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TB Patient Speaks Out; Hurricane Season Expected to be Active; White House Counselor Dan Bartlett's Resignation Effective July 4
Aired June 01, 2007 - 09:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Hoping for forgiveness, but defending his decisions. An Atlanta lawyer infected with a dangerous form of tuberculosis says he never meant to put anyone at risk. But Andrew Speaker tells ABC's "Good Morning America" his life was on the line during his globe-trekking odyssey.
Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta joins us now from Washington with more.
And we heard today from Mr. Speaker for the first time, and he says it was all a misunderstanding, Sanjay. Take a listen.
Actually, we're going to put that up. There it is.
"I truly believe there is a misunderstanding of how we entered into all of this. It was conveyed to me and my family, my wife, my daughter that no one was at risk and that I was not contagious."
Is that true? I mean, how contagious was he?
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, you're hearing a lot of different things from a lot of different doctors, and hospitals as well. There are a couple of objective ways to tell if someone's contagious.
One is, are they sick? Are they coughing, are they sneezing, are they actually pushing this bacteria from their lungs into the air? That's an obvious one.
Another one is something called a sputum test, or a smear test they call it, as well, where you actually cough or something into -- you induce a cough and cough on to a little dish. And they check to see, is the bacteria present at all?
And it sounds like from both those measures, at least, he was OK. He wasn't contagious. But he did have this very potentially dangerous form of tuberculosis, the extensively drug-resistant. So, it's a really bad thing, but it didn't sound like he was actually pushing the bacteria into the air.
It's confusing, Betty. We're hearing a lot of different things from different doctors and hospitals. You know, we interviewed one of the passengers on a plane yesterday who said when he went to the doctor to get tested, the doctor said, whoa, immediately put a mask on him, and put him in quarantine. As it turns out, that wasn't the right decision. So, it's confusing I think on lots of different levels.
NGUYEN: Well, here's another thing that he says. He says, "Before I left, I knew that, it was made clear to me that in order to fight this I had one shot, and that was going to be in Denver. And I had one shot at this and if I didn't get the right treatment of doctors, you know, they have tests in Denver, the CDC sends testing out there, so they can pick the right drugs to mix. And if I was somewhere where they got that wrong, that was it. They blew my last shot."
So, I mean, is that true? I mean, is Denver really the only place, at least one of the only places that could treat him?
GUPTA: Well, you know, no one has a large experience with taking care of extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis. Why? Because there's only been about 50 cases in the last 13 or 14 years. So, no one can say, look, we're the place for this.
Denver's always been a place that's taken care of a lot of respiratory disease. Before we knew how to take care of disease, they just said simply go to high altitudes and get lots of sunshine. And that's why Denver became a place, a popularity for this sort of thing. But it is a place that has a lot of experience with multi drug- resistant tuberculosis.
They say they've never taken care of specifically a case like this one, so it's going to be a little bit of a learning experience for them as well. They do test all of the different antibiotics first. If they don't work, if nothing seems to work, he may need surgery, followed by some sort of medical therapy.
NGUYEN: You know, we were watching the interview a little bit earlier, and you could see Andrew Speaker had a mask on, obviously. Diane Sawyer had a mask on and gloves at times. Not all of the time.
Can you explain to us why that was taken off? And is that something that didn't put her at any risk?
GUPTA: Well, I think this speaks a little bit to the confusion again. His wife was sitting next to him during the interview, does not have a mask on. Diane Sawyer intermittently had a mask on. Gloves are really completely unnecessary, because you can't transmit this by casual contact.
I don't know. I think, you know, it again speaks to the confusion.
He needs to be wearing a mask because of -- you know, the mask sort of keeps that bacteria from getting out of his mouth. I think everyone else probably in the room, you know, maybe necessarily did not need one. I don't know.
I can't even tell from that picture exactly what they're recommending to visitors there. You know, and I think it just speaks to the fact that we don't know a lot about Extensively Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis, and I think this is going to serve as a little bit of a wake-up call for people to get a unified message.
