. Critics of the law say this is much more than not in my backyard, it's more like, not in my county.

(voice-over): That's because just about everywhere in Putnam County is too close to one of the protected zones.

ROBERT PERRY, N.Y. CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION: The Supreme Court has said you cannot, as a matter of retribution, banish a person as punishment.

ACOSTA: If the measure survives court challenges, Robert Perry with the New York Civil Liberties Union, warns it would have unintended consequences.

PERRY: It essentially attempts to export the problem for the next county. Or it drives people underground, where it's going to be much more difficult for probation officers and sex offender management experts to monitor, to supervise, to treat.

GICALONE: My son can't go outside with my wife and I keeping an eye on him and my daughters, too.

ACOSTA: Tony Gicalone's looking for some peace of mind, something he says he can't have with a registered sex offender in the neighborhood. Jim Acosta, Brewster, New York.

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SANCHEZ: All right, we have cleared up that technical problem we had just a little while ago in North Carolina.

Bonnie (sic) Crowley's standing by now. I can see that you're listening now. Last time you looked like you were looking away from us a little bit. Bonnie (sic), fill us in if you would as to what led up to this double shooting of these police officers.

CROWLEY: Well, we don't know right now. We know that at about 10:30, that there was a disturbance call that took place. Officer Shelton and Clark headed out to the call at an apartment complex. They never made it to that apartment. Apparently the suspect in the shooting met them in the parking lot. There was some sort of struggle and at that point, the officers were shot to death.

SANCHEZ: Anna, as we're looking at this story, we're wondering why the officers maybe didn't fire. Is there any possibility that they had some kind of familiarity with the suspect or were feeling like for some reason they needed to stand down on it?

CROWLEY: Well, it's a good question. We just have no idea at this point. Police are not saying that, but they are very busy interviewing witnesses and collecting all the evidence they can to answer some of these questions.

SANCHEZ: Anna Crowley, thanks so much for bringing us up to date on that story. We'll certainly be checking back as we get more information.

Meanwhile, let's go over to Bonnie Schneider. She is standing by in the Weather Center. A lot of weather nationally, but the big hit really is in the Pacific, right? We don't want to get people too alarmed when we use this word, but possibility of tsunami warning has caused people to be a little concerned, right?

(WEATHER REPORT)

SANCHEZ: There's a lot more happening this evening, including yet another food recall that pet owners need to hear about, and then this.

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GINGRICH: We should replace bilingual education with immersion in English so people learn the common language of the country, so they learn the language of prosperity, not the language of living in a ghetto.

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SANCHEZ: The language of living in a ghetto -- Newt Gingrich stirring up a bit of controversy. Bilingual education, language of a ghetto -- confused? Well, we're going to tackle the issue for you, straight ahead right here in the NEWSROOM.

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SANCHEZ: We welcome you back. I'm Rick Sanchez. Newt Gingrich in the news once again for making what many would certainly consider outlandish comments. Over the year, it's a headline we've come to know, though this time he's equated the Spanish language with a ghetto.

Now we told you about this one at the start of our newscast. And we want to revisit now, if we possible can. Rose Rosales is going to be joining us. She's the president of the League of United Latin American Citizens, joining us from Miami. We asked Mr. Gingrich to be here because he declined because of a contract that he has with another network. But here, take a listen to what started this debate, here are his words.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GINGRICH: We should replace bilingual education with immersion in English so people learn the common language of the country, so they learn the language of prosperity, not the language of living in a ghetto.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: By the way, we're going to want to hear from you tonight. It's our question, Newt Gingrich, ghetto remarks, what do you think? Good? Bad? Indifferent? Offensive? Give us a call, 1- 800-807-2620. We're going to air some of the responses tonight at 10:00 Eastern.

Praying upon the handicapped. A story about a heartless scam and the noble action of a few to undo the damage. This one will make you angry and happy as well.

Also, cancer, it's been in the news a lot lately, but what are the real dangers and real causes for cancer? We're going to separate the fact from fiction. That's in about 10 minutes.

Also, what's in your wallet, Hillary Clinton? How much did she New York senator raise in funds for her presidential bid? Any guesses? The answer, straight ahead in the NEWSROOM, including the debate on Newt Gingrich. Stay with us.

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SANCHEZ: All right. We've given you the big setup. We heard from some of our viewers. Heard from some of those e-mails that we've been getting, heard from Newt Gingrich.

Now let's hear from Rosa Rosales who was good enough to join us. She's again the president of the League of Latin American Citizens, or LULAC as its often come to known. What was your reaction, and don't talk to me as the president of LULAC. Talk to me as someone who speaks Spanish when you heard those words that were used by Mr. Gingrich? Personally, how did you feel?

ROSA ROSALES, LULAC: Personally I felt outraged that he would say something so disrespectful to the Latino community, you know.

SANCHEZ: We're talking, you know, Spanish language, so if you heard that and you're living in Barcelona when you hear it, you can't help but be offended as well? To them, it has nothing to do with immigration on the problems in the United States or the problems with bilingual education. It's just saying Spanish is a language of a ghetto. If not in words, certainly that was the inference, correct?

ROSALES: Right. It was just very offensive. I would say to him that I heard he might run for president, that if he expects any kind of support from the Latino community in the United States that he needs to do much better. He needs to respect the Latino community. It's a beautiful language, and it's always beautiful to be bilingual. It's an asset, so I don't know why he would be so disrespectful to the Latino community by offending us.

SANCHEZ: Do you give him the benefit of the doubt and think maybe he just was trying to make a point, a valid point about bilingual education, vis-a-vis immersion, for example, and that just maybe accidentally went too far?

ROSALES: He went way too far, because, you know, Latinos here in the United States, we know that we have to learn English. You know, we are for English plus, LULAC is. So we know that the first language here is English to survive in the United States. So to put down a language like Spanish or any other language, that is totally -- let me just say, I don't know where he's coming from. We do take it as very offensive, his remarks, and he needs to retract those remarks.

SANCHEZ: Do you want him to apologize, Mrs. Rosales?

ROSALES: I definitely would like to see an apology because that was offensive to say that Spanish is the language of the ghetto.

SANCHEZ: And to be clear, the point he's making that we may need more immersion than bilingual education is actually a good point. I mean, look I'll talk to you personally. it's part of my history. I grew up at a time when there really wasn't a lot of bilingual education. I was thrown into the American educational system and did OK learning this language while keeping my Spanish language. But it was really -- I'm really a product of what he's talking about, so I get what he's saying. Do you?

ROSALES: Basically like, for example, we have learning centers. LULAC, 17 learns centers, and we actually teach about 50 Spanish- speaking students into the English language. So LULAC is there to help us learn English to the Spanish population.

On the other hand there is such a thing as having respect for another language, whether it's Spanish. Right now he's attacking Spanish, but what about those for those who speak German, those that speak Italian? It's just very offensive.

SANCHEZ: Does the word "ghetto" fit if he was referring to a Frenchman or an Italian or someone from Great Britain - obviously they speak English, but someone from another country that speaks any other language?

ROSALES: Well, he did say Spanish, and I think to the Latino community, it's just very offensive and he needs to apologize.

SANCHEZ: In his defense, he doesn't actually use the word "Spanish," but the inference was there that they were talking at the time about bilingual education, which refers mostly to Spanish- speaking people in the United States.

Let me read you an e-mail that says - we got this one just a little while ago from Joe. He says, "Yes, he went too far. He forgets American soldiers fought and died for all of us to speak whatever language we choose. And yes, a lot of these brave men were Hispanic Americans speaking Spanish on the battleground."

Do you agree with that?

ROSALES: I certainly do agree with that.

SANCHEZ: Well, you know we thank you for being with us. Rosa Rosales, president of the League of United Latin American Citizens, and say hello to all my friends in Miami for me.

ROSALES: Thank you so much.

SANCHEZ: All right. Well, we're going to bring you the very latest on this controversy. We've got more e-mails and we'll continue to share them for you as well.

And we'll bring you the latest on several other stories that we're following on this day. All that and more right here in the CNN NEWROOM. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SANCHEZ: Happening right now, the White House rejects a compromise on testimony in the firings of eight federal prosecutors. Today spokesman Dan Bartlett said no deal. Top officials testifying before Congress on the record, but not under oath.

Hillary Clinton has shattered a fundraising record. Her campaign announced today she's raised $26 million. That's in the first three months of the year. Mrs. Clinton also has $10 million left over from her Senate reelection run.

An already crowded field of White House hopefuls swells even more. Former Wisconsin governor Tommy Thompson made his bid official today. He says he's optimistic about his chances, calling himself a reliable conservative.

America's pet food scare is even bigger tonight with Del Monte voluntarily recalling its Jerky Treats, Gravy Train Beef Sticks and Pounce Meaty Morsels from store shelves. They are concerns that products contain an ingredient tainted with a toxic chemical. The recent spate of pet deaths and product recalls have many pet owners wondering what they should feeding their four-legged family members. Earlier we had a chance to a veterinarian, Michael Good.

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MICHAEL GOOD, VETERINARIAN: My take and my recommendation to my clients who love their pets is avoid any product, and now I'm including dry foods that has wheat gluten in it. Unless it says on there wheat gluten that's made in the USA, I'm telling my clients to avoid it. So just like I told you last week, reading labels is very, very important.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: The recent news that Elizabeth Edwards and Tony Snow's cancer had come back might make a lot of us wonder, what about everybody else? What are our chances? What is the possibility that something like that could happen to any of us?

Well every year more than a million Americans get a cancer diagnosis, so tonight we want to separate some of the fact from some of the fiction, and bring the news really into your living room, how it can affect you. Josh Levs has the look at the known causes.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ELIZABETH EDWARDS, WIFE OF JOHN EDWARDS: Probably later this week I'll meet with my doctor.

JOSHUA LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It seems to pop up when you least expect it and it very scary. The American Cancer Society predicts nearly 1.5 million new cases will be diagnosed this year, and says cancer is responsible for one in four deaths in the country. In a study, the society also found most Americans believe the risk of getting cancer is increasing, but in reality, the risk has dropped since the early 1990s, and fewer people die from it, less than half.

Also most cases are preventable. Lung cancer is the biggest killer, and many cases could be avoided by not smoking and avoiding secondhand smoke. Skin cancer is the most common form, so protect yourself from harmful rays. Another major contributor, obesity, because researchers say fat cells produce hormones that can help some cancers grow.

COLLEEN DOYLE, AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY: Watch your weight. That's the most important thing you can do to if you don't smoke to reduce your risk of cancer.

LEVS: Eat healthy, but what about fears that produce sprayed with pesticides can lead to cancer? There's no proof. In fact, the low concentrations have not been shown to increase cancer risk. Neither has been using antiperspirant, another fear.

How about cell phones? So far there's no proven connection, but researchers say instead of fixating on these things, talk to your doctor about what tests you should have given your age and family history.

In the meantime, researchers are looking for answers 36 years after President Nixon signed the National Cancer Act and declared war on cancer.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's time for a cure.

LEVS (on camera): You hear that a lot, talk about a cure for cancer, but doctors say there actually won't be one cure for cancer because there are so many different kinds of cancer, some of which already have cures that work for the majority of patients. The goal they say is to come up with more cures for more types of cancer. Joshua Levs, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANCHEZ: Joining us now is Dr. Bernadine Healy, the health editor for "U.S. News & World Report." She's also the former director of the National Institutes of Health as well, and she just wrote a book. In fact it's called "Living Time."

We thank you doctor so much for being with us.

BERNADINE HEALY, U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT: Good evening.

SANCHEZ: You survived brain cancer, so I can't help but ask you, especially as a doctor, how difficult was it receiving perhaps your own diagnosis?

HEALY: Well, you find out when you're a doctor you're as vulnerable as any patients you've ever had. We're all vulnerable when we're sitting there in a hospital confronting a major illness.

Indeed what I'm trying to convey through my own experience, both as a physician and as a patient, is that there is the universality to this, and we all have to become informed about it.

SANCHEZ: Let me ask you a question, when you got the diagnosis, did you immediately start blaming yourself? Did you start looking for things that perhaps you had done to bring this on?

HEALY: You know, I think that's a common experience. You're saying what did I do? What could I have done differently? Even though there's nothing you can do in retrospect, and of course, the tumor I had, and actually the tumor that many people have, whether it's breast cancer, prostate cancer, we do not have a certain way where they could have avoided it.

You know, having estrogen or testosterone, maybe that's a risk factor, but the fact is I think we have to recognize when someone has cancer, you deal with what we're facing with at that time, you don't look back, you look forward and you go for the best treatment and best approach, the best group of doctors.

SANCHEZ: Let me ask you about something because there's a lot of people out there that certainly have a lot of strong feelings about some things that could possible cause cancer.

We've heard -- let me give you one for example that we got from the American Cancer Society when we checked their Web site. Grilled meats and the possibility that they could increase your risk of cancer. The inference there from the American Cancer Society is that could be true. Do you believe that?

HEALY: Well you know, the very highly -- the charred is the concern, that charcoal that you take into your system, if you regularly eat a lot of charcoal broiled meat, there is a concern that you're taking in things that have been shown to be carcinogenic. So go easy on it, medium is fine.

SANCHEZ: Go easy on it. How about cell phones? Microwave ovens, for example?

HEALY: Well, they have looked and looked and looked, and found no evidence whatsoever there's a connection with cell phones or any of those microwaves or waves that are out there in the ether, but the studies continue. Again, be prudent, be sensible, but we have no evidence on those phones or on the microwaves.

SANCHEZ: Let me give you another one before we move into the mental aspect of this, the psychology of dealing with it. Plastic bottled water, there's been a lot written lately about whether you use these water bottles that all of us seem to walk around with these days, may actually be forming some sort of carcinogen.

HEALY: Well, I think the biggest concern is none of us really thought that things could leach out of that plastic into what we're consuming in our liquid. So I think that's something that makes you concerned and something you should think about, the extent to which that tiny amount would actually be carcinogenic is by no means proven, but this is the nature of science, keeping on top of it and understanding that about half of the cancer we face are related in part to an environmental interaction. The other half of your genes. Remember ultimately, cancer is a genetic disease.

SANCHEZ: Yes, unfortunately there's not a lot you can do. There is something you can do if you're diagnosed with cancer though, right? Let's talk about that, because this is what you delve into in your book, how you prepare yourself mentally to survive cancer.

HEALY: Well, I think there are two things. First, you need to get the facts. You really ought to understand what's happening in your body, you need to understand the nature of your illness. The fundamental principles of cancer and how it develops, and how it progresses, I think everybody should grasp both if they have the disease or if they're struggling with a family member who has it.

You also need to focus on what kind of team of doctors you want. Pull together the right team. There's great opportunity in this country to get great healthcare, and if you get your facts, you'll be able to get them. The other side, Rick, though, is never lose faith.

SANCHEZ: Good information, good advice. Dr. Bernadine Healy, we thank you for being with us tonight.

HEALY: Thank you.

SANCHEZ: As thousands gather in Vatican City for Palm Sunday, Pope Benedict asks Catholics to live pure lives.

Also, borrowed car meets concrete wall. The costly crash is ahead in the NEWSROOM.

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SANCHEZ: All right, let's bring you the very latest information on that potential tsunami that we've been telling you about. Bonnie Schneider has been watching it for us. This is the Solomon Islands, right?

(WEATHER REPORT)

SANCHEZ: At the Vatican today, Pope Benedict ushered in a holy mass celebrating Palm Sunday. Thousands of worshippers crowded into St. Peter's Square. Pope Benedict urged young people to live pure, innocent lives. Easter Sunday is one week from today. Also this week, Benedict will preside over ceremonies marking the second anniversary of the death of Pope John Paul II.

Stay with CNN for our special programming, "The Truth about Jesus," live from the holy land all this week. "AMERICAN MORNING" will be live from Jerusalem, retracing the final footsteps of Jesus. See the most sacred and mysterious sites of the holy land. "AMERICAN MORNING" weekdays from 6 Eastern.

Islamic faithful are celebrating the birth of the Prophet Mohammed today. These crowds packed the streets of Karachi, Pakistan. But the scene is similar in cities all throughout the Muslim world. Millions and millions of people commemorating this day, it's one of the most important dates on the Muslim calendar.

As you might imagine, Muslim celebrations are a lower-key affairs in some of the Western cities, where the Islamic faithful are more reluctant to openly show their devotion. This is a good time to bring in a project from CNN's Christiane Amanpour. It's called "The War Within," it's a close look at radical Islam in Great Britain, a nation that has banned at least one extremist organization. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When they come to your own houses, when your house is raided or your business is raided, you'll be just as irate as I am!

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Omar Brooks, a self-styled religious leader of an extremist group that is now banned.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm the one they call extremist rubbish!

HANIF QADIR, YOUTH WORKER: Now, he's went in there, and he's you know, he's shouting and he's hollering at everybody and everybody thinking, yes, this guy is against the system.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm outside. Where's your freedom of speech now?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Over there.

QADIR: They're considered to be heroes, you know, for the younger guys. Yes, get in there. He's telling them how it is.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANCHEZ: Here's Christine now on the long-running internal conflict between those Muslims who believe in moderation and those who patience has run out.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

AMANPOUR: The battle for Islam is, in the end, a battle of ideas, and tonight, on the campus of the prestigious Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland, there will be a debate between mainstream Muslims and the self-appointed apostles of Islamic Holy War.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to bill (ph) and welcome to this ex belief (ph) that Islamist violence can never be justified.

AMANPOUR: The small group of Islamic extremists who turn up at every rally and protest in Britain have come here to Ireland to debate moderate clerics who say their religion has been hijacked by the likes of Anjem Choudary and Omar Brooks.

OMAR BROOKS, MUSLIM RADICAL: ... Muslims. We dream of the blood of enemy. We can face them anywhere. That is Islam, that is jihad (Arabic). He said, I laugh when I kill and he said to his own people (Arabic), He said I come to slaughter all of you. So anyone who wants to stand and face the Muslims he will face the banner of jihad.

AMANPOUR: There aren't many people following the banner of Omar Brooks yet he and his colleagues here have loudly dominated the public debate about Islam. But tonight the moderates fight back.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: These people ladies and gentlemen, have a good look at them. They actually think if you kill children, if you kill women you go to heaven. You have no chance in hell. You are a lawyer, Mr. Choudary - can I speak. You are a lawyer and you would know you can't go to heaven unless you claim insanity. This is not an ideology. It's a mental illness.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANCHEZ: Christiane Amanpour in the "CNN SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS UNIT, explores this battle over Islamic ideals in "The War Within." What drives Muslims in Britain and elsewhere to turn to terrorism? Tune in for "The War Within" in just a couple of minutes. It's 8 p.m. Eastern right here on CNN.

A warehouse fire in Union City, Indiana, makes for some great pictures. Nobody was hurt, but you have to see this footage, a spectacular i-Report straight ahead from the NEWSROOM.

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SANCHEZ: All you i-Reporters are answering the call for news photos and videos and tonight some spectacular images of a warehouse fire in Indiana to show you. Wow, look at that. It's Diane Archer of Union City, she took this video for us.

She says she was going outside for fresh air, saw the smoke, grabbed her camera, ran over there. Her footage really just speaks for itself, doesn't it? We contacted the fire department who reported that there were, thank goodness, no injuries as a result of the fire, but said that it took almost 100 firefighters to finally put this thing out. Diane, thanks, and remember always to keep a safe distance when trying to shoot footage like this one.

Next on CNN, Britain's war within.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

QADIR: There's a minority in the schools that actually believe - I mean this is Muslims, among Muslims, and this is very shocking, that blowing people up is quite cool.

AMANPOUR: That blowing people up is cool?

QADIR: Is quite cool, yes. (END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: A look at young Muslims torn between innocence and extremist, that's a report by the CNN "SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS UNIT." We're going to have the hour's headlines when we come back, and of course "The War Within."

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