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Search Into Fifth Day for U.S. Soldiers in Iraq; Lieutenant General Douglas Lute Tapped to Oversee Wars in Iraq, Afghanistan; New Jersey Wildfire; Paul Wolfowitz May Resign; Cannes Film Festival; Prince Harry Not to Go to Iraq.

Aired May 16, 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, everyone. I'm Don Lemon, live at the CNN world headquarters in Atlanta.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Kyra Phillips.

Every asset means every asset. While thousands of soldiers keep up the search for three missing comrades in Iraq, the Pentagon offers a big incentive for Iraqis in the know to step up.

LEMON: On the home front, anguished families are grieving or waiting. Either one is torture. We met a family in Virginia today, and you will, too, minutes from now, right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.

U.S. troops in Iraq, thousands of them, determined not to leave a comrade behind. The search is intense, into the fifth day, and today we know the names of those they're looking for.

These four American service members, all men, all Army, the whereabouts of three are unknown. There are identification issues with the body of the fourth. They were in a small unit ambushed last weekend, south of Baghdad. And we have much to tell you about the search.

Let's go to CNN's Arwa Damon, embedded with U.S. forces who are combing the area near Yusufiyah, Iraq. And she joins us now by phone.

What can you tell us, Arwa?

ARWA DAMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Don, hello.

Well, I am with the soldiers of the 2nd Brigade 10th Mountain Division, and they have been searching relentlessly. There are some 4,000 U.S. troops in this entire area otherwise known as the Triangle of Death. And this is -- the search now in its fifth day, and the soldiers are exhausted.

You see it in their faces, you can hear it in their voices. But they are absolutely and utterly determined to find their missing men.

They are combing through the same areas over and over again, searching the same homes, questioning the same individuals, trying to gather any types of clues that they can to lead them to their missing men. Now, they have received a number of tips. They have detained at least 100 individuals for further questioning. Among those individuals, in fact, two that have claimed to have been responsible or at least taken part in that attack. So some signs of progress there.

They did also in one location also find some equipment that either belongs to the missing soldiers or perhaps was stolen from the scene of the attack. And these little -- as one commander put it, these nuggets of gold that they are finding is helping to drive the soldiers, drive that sense of hope, that optimism that they will find their missing men.

Many of them, of course, hoping to find them alive. But this is really rough terrain out here. It's sprawling fields and farmlands intertwined, interlaced with canals. They have to jump across the canals, sometimes try to wade through them. All of this, of course, to avoid the roads that were inlaid with roadside bombs.

This is, of course, as we were just mentioning an area that is otherwise known as the Triangle of Death, and incredibly dangerous. But everyone here just reiterating their determination over and over again, and the promises that they are making to the families back home, and that is that they will find their loved ones -- Don.

LEMON: CNN's Arwa Damon near Yusufiyah.

Thank you, Arwa.

PHILLIPS: Three soldiers and their Iraqi interpreter were confirmed dead in that ambush last Saturday. One of those soldiers, Private Christopher Murphy, he was 21 years old.

CNN's Brianna Keilar is in Lynchburg, Virginia, near Private Murphy's hometown today.

Brianna, when did his parents find out?

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: His parents found out on Saturday, not long after it happened. And his mother, Rosemary, told me that she heard about the ambush on CNN and that her heart went out to the family of whoever -- whoever had been lost. And she never thought that it would be her son.

But I sat down with Rosemary and Darrell (ph), the parents of PFC. Chris Murphy here at this church, their church in Lynchburg, Virginia. This is about 20 or so miles from Gladys, Virginia, a very small town which is their hometown.

And they described Chris as very quiet and very generous. They say as a small child, if he had a snack or some candy, he would give it away to his brothers and his sister. And then when he was in Iraq, if he would get care packages from them, he would give parts of his care package to his fellow soldiers if maybe they didn't have a friend or a family member who was sending them things. They say that from an early age, from about the time he was in eighth grade, it was very clear that Chris was interested in going to the military. But at this point, they say, the fact that he is gone and not coming back is still very much sinking in.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROSEMARY BAILAN, PFC. MURPHY'S MOTHER: It's difficult for us at this point to cope. We're still kind of in a shock, a numbness that Christopher isn't, you know, going to answer any more e-mails. And he's not, you know, coming home any more in the sense to be talking with us and interacting with us.

And all of us have very keenly felt the pain and the loss. When we were all together, it was kind of an unspoken, but we all looked around at each other and realized there was a -- there was a hole missing. You know, that things weren't complete and that they're not going to ever be complete again.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: During high school, Chris' parents told us that he really struggled with his weight. And as he was making plans to go into the military, he knew that he needed to do something about that.

So he joined the football team so that he could exercise and a have a healthier lifestyle. And actually, in 2002, he was part of the state championship team at his high school, William Campbell.

He graduated in 2004, not that long ago, so there are still some students there who remember him. And today there at that high school they were hanging up a banner in remembrance of him.

Now, after high school, his parents say he was still struggling to meet the weight requirements for the military. So, out of sheer perseverance, with the help of some protein shakes and a lot of working out, he managed to get his weight down so that he could join the military. He was very determined, they say.

Now, Chris was actually back here about a month ago on leave. And he told his parents that despite some close calls, despite the fact that he didn't necessarily agree with the reasons for going to war, he was planning to re-enlist -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Brianna Keilar, tough story to tell. Appreciate it.

LEMON: President Bush up until now has had no single adviser to work with the administration only on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Now that's about to change. He's created a job and suggested a man to take it.

Let's go straight to the White House now and correspondent Elaine Quijano.

Hi, Elaine.

ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hello to you, Don.

And that person is Lieutenant General Douglas Lute. President Bush describes this position as a full-time manager responsible for helping to implement and execute strategies in both Iraq and Afghanistan.

The question, how will Lieutenant General Lute's responsibilities differ from the jobs being performed already by various officials, including the secretaries of state and defense? Well, White House Press Secretary Tony Snow just a short time ago in the briefing described the job as a kind of facilitator. He said President Bush created this job to help cut through bureaucratic tape.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TONY SNOW, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: What he's doing is he's creating an action officer who can actually deal with the people involved on the ground to make sure that we're -- that you've got the proper kind of information flow, you're getting the inputs you need to make the proper judgments about what's working and what's not. If something is not working, you adjust. And if people need additional assistance in order to get their mission done properly, you try to provide it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

QUIJANO: Now, interesting to note that General Lute initially opposed the idea of sending more U.S. forces into Iraq. Of course, that is a course of action the president ultimately decided to go with.

The White House now says that General Lute is, in fact, behind the president's plan. Lieutenant General Lute will hold the title of Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Adviser. So Don, the White House says that he will, in fact, report to the President Bush directly -- Don.

LEMON: Elaine Quijano.

Thank you.

PHILLIPS: Well, the bill before the Senate this morning called for all war funding to stop next March. That bill died big time. It needed 60 votes to advance. It got 29.

It was mostly a symbolic thing, but underscores just how divided senators are about funding that war and when to pull out. And those divisions are not always along party lines.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. CHARLES SCHUMER (D), NEW YORK: Three months ago, the president and most Republicans were saying the only funding resolution they would accept would have nothing on it. Today, on the Warner amendment, not strong enough for many of us, they said they're willing to look at benchmarks. (END VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (R), MINORITY LEADER: I've said in the past and I'll say again, the Iraqi government is a big disappointment. They have not yet done anything that we've asked them to do on important domestic issues in Iraq, things like getting an oil law passed, things like completing the debaathification process, things like having local elections. They haven't done any of those things.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: The Senate is in high gear today, voting on three Iraq measures. The others are related to troop pullout dates and billions of dollars in aid to Iraq.

LEMON: Amid a bruising internal Palestinian struggle in Gaza, new militant rocket attacks on Israel have drawn Israeli air strikes. The Israeli military says it targeted Hamas members in two air strikes today.

According to Palestinian medical sources, at least four people were killed. Hamas has claimed responsibility for many of the week's rocket attacks into Israel which have wounded at least 17 people.

In the meantime, heavy gun and artillery fire between Fatah and Hamas actions have groups of journalists pinned down in an office in Gaza City. The battle was believed to be for control of the building, which is one of the tallest in the territory.

A little while ago, CNN's Hala Gorani spoke to one of the journalists and got a pretty good idea of how bad the situation is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

YAHYA HASSUNA, JOURNALIST: Hello?

HALA GORANI, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Yes, Yahya. Go on. Tell us what you can see right now and what you can hear. We understand it's nighttime.

HASSUNA: We cannot look -- we cannot use the windows. We cannot look at the street because it's very dangerous now.

GORANI: All right. And your understanding is that these are street fights right now happening between militants from both factions, Hamas and Fatah? Is that your understanding?

HASSUNA: We are -- I cannot hear you good, because it is very noisy, and so -- hello?

GORANI: Give us a sense of the mood in the building where you are. Are people frightened? What's go on right now? What are you saying to each other as this is going on right outside of your windows? HASSUNA: If anyone looks out the windows we'll die now.

GORANI: Yes. What is the ...

HASSUNA: We cannot look. We are 22 journalists here. The media group and (INAUDIBLE) from Turkey.

GORANI: And is there concern that this is really starting to...

HASSUNA: I cannot hear you.

GORANI: We're having obvious issue there.

Yahya Hassuna, a journalist there, hunkered down with 22 of his colleagues in one of the media buildings in Gaza City with a first- hand dramatic account as gun battles really rage all around that building where he is forced to take shelter.

Yahya Hassuna, one last question. Is there real pessimism right now that this is a turn for the worst, that civil war is looming in Gaza right now?

HASSUNA: What I can tell you now in Gaza, that the company is destroyed -- everything is destroyed in the company, and in the street. Many injured. Many victims at the street now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: That conversation took place less than 15 minutes before a cease-fire was due to go into effect. Now, mind you, it's the fourth attempt at a Hamas-Fatah truce in four days. And more than 40 Palestinians have died since clashes broke out on Sunday.

PHILLIPS: Any minute now it's supposed to start raining in southern New Jersey. That's where a massive fire is burning. The New Jersey National Guard believes a flare dropped from an F-16 during a training exercise started all of this.

Greg McLaughlin with the New Jersey Forest Fire Service on the phone right now.

And Fire Warden, can you tell me if that's true? Do you believe this started by a flare from an F-16?

GREG MCLAUGHLIN, NEW JERSEY FOREST FIRE SERVICE: That's still until investigation, Kyra, but allegedly that is correct. And right now we have about 200 firefighters on the ground, weary and tired, but we are at 30 percent containment, and we're hoping on some rain.

We're concerned that the storm front is going to bring some turbulent air. And it has moved some smoke and debris in an easterly direction that has forced us to close some major roads, like the Garden State Parkway.

PHILLIPS: And what about evacuations? Have a number of homes had to be evacuated? MCLAUGHLIN: We did evacuate a significant number of people. I don't have the exact number, but we needed to get into the areas and do our back-burning procedures to protect some homes. And in order to do that, we had to evacuate some people.

PHILLIPS: How many assets do you have fighting this fire? Do you have enough from the air and on the ground?

MCLAUGHLIN: We do. We got some additional support from the Army Guard. We got two Black Hawk helicopters. We have our six helicopters, three planes. Two hundred new firefighters came on the morning shift, and 30 trucks, as well as dozers and plows.

PHILLIPS: I have to ask you, too, Fire Warden, if indeed it's an F-16 flare that started this fire, will the Air Force be responsible to pay for the assets fighting this fire?

MCLAUGHLIN: That's most likely the case, yes.

PHILLIPS: All right. That could be tough for the Air Force.

MCLAUGHLIN: That's right.

PHILLIPS: No doubt. I think they might change where they do their training.

But in all seriousness, though, with regard to -- you've talked about the homes and structures. No one has been hurt in this fire, correct? You haven't -- you haven't been worried about the loss of human life?

MCLAUGHLIN: That is correct. I mean, we worry about it all the time, and we did have a close encounter yesterday.

I was in a section of a small development where there were some elderly people on oxygen, and some people that we had to physically carry out of their homes and get them into cars so we could get them out of the community. In that community, three houses did -- were totally destroyed, and there were about 50 others that were damaged.

So, we did have some close calls late in the day yesterday. And that's the kind of thing we're trying to protect against and avoid now here today while we wait for that rain to come in.

PHILLIPS: All right. Greg McLaughlin, assistant division fire warden for the New Jersey Forest Fire Service.

Appreciate it, Greg.

MCLAUGHLIN: Thank you, Kyra.

LEMON: A world of controversy for World Bank chief Paul Wolfowitz. Is it all about to come crashing down? A shifting political landscape is straight ahead right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.

PHILLIPS: And what could be worse than suffering from a debilitating mental or emotional condition? How about suffering in silence just because of who you are?

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: And it's 2:17 right now Eastern Time. Here's three of the stories we're working on for you right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.

The World Bank board meets this hour to consider the fate of bank president Paul Wolfowitz. He's been accused of breaking bank rules by arranging a promotion and pay raise for his girlfriend.

Congress holds a hearing this afternoon on the rising cost of gasoline. AAA says the average cost of unleaded has hit $3.10 per gallon, a record.

And the oldest daughter of the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. has died. Yolanda King collapsed and died yesterday in Santa Monica, California. She spent her life as an actress, author and motivational speaker. No word on the cause of death.

Yolanda King was 51 years old.

LEMON: Mental illness, it's an unspeakable in many Asian cultures. On Asian and Pacific Heritage Day, our "Uncovering America" series looks at one woman's effort to end the silence.

And CNN's medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen joins us live now to talk about that -- Elizabeth.

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: You know, there's a stigma about mental illness in many parts of American culture, but it's particularly true in the Asian-American culture. There is a shame associated with just even admitting that you have a mental illness, and there's embarrassment about asking for help, and not just for the person who's doing the asking.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. DUNG NGO, PSYCHOLOGIST: It's very embarrassing for the whole family. Whatever you do, it represents the family's name.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COHEN: Tonight I'll introduce you to a woman named Shawn Nguyen (ph). Shawn (ph) came here to the United States from Vietnam when she was 19 years old, and she has been to hell and back.

She led 19 or 20 people out of her country here just as a young woman on the perilous journey to the United States. She settled in New Orleans, became successful, and then she says she had to flee her home because of abuse.

Then she was diagnosed with cancer, then she had a heart attack. But still, she expected herself and others expected her to remain stoic throughout all of that. But now she says she wants to be silent no more. She wants to talk to people about asking for help.

LEMON: So the depression and mental illness, but then that leads to shame, which is really sort of a big deal in Asian culture. Shame is like, in some cultures, the worst thing that can happen to you.

COHEN: That's right. I mean, a lot of this is wrapped up in shame that has to do with the family, as Dr. Ngo mentioned.

LEMON: Yes.

COHEN: That is one of the major reasons why there is a lack of use of mental health services in the Asian-American community.

Another factor is what sometimes people call the model minority. There's pressure from within the Asian family and from within U.S. culture as well for Asian-Americans to be perfect. And theoretically, when you're perfect you're not asking for help.

Now, I wrote more about this issue, about Asian-Americans' depression and suicide, and this model minority issue on CNN.com/health. If you go there right now, you'll see a story about a woman whose sister killed herself, and now this woman, Eliza Ngo (ph), who you see right now, she has devoted her professional life to finding out the answers, why aren't Asian-Americans asking for help?

LEMON: This is really interesting stuff.

Again, where can we see it? You're doing it tonight?

COHEN: CNN.com/health, and then tonight we'll be doing a story on this on "PAULA ZAHN NOW".

LEMON: "PAULA ZAHN NOW". I can't wait to see that.

Thank you so much.

And we want to tell our viewers also, Elizabeth, you can get more information as we uncover America. You can view a photo gallery of notables, watch an audio slideshow, and see the population breakdown state by state with an interactive map, as Elizabeth has been telling us.

Go to CNN.com/asianheritage.

Thanks, again, Elizabeth.

PHILLIPS: Help from local leader in chasing down al Qaeda insurgents, that's ahead right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Well, fast-food chains have been moving to eliminate those artery-clogging trans fats from their menus, but one hasn't yet, and now it's getting sued.

(BUSINESS REPORT) (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: I'm Kyra Phillips live at the CNN world headquarters in Atlanta.

LEMON: And I'm Don Lemon. In search of a miracle, families pray, the Pentagon offers to pay for leads that pay off. You're in the NEWSROOM.

PHILLIPS: Here's what we know this hour about the search for those three U.S. soldiers missing Saturday's deadly attack outside Baghdad. The U.S. military is offering a $200,000 reward for any information that would lead to the soldiers or to anyone involved in their kidnapping. Military aircraft have dropped 150,000 leaflets announcing the reward and a tip line. The military has investigated more than 140 tips so far and questioned more than 600 people.

The war in Iraq. Yesterday's killing field is today's field of hope, if not dreams. Sadly the reverse is true, too. While the formerly stable Diyala Province unravels northeast of Baghdad, Anbar Province to the west provides a model of how to squash al Qaeda. CNN's Senior International Correspondent Nic Robertson saw for himself.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Hugs and handshakes, as al Anbar Province's top politician arrives in al Quaim (ph), a remote town on the Syrian border. U.S. marines have brought him here to rally local leaders, take advantage of a drop in violence.

GOV. MAAMOON SAMI RASHEED AL-AWANI, AL ANBAR, IRAQ: My message is to continue to control the security situation in their cities.

ROBERTSON: What's happening here could be a model for defeating the insurgency in other provinces of Iraq.

JAMES SOIRIANO, PROVINCIAL RECONSTRUCTION TEAM LEADER: A meeting such as this could probably not have taken place as recently as two months ago. The insurgency in al Anbar province is on the verge of collapse.

ROBERTSON: Al Qaeda on the verge of collapse in al Anbar? A big change from just last year when al Qaeda fueled violence made this province one of the most dangerous in Iraq, so bad Governor Al Awani was actually forced to flee. Al Qaeda fighters tried to assert control, but tribal Shaikhs, fed up with intimidation and murder, turned on al Qaeda, creating surprising security across most of this province.

LT. COL. JASON BOHM, U.S. MARINE CORPS: The tribal Shaikhs have been absolutely critical. That was the turning point in al Quaim region.

ROBERTSON (on camera): Attacks against marines are going down from about 120 a week, last year, to about 20 a week now. The marines say it's getting much easier to spot the roadside bombs, because the insurgents are rushing, they are not so experienced, they don't have a lot of time to lay them.

ROBERTSON (voice over): By opening schools and health clinics on the visit, Governor Al Awani, tries to show remote towns like al Quaim that central government in Baghdad cares and is spending real money on them. Al Awani's help is critical to U.S. efforts to stabilize al Anbar Province, boost the economy to defeat the insurgents.

BOHM: The more economic growth we have in the area, the greater stability and the greater security that we experience, because that is taking the people, which is the source of power of the insurgency, away.

ROBERTSON: It won't be easy, by far the governor's hardest sell, the newly empowered Shaikhs, who want compensation for war damage, but everyone is talking. That's better than it was a year ago.

Nic Robertson, CNN, al Quaim, Iraq.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: Well, he would have been the most famous soldier in Iraq, but it turns out that Britain's Prince Harry is staying home. Britain's top general says Harry will not be deployed because of a number of specific threats against the third in line to the throne.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEN. RICHARD DANNAT, BRITISH ARMY CHIEF OF STAFF: Let me also make it quite clear, that as a professional soldier, Prince Harry himself will be extremely disappointed by this decision. He has proved himself both at Sandhurst and in command of his troop during their training, and I commend him for his determination and his undoubted talent.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Harry's dad, Price Charles, says "Prince Harry is very disappointed that he will not be able to go to Iraq with his troop on this deployment, as he hoped. He fully understands and accepts General Dannat's difficult decision and remains committed to his Army career."

Harry, 22-years-old, is a tank commander, he trained to lead a 12-man team.

PHILLIPS: Forget about road rage. An all-out riot boiled down last night in Argentina after commuters just lost it after years of complaining about train delays in downtown Buenos Aires. And it didn't stop there, commuters set fire to a ticket sales area, looted shops and ripped pay phones off the walls. Police fired rubber bullets and tear gas, rioters lobbed rocks right back, injuring about a dozen officers. And this is one of the largest train stations in South America, it's used every today by an estimated 300,000 commuters. LEMON: The search Madeline McCann now in it's 13th day and for the first time since being identified by police as a formal suspect, Robert Murat is speaking out. McCann and her parents were on vacation in Portugal when the child disappeared from their villa on a resort. Forensic experts have been poring over Murat's nearby home since Monday, and police also detained the British native for questioning, but say they need more evidence to make an arrest. Well, today Murat told Sky News (ph) "This has ruined my life and made my life very difficult for my family here and in Britain. The only way I will survive this is if they catch Madeline's abductor. I've been made a scapegoat for something I did not do."

PHILLIPS: Round two, the GOP presidential contenders duke it out, and this fight had more punches thrown than round one. Highlights right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: In a crowded field, Republican front runners are certainly hoping to be stand outs. While those back in the pack are trying to trip them up. CNN's John King has highlights from last night's debate.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN KING, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): It was far more feisty and pointed than the first go-around. The tone set by lesser- known candidates looking to chip away at the front runners.

REP. TOM TANCREDO, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I trust those conversions when they happen, on the road to Damascus and not on the road to Des Moines.

KING: Rudy Giuliani was a frequent target. Former Arkansas Governor, Mike Huckabee, mocked the former mayor's statement that he morally opposes abortion, yet supports a woman's right to terminate a pregnancy.

MIKE HUBCKABEE, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: If something is morally wrong, let's oppose it.

RUDY GIULIANI, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I that think we can -- respond to all that and discuss all that.

KING: But he didn't. Instead Guliani suggested that Republicans should worry less about in-fighting and more about who is the strongest opponents for, say, Senator Hillary Clinton.

GUULIANI: There's something I think really big at stake here.

KING: Another flash point, came when former Massachusetts Governor, Mitt Romney, criticized John McCain's work with Senate liberals.

MITT ROMNEY, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: My fear is that McCain- Kennedy would do to immigration what McCain-Feingold has done to campaign finance and money in politics, and that's bad.

KING: McCain was quick to return fire, suggesting Romney waffled on issues like abortion depending on whether he was courting a liberal electorate in Massachusetts or the conservatives who settle GOP presidential fights.

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I have kept a consistent position on right to life, and I haven't changed my position on even numbered years or have changed because of the different offices that I may be running for.

KING: There was little new on Iraq.

MCCAIN: We cannot fail and I will be the last man standing, if necessary.

KING: What was new, was more humor.

HUCKABEE: We've had a Congress that spent money like John Edwards at a beauty shop.

KING: And anger.

RON PAUL, PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Listen to the people who attacked us and the reason they did it.

KING: Near the end, Libertarian Ron Paul suggested 9/11 would not have happened if the United States had not fought the first Persian Gulf War. An indignant Giuliani interrupted.

GIULIANI: That's an extraordinary statement as someone who lived through the attack of September the 11th. I don't think I've ever heard that before and I've heard some pretty absurd explanations for September 11.

KING: That moment, part of a deliberate Giuliani effort to appear much more sure-footed after a first debate performance that was reviewed as stumbling, especially on the abortion question. Overall, after that first debate, we heard terms like cautious and subdued. After round two, much more energy and excitement.

John King, CNN, Columbia, South Carolina.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: And the former Prime Minister of the UK, Tony Blair, arriving here in the United States, getting ready for a big sleep over at the White House for what may well be his last visit to Washington to see his Iraq war ally -- actually I misspoke, he will be the Prime Minister until the 27th. I am sorry.

As you know, we've been talking about his replacement. But he'll be meeting to talk with the president about the war on terror, efforts to end the conflict in Sudan's Darfur region, Middle East peace efforts and also the group of eight summit in Germany that's coming up in early June. Two leaders, Bush and Blair facing strong domestic criticism for their stance on the war. They are going to have a dinner, more talks and a night over. Tony Blair, now live in the limo headed to the White House to meet with the president.

The body of the Reverend Jerry Falwell will lie in repose at the church and college that he founded. Falwell, whose moral majority helped make conservative Christians a potent political force, died yesterday at the age of 73. Among his mourners, former PTL Club televanglist Tammy Fay Messner who's fighting cancer. Though she's had her differences with Falwell, Messner tells CNN's Larry King the news came as a shock.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TAMMY FAYE MESSNER, FORMER PTL CLUB TELEVANGLIST: I was sitting in the restaurant eating -- trying to eat, I should say. I weigh 66 pounds, so I'm not eating much. And went to eat, and my son heard it somehow, Jamie is here, and talked about it. And when he said Jerry is in the in the hospital, I mean, immediately my heart, I just couldn't believe it. He said they think he might be dead. Then he went on to say, he is dead, and when he said Jerry had died, I just broke into tears.

LARRY KING, HOST LARRY KING LIVE: Tammy Faye, the surprising thing about that is, you had some harsh things to say about Jerry Falwell. You were angry with him when he took over the PTL Club, you've had said some things not very nice about him. Why did his death hit you so hard?

MESSNER: I think I wished we could have cleared every thing up, I wanted to talk to him and settle him -- settle things with him. I tried to do it many times and tried to do it nicely, and I wanted to so badly to just give him a hug and say, hey, you know, it's all right, it's okay, we're all human, we all make mistakes, but just start over again and go forward from here. Yesterday is yesterday, today is today.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Well, you may remember the scandal that forced Tammy Faye Messner and her then husband Jim Baker to turn their television ministry over to Falwell in 1987. Messenger later accused Falwell of breaking a promise to reinstate the Baker's after six weeks.

LEMON: Another day on the frontlines. Firefighters in Florida still trying to contain a huge wildfire. The latest straight ahead, right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.

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PHILLIPS: World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz hanging on to his job by his fingernails as the bank's board meets for another day of discussions on his fate. It comes amid a shift in stance by the White House and an aggressive stand by Germany. CNN's State Department Correspondent Zain Verjee is live from Washington, also our Ed Henry, our correspondent there at the White House. Zain, let's start with you, the bank board is meeting as we speak, right? ZAIN VERJEE, CNN STATE DEPARTMENT CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Kyra, what we're learning is this, it's just coming into CNN, we're learning from several U.S. officials that the U.S. and the World Bank board, along with Paul Wolfowitz are in final negotiations for him to leave the World Bank.

Now, under the proposed deal, Wolfowitz would resign over the scandal of his arranging the promotion and pay of his girlfriend, Shaha Riza, but the World Bank board would also acknowledge responsibility for its role in how the matter was handled.

Now, a source close to Paul Wolfowitz says look, this is way too premature and not accurate at this point. His lawyer Robert Bennett has said in the past and is reiterating too that Paul Wolfowitz will not resign under any clouds. The board, as you say Kyra, has been meeting -- it's been meeting over the past two days, reviewing a report that essentially found that Paul Wolfowitz broke World Bank rules.

Late on Tuesday, Wolfowitz made a final appeal to hold on to his job. He said essentially that he acted in good faith and upon the bank's instruction, but the pressure is definitely increasing for him to resign, Kyra.

Today, just a sharp slap from the German government, the development minister saying that Wolfowitz is not even welcome in Germany next week, to attend a meeting on giving aid to Africa. She said essentially that that would just be a distraction. Also today, Paul Wolfowitz was supposed to travel to Slovenia, and World Bank officials are telling CNN that that trip appears to be on hold -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: So, Ed, why is the White House changing its stance?

HENRY: Well, two sources familiar with these deliberations tell us that the White House has just basically concluded after all these conversations that Zain has been talking about with World Bank officials, finance ministers around the world, that Wolfowitz just can't serve anymore, that he just doesn't have the clout he would need to continue, that this has so wounded him.

Our sources are telling us the White House has finally concluded he can't make it, one source saying, "I don't see how he recovers from this."

What's interesting is that they're saying it's really just a reflection of what they're hearing from overseas, that while there were some people here at the White House interestingly, people like Vice President Cheney, a long ally of Paul Wolfowitz, had been hoping he could somehow make it through this, had been trying to stand by him. The White House has come to the conclusion privately that he cannot survive this.

One official familiar with all this, telling me that the sense here within the administration is that Paul Wolfowitz will be resigning if not today, soon, Kyra? PHILLIPS: And Zain, do you think Wolfowitz will come forward with a formal apology? I mean, he's sort of already did that, right?

VERJEE: Yes, he did, he said before a few weeks ago that he apologizes for any mistakes he made. When he went before the full World Bank board on Tuesday evening, he also said, look, I have made mistakes, but he also said everybody else involved in this process should also accept responsibility that mistakes were made as well.

So, he has come forward, but the issue is, and this is what his lawyer, Robert Bennett seems to be implying when he says not under a cloud, that Paul Wolfowitz shouldn't walk away, being the only one culpable here, and the responsibility really should go all around. And that's really part of the deal that appears to be in the works right now between the United States and the World Bank board on Paul Wolfowitz's fate.

PHILLIPS: All right, we'll keep following it. Zain Verjee, Ed Henry, thanks, you guys.

LEMON: A New Jersey forest up in flames, thousands pick up and run from their homes. You won't believe who started the fire, straight ahead in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

VERONICA DE LA CRUZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: According to a 2004 report from the U.S. Census Bureau, about five percent of the U.S. population is of Asian descent. All this month we're celebrating Asian and Pacific Heritage Month and CNN.com has this SPECIAL REPORT.

First, check out this interactive map, highlighting where most Asian-Americans live and read about the Asian population in America through the decades and its history, dating back to the 17th century.

And through our i-Report initiative, we invite you to send us your stories. Pauline Chow (ph), Chicago, sent us this picture of her and other advocates for immigration reform in Washington, D.C. And next, Sin Sun (ph) from California, shares this shot of himself at the Great Wall of China, having lived in the U.S. since age seven, he says that it is a great place to reach for the stars and that he is proud to be an American.

And we would like to hear from you. You can send us your pictures and video along with your story, or check out our SPECIAL REPORT at CNN.com/asianamerican.

For the dot-com desk, I'm Veronica De La Cruz.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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LEMON: I have to be dignified today because Hollywood is heading to the south of France, France today, and Sibila Vargas has all the drama for us with a big -- what's happening this year, should I say Cannes or Cannes?

SIBILA VARGAS, ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: It's cannes ...

LEMON: Kan or can?

VARGAS: Can, can, that's what I was told, the Cannes Film Festival.

LEMON: Can, can.

VARGAS: Can, can. Can you say ocean le front (ph) 13, how do you say ...

LEMON: Ocean le front, 13?

VARGAS: I don't know -- I don't know how to say ocean in French, or 13, but I know that's going to be big. And it is the 60th anniversary of the Cannes Film Festival and what a celebration it is going to be. Tres fantistique! Set to receive a big vien venue (ph) from the south of France, is the super cast of "Ocean's 13," George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, and Don Cheadle, all expected to attend the premiere of that film later in the festival.

Brad's partner, Angelina Jolie, won't be far behind. She'll also be there, pushing her new film, "A Mighty Heart," about the murder of Journalist Daniel Pearl.

And, as usual, there'll be plenty of message-driven projects at this year's festival. Leonardo DiCaprio is showcasing his pro- environment documentary, "The 11th Hour." And Oscar-winner Michael Moore is unveiling his new tell-all doc, "Sicko" about the American healthcare system. So, lots of fireworks expected there.

LEMON: You're so international.

VARGAS: Yes, you like my French?

LEMON: Je magnifique, yes.

VARGAS: Je manifique, parle vous francais, petitie tu (ph)?

LEMON: Oui, oui.

VARGAS: All right.

LEMON: So, all right, those films that you talked about, sure to make headlines at the Cannes Film Festival, but what's this we hear about ZZ Top canceling a major tour?

VARGAS: Yes, this is huge news in the music world. The famed rockers have canceled their entire European tour so that Dusty Hill can get treatment for an ear problem. The group's bassist and singer has a benign growth in his inner ear that is affecting his hearing. The (INAUDIBLE) doctors do not plan to operate, but instead will use medication to stabilize his condition. The group which started in Houston back in 1969 had bad luck with European tours in the past. They had to postpone one in 2000 when Hill was diagnosed with Hepatitis C, and then two years later, the group's drummer had an emergency appendectomy in Paris.

LEMON: OK, so we know -- let's move on and talk about a big, big TV star. We know she's a big star, but she became an even bigger star last night. We're talking about our very own Christiane Amanpour. What happened?

VARGAS: Well, you know, I'm not sure if she's leaving her post here at CNN to run for Hollywood, but got to tell you, she did make a fun guest star on last night's series finale of "Gilmore Girls." Let's take a look.

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LAUREN GRAHAM, ACTRESS, "LORELAI GILMORE," "GILMORE GIRLS": Rory, meet Christiane Amanpour.

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi Rory, how are you?

ALEXIS BLEDEL, ACTRESS, "RORY GILMORE," GILMORE GIRLS": Hi, I want to pursue a career in journalism.

AMANPOUR: That's good, is it print you want, television, CNN maybe?

BLEDEL: Oh, I would love to work for a major daily.

AMANPOUR: Do you know which one?

BLEDEL: Any one of them really.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VARGAS: Our very own Chief International Correspondent played herself on the hit show last night, handing her business card to Rory, who recently graduated with a journalism degree from Yale. And while the end has arrived for the popular CW program with seven seasons worth of shows, no doubt it will be in syndication in no time. And that was a very good, from Christiane Amanpour, great performance.

Tonight on "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT," we are going to shift gears, because Paris Hilton is counting down the days ...

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