NGUYEN: So, if that were you, would you have the mask on?
GUPTA: Yes, I would. You know, I think that my chance of getting infected is very, very small, very, very low. But, you know, I'm a careful guy. I like to be cautious. And I think it's easy to put a mask on. In a hospital, where the nurses and doctors are taking care of him, are going to wear masks because it's just erring on the side of caution.
NGUYEN: All right. CNN's Sanjay Gupta.
As always, we appreciate your insight. Thank you.
GUPTA: Thank you.
HARRIS: And breaking news here to CNN.
We have just learned a short time ago that Dan Bartlett, a key member of President Bush's inner circle, an aide to the president -- wow, going back more than 13 years -- has announced that he is stepping down, that he is resigning as White House counselor effective July 4th. Bartlett, in an interview today, said he had been pondering his departure for months and decided that now is the best time to get a less-demanding job so that he can concentrate on helping to raise his three children, all under the age of 4.
So breaking news just in to CNN. White House adviser, counselor, Dan Bartlett resigning as of July 4th -- effective July 4th.
More on this story. CNN is working to confirm this. This is reporting from The Associated Press.
We will have more details on this as we get them right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.
NGUYEN: And right now, Tony, we do want to get back to that story dealing with tuberculosis, because Andrew Speaker's father is blasting the news media. He doesn't like the way his son is being portrayed.
Ted Speaker says his son would not have disobeyed doctor's orders if he had been told point blank not to travel. He says the media is exaggerating the situation.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TED SPEAKER, TB PATIENT'S FATHER: The way he's being shown and spoken about on TV is like a terrorist traveling around the world, escaping authorities. This is blown up out of proportion immensely.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: And yet another twist, though. It turns out Andrew Speaker's new father-in-law is a CDC researcher with expertise in tuberculosis, of all things. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. ROBERT COOKSEY, TB PATIENT'S FATHER-IN-LAW: I wasn't involved in any decisions my son-in-law made regarding his travel. I well appreciate the potential harm that can be caused by diseases like TB. I would never knowingly put my daughter, friends or anyone else at risk from such a disease.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Now, Cooksey says neither he nor his CDC lab was the source of Speaker's tuberculosis.
HARRIS: It's back. Hurricane season is now here. It is expected to be an active one.
Are coastal communities ready?
CNN meteorologist Rob Marciano, there he is live in Tampa.
Rob, good to see you.
What's been done to prepare for this hurricane season?
ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Well, here in Tampa they -- every year they go through a simulation of what they should do if a Category 3 storm would have come this way, what they should do before, during and after. That exercise was held last week. And now they think they are prepared for the season ahead, which is, of course, forecast to be an active one.
Tampa, a very vulnerable city as far as storm surge, and how the lay of the land goes. And it's been over 80 years now since a direct hit from a major hurricane has hit Tampa Bay. And for a lot of folks, it's really just a matter of time until another one comes this way.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LARRY GISPERT, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DIRECTOR: I can't guarantee it's going to be this year. It may be next year. It may be five years from now. But it's going to happen. It has to happen.
MARCIANO (voice over): Larry Gispert is a lifelong resident of Tampa, and the city's emergency operations director. He has spent much of his career planning for a hurricane-related disaster.
GISPERT: You want to know who the guy who is in the foxholes with you, and you want to know if he tells you he's going to do something, he's going to do it.
MARCIANO: Gispert and his team are conducting an annual exercise. What to do if a monster storm tracks their way. It hasn't happened since 1921.
(on camera): This time of year coastal cities like Tampa plan for the worse. So if the big one hits, they'll be ready. (voice over): During a storm, emergency managers will be right back here at the operations center, well above sea level, high and dry. But if Tampa takes a direct hit from a hurricane, much of the city will be under water.
BOB WEISBERG, UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA: If the wrong storm comes here from the wrong direction at the wrong speed, and it makes landfall in the wrong place, there could be a disaster here.
MARCIANO: Local professor Bob Weisberg has developed sophisticated computer models to simulate what a direct hit would do. From the Gulf, hurricane winds would push a surge of water up the long, shallow bay. And at the northern most point, where the water is piled highest, lies the city of Tampa.
WEISBERG: If we look now at a uniform 20-foot rise of sea level, we see that there's a lot of land that's inundated.
MARCIANO: Back downtown, Gispert brings the model to life.
(on camera): How far up the hospital is that water going to get?
GISPERT: Up to the third set of windows. They can have 22, 24 feet of water. And as you can see over here, these two spans of bridges are even lower than that.
MARCIANO: So that hospital could be stranded for months?
GISPERT: That hospital could be stranded for months.
MARCIANO (voice over): Worst case, most of downtown will be flooded. Neighborhoods near the bay wiped clean, like southern Mississippi after Katrina. And like New Orleans, there are only three long, low roads for evacuation.
GISPERT: The water's going to over-cap the road and cut it off. That's why if the people in Pinellas wait too late, and the onset of those winds come, they're not going to have a way out.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MARCIANO: If a major hurricane were to come this way, as many as a million people may have to flee their homes, Tony. And really, it comes to a question of whether the storm and the residents' own free will give them the time they need to get out -- Tony.
HARRIS: Let's hope so. Let's hope so.
Rob Marciano in Tampa for us this morning.
Rob, thank you.
NGUYEN: Well, take a look. This is Kansas, where a fierce hailstorm near Norton made driving just treacherous there. Stringer (ph) Andy Fagel (ph) reported it all as golf ball-size hail pelted his car. Look at that. Also in Norton, a funnel cloud hovers above an open field. Forecasters are predicting more rain and bad weather today for parts of that state.
HARRIS: Bonnie Schneider in the weather center, severe weather center, hurricane headquarters for us this morning.
(WEATHER REPORT)
HARRIS: And once again, CNN has now confirmed White House adviser Dan Bartlett, a key member of President Bush's inner circle and an aide to him for, well, going back 13 years, is resigning effective July 4th.
Our White House correspondent, Elaine Quijano, is following this developing story for us.
Elaine, good morning.
ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Tony.
And already we have a written statement from President Bush expressing gratitude for Dan Bartlett's service to this president. As you noted, a longtime aide to President Bush. A relationship stretching back to really George W. Bush's time in Texas.
This statement by the president reading in part, "Laura and I will miss Dan Bartlett very much. Dan has been a true counselor to the president. His contribution has been immeasurable. I value his judgment and treasure his friendship."
It goes on to talk about "His most important job is to be a loving husband and father of three young sons. We wish him all the best."
So, Tony that statement just released a short time ago, a statement by President Bush himself, noting the departure soon to come of Dan Bartlett, counselor to the president -- Tony.
HARRIS: OK. Our White House correspondent, Elaine Quijano, for us this morning.
Elaine, thank you.
NGUYEN: Well, the troop buildup in Iraq a done deal. But will it decrease casualties there? We'll talk about it with our military analyst.
That's coming up in the NEWSROOM.
HARRIS: A frantic mayday off the coast of Florida. We brought this story to you and these pictures in the NEWSROOM yesterday. Aboard the sinking yacht, three generations and one baby.
The details in the NEWSROOM. NGUYEN: Also, boogying behind bars? What is this guy doing? An unlikely path to stardom for one military cadet. And no one is laughing more than he is.
His story in the NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: All right. We are counting down to the debates. In just two days, the Democrats running for the White House will square off. Two days later, the Republicans will do the same.
Now, the backdrop, New Hampshire, a state with a long history of shaping presidential races.
And CNN Chief National Correspondent John King is in Manchester to set the stage.
So John, which candidates have the most at stake in this round of debates?
JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Betty, in a crowded field it's hard to have much of a breakthrough. So most campaigns would look at it as the front-runners have the most at stake to make sure they don't make a stumble. Certainly on the Democratic side.
That would be Senator Hillary Clinton. She is well ahead in the polls here, although it is very, very early.
On the Republican side, the polls show a much more close race. Some show Senator McCain on top, with former governor Romney of Massachusetts just behind him, and Mayor Giuliani.
So, the front-runners would have the most at stake. And mostly, though, because it is so early, it's the lesser-known candidates who look to sort of raise their profile in these debates. So, they probably have the most at stake, if you're looking -- assuming nobody at the top makes a mistake. It's the little-known guys trying to say, hey, don't forget me.
NGUYEN: All right. Let's take about the sides here.
For the Democrats, what will be distinctive about this debate?
KING: It is the first time you have all of the candidates together on the same stage since they had that big vote in Washington over whether to fund the Iraq war and whether to send the president that money without a timetable to bring home the troops.
Both Senator Clinton and Senator Obama had been on record saying they would not vote to deny the troops funding. But they both voted against that measure. So you can expect some of the other candidates to call that into question, especially the antiwar candidate, Dennis Kucinich, the congressman, perhaps to say there's a little hypocrisy there, perhaps to say they're trying to play politics to cater to the antiwar left of the Democratic Party.
The war is by far the dominant issue in the Democratic primary campaign. And so, I would expect, especially since Senator Clinton is atop the pack, for some of her rivals to question that vote, to try to say that she's playing politics, if you will, because she voted for the war to begin with and is on record saying she would never deny the troops funding. Her explanation is that the president isn't listening and enough is enough, is how she put it, that she needed to send a signal.
NGUYEN: Well, John, you know we reported earlier this week that Fred Thompson is talking about announcing his run for the presidency July 4th.
Does the fact that Fred Thompson weren't be involved in these debates, does that take away from the debate at all?
KING: Well, the Thompson campaign would certainly tell you that, Betty. But, of course, to some extent you will have the candidates debating without someone who everyone expects will be a major player in the Republican field once he jumps in. But you could look at the other side of the coin, if you will.
Since Senator Thompson is likely to be part of future debates, here's an opportunity for other candidates to say, we don't need him, you don't need him, this is why you want to vote for me. In that context, the pressure would be mostly on Senator McCain, Governor Romney and Rudy Giuliani, those at the top of the Republican pact, to say he's a nice guy, we welcome him into the fold. But before you think about leaving me to go vote for him, or before you think about never mind looking at me to vote for him, here's why I should be your choice.
So, they do have a chance before Senator Thompson gets to the stage to maybe convince voters, you don't need anybody else.
NGUYEN: All right. Away from the debates, I just want to ask you thins, just because we've been reporting it just recently, that Dan Bartlett, a member of the president's inner circle, is announcing that he is going to resign, to step away.
What's behind this? Do you know?
KING: It is a loss to the president, Betty, first and foremost. Dan Bartlett has been one of his most loyal aides, all the way back to his days as Texas governor. One of the smaller group of Texans that when the president is most in crisis or most in a difficult decision, or sitting in the Oval Office to make those decisions, Dan Bartlett, Karl Rove, people like that have been with the president since day one.
Dan's wife had a couple of babies not that long ago. He has been saying for some time that six years in the White House, almost seven years in the White House now, is a long time. It takes a toll on your family. And this is fairly traditional. At this point in an administration, especially a two-term administration, if you want to have any time with your family, if you want to get out of the government, which doesn't pay all that much -- it's not horrible pay, but you can make a lot more in the private sector -- this is the time to do it, right around the midyear point of the sixth year heading into the election campaign.
So, it makes sense from a calendar perspective that Dan Bartlett and people like him would make those decisions now. But make to mistake about it, as the president said in that statement Elaine Quijano read a few moments ago, he will be missed in the White House. He is one of the tightest members of the president's inner circle.
NGUYEN: Indeed, he is.
All right. CNN's John King.
We thank you.
KING: Thank you.
NGUYEN: And you can join the best political team on television. Here's a look at some of them.
Sunday, beginning at 5:00, for a pre-game lineup of the players, their weaknesses and who is expected to shine.
Then at 7:00, Democratic candidates square off and for the first time take questions from the voters.
Immediately following the debates, John, Larry King, Wolf Blitzer -- you can join Larry King, Wolf Blitzer, Anderson Cooper, John King. I'm sure he's going to be involved as well -- John Roberts...
HARRIS: What a team. Man.
HARRIS: ... and the Democratic candidates for "Raw Politics," as it's called. It is a post-debate breakdown. It all starts right here, Sunday night, at 5:00.
Oh, yes. Then on Monday, though, don't forget "Faith & Politics". Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John Edwards join Soledad O'Brien for a special edition of "THE SITUATION ROOM".
And then on Tuesday -- are you taking all this down? The Republicans are up to bat on CNN. That's at 7:00 p.m. Eastern. Our primetime coverage begins at 6:00 p.m. Eastern.
HARRIS: And still to come, from bad to worse, in drought- stricken Florida, flames where water should be.
The story just ahead for you in the NEWSROOM.
NGUYEN: Bumper-to-bumper bargain hunters. Motorists line up as prices come down. At this gas station, it is a protest at the pump. Can you believe it? We'll show you what that's all about in the NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: Oh, yes. The roller-coaster ride of gas prices. Nowhere have the peeks been higher or the valleys lower than this station near San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge. This owner using the pumps to fuel a protest.
Details now from Dan Adams of CNN affiliate KXTV.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Get in that red truck and move so you can go. He's trying to cheat in line.
DAN ADAMS, REPORTER, KXTV (voice over): It wasn't high prices that got motorists all riled up. It was the battle over low prices.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This reminds me back in, what, the '70s...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: With the gas line.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ... with the gas line when they had it.
ADAMS: Last month, after he learned he was losing his lease with Shell, owner Bob Oyster (ph) boosted his prices to the highest in California. He said he wanted the public to equate outrages with a major oil company. Well, today, on his last day in business before Shell takes over, he dropped them to the lowest. He wanted to leave the station dry.
Word quickly spread, and soon the Shell station became a Shell circus.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Man, I've come all the way from Santa Rosa.
ADAMS (on camera): You came from Santa Rosa?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I live in Santa Rosa. I heard it on the radio early this morning at 5:00 this morning.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm not even going to work right now. I'm supposed to be at work.
ADAMS: You're supposed to be at work?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. I called in. I'm getting myself some gas.
ADAMS: You're going to get in trouble.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, it's cool. I talked to my -- my boss is cool. She's coming, too, to get gas.
ADAMS (voice over): Some say they waited an hour to get to the pumps, edging and squeezing their way to save about 10 bucks.
(on camera): But the line only grew. By late morning, it stretched for about two blocks, sometimes backing up under the freeway. At about that same time the station ran out of premium.
(voice over): It just kind of trickled out.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's not doing anything. Maybe I better try regular.
ADAMS: By early afternoon, everything shut down. The crush of business knocked out the computer. But soon, regular was flowing again.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: Betty, the way you squeeze a dime, are you on your way?
NGUYEN: I'm about to get in the car right now.
HARRIS: Man. OK.
NGUYEN: But I hear that he's almost dry, though. It may be too late for me.
HARRIS: For the record, Shell says it studied the market before raising its rent and enraging the station owner.
NGUYEN: Yes.
HARRIS: The oil company says it will fence off the station and not reopen it.
NGUYEN: Well, boarding up for the storm. The nuts and bolts of getting ready, that is ahead in the NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: OK, here we are, the bottom of the hour.
Good Friday to everyone.
Good morning.
You're back in the CNN NEWSROOM.
I'm Tony Harris.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Betty Nguyen.
This just in to CNN. We've been reporting it -- that Dan Bartlett, a key member of President Bush's inner circle, an aide to him for, what, 14 years now, has announced that he is resigning as White House counselor effective July 4th. In an interview today, on his 36th birthday, Bartlett says that he's been thinking about his departure for months and decided now is the best time to get a less demanding job so he can concentrate on helping raise three children all under the age of four. He does have his hands full.
HARRIS: Yes.
NGUYEN: But, again, Dan Bartlett deciding to resign, effective July 4th.
HARRIS: An apology this morning from a tuberculosis patient who may have put other air travelers at risk.
Atlanta lawyer Andrew Speaker tells ABC's "Good Morning America" he hopes the other passengers can forgive him. But he says he was told he was not -- not a danger -- before leaving for his wedding in Europe. He says: "I truly believe there is a misunderstanding of how we entered into all of this. It was conveyed to me that my family, my wife, my daughter -- that no one was at risk and that I was not contagious."
ANNOUNCER: CNN -- your hurricane headquarters.
NGUYEN: Well, hurricane season is here.
Yes, be ready.
So what are the best ways to prepare for a storm?
Well, CNN's John Zarrella has more of the nuts and bolts of boarding up.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This impact test shows what happens when a projectile hit as sheet of half inch thick plywood.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ready?
Fire.
ZARRELLA: The two-by-four goes right through it.
The bottom line?
If you plan using plywood to cover your windows, experts say try to get 5/8 inch thickness. That should work. And to do it right, you need to get started now.
MIKE RIMOLDI, FEDERAL ALLIANCE FOR SAFE HOMES: WOMAN: By the time you cut your plywood, you get it sized, you get all our holes marked, you're still looking at an hour per window. So you can be...
ZARRELLA (on camera): To do it right? RIMOLDI: Yes.
Exactly.
ZARRELLA (voice-over): Builder Mike Rimoldi, a consultant for the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes, demonstrated for us the proper way to board up. For this window, Rimoldi drilled studs into the masonry around the window.
RIMOLDI: We need to stay at least two inches in from the exterior side of the wall. And that prevents boring off the concrete block or masonry. And we're at a minimum -- or a maximum, I should say -- of 12 inch intervals.
ZARRELLA: Those are critical points. Again, the anchors need to be two inches off the edge of the frame. And you've got to have enough of them.
RIMOLDI: If you just have ones in the corner, like a lot of people want to do, that's not going to provide you any strength.
ZARRELLA: There are anchor kits for wood frame homes, as well. Installation is basically the same. There's one simple way to lessen the risk something will hit your windows -- bring all loose objects inside -- hanging baskets, bird baths, lawn furniture. And, if you've got extra time and attic access, you can reinforce your roof.
RIMOLDI: And we're just going to put a liberal amount here and run it the whole way down.
ZARRELLA: Using construction adhesive, run a bead along the joint where the trust meets the roof decking. Tests have shown this can significantly strengthen your roof. But keep this in mind.
RIMOLDI: When the storm is already off the coast of Miami or the coast of Cape Canaveral, it's too late.
ZARRELLA: John Zarrella, CNN, Tampa.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
HARRIS: Let's check in now with Bonnie Schneider in the Severe Weather Center -- and what are you watching there -- Bonnie?
Is that Barbara?
BONNIE SCHNEIDER, ATS METEOROLOGIST: Well, that is.
And we have a couple of different things we're watching.
(WEATHER REPORT)
NGUYEN: Targeting Al Qaeda in Iraq -- more raids over the past 24 hours. The U.S.-led coalition says its forces killed six terrorists and 18 suspected terrorists were arrested. Those raids north of Fallujah, in the town of Taji. HARRIS: More boots on the ground, reduced casualties in Iraq. That was the plan.
Here to talk about the reality, CNN military analyst, retired Brigadier General James "Spider" Marks.
Spider, great to see you this morning.
BRIG. GEN. JAMES MARKS, U.S. ARMY (RET.), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Good morning, Tony.
HARRIS: Boy, all of the troops connected to the buildup now on the ground in Iraq in the Baghdad area.
I want to know from you what you're looking to as signs of real progress.
A couple of figures for you -- 1,949 civilians killed last month in May; 122 American troops killed in May.
What are we going to see -- what are you looking to see as proof of positive results?
MARKS: Tony, we all have to acknowledge that there will be a level of violence that will exist in Iraq for quite some time. And any time you put an increased presence on the ground and you get into areas where previously you have not been in the same type of precision and in the same type of numbers, you will anticipate -- you should anticipate and you will see increased violence.
In other words, you're pushing the enemy and he's going to push back on you. So that's number one.
Now, what you have to realize is that with the increase, you have to be able to deliver. The soldiers on the ground must deliver a level of security day after day. And, sadly, what that takes is a little bit of time. And, frankly, it's very difficult when you have a D.C. clock
HARRIS: Yes.
MARKS: ... that tends to be ticking a heck of a lot quicker than the Baghdad clock. Yet the issues and the challenges are in Baghdad. So you have to reconcile those two.
HARRIS: Yes.
We want -- what we want is return on investment. We are investing lives and treasure of all kinds here.
MARKS: It's the most precious investment you can make.
HARRIS: And, so far, you believe we're seeing the return on the investment from this buildup?
MARKS: Well, Tony, the buildup has just now occurred. Bear in mind that over the course of the last few months, five brigades -- an increase of 20,000 soldiers have arrived in the Baghdad area. Some Marines and some soldiers off to the west in Al Anbar.
So the point is you have to be able to assess goodness and progress on the ground over the course of time.
HARRIS: Yes.
MARKS: And I tell you, this September assessment by General Petraeus and the Secretary and Ambassador Crocker is -- I think we're probably putting a little bit too much on that. That's a truncated timeline.
HARRIS: Yes.
MARKS: And you've heard General Odierno make the indication that he sees forces on the ground in these numbers through the end of the calendar year.
So, again, what we look for in September is probably a panacea...
HARRIS: Yes.
MARKS: ... some magical solution that's going to pop out. Frankly, we're not going to be there.
HARRIS: As we talk about all of the troops connected to the buildup being on the ground now in Iraq, isn't this more -- honestly speaking, isn't this more now about a battle to separate the sides, to quell the sectarian violence, and less about combating Al Qaeda?
MARKS: It's -- I would say it's not less about battling Al Qaeda. Look, Al Qaeda needs to go away. There are a lot of bad guys that need to die.
HARRIS: Absolutely.
MARKS: U.S. soldiers and Marines are doing their damnedest to get those guys off the face of the earth.
But what has to happen is you have to be able to make deals. You've got to strike deals with some bad guys, that primarily are Shia and Sunni, who have created this sectarian violence and are targeting both U.S. and Shia or Sunni, depending upon who you are. So you've got to make deals with those guys.
HARRIS: Well, wait a minute...
MARKS: You've got to achieve some cease-fires and you've got to make deals -- you've got to...
HARRIS: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
MARKS: ... absolutely, make deals with...
HARRIS: All right, let me...
MARKS: ... bad people. HARRIS: As I often do with you, and I love it, the give and take that we have, let me push you on this.
So now the United States military is in the business of making deals with the IED makers, the leaders of these militia groups, the folks who are out there killing civilians, the groups that are bombing the mosques?
MARKS: Very precisely and very cautiously you strike these deals, Tony. This is not a horse blanket that you throw over a large area or one particular group and you say allie, allie in come free. Everybody's safe.
You very precisely go after the guys that come forward and say, look, yes, I may have been a bad guy and I may be a bad guy today, but I'll be your friend tomorrow, if we can reach some type of an accommodation. And that has to be done in a -- in a very precise and very local matter.
In fact, General Odierno, who is responsible for daily ops on the ground, has delegated down to certain levels, to his commanders, the authority to strike those deals. In other words, put a bullet in the head of the bad guy but strike a deal with the guy who wants to at least make a deal with you.
HARRIS: I don't know how you tell the difference. I don't know. Do you -- do you -- can you explain to us how you tell the difference between those two guys?
MARKS: Sure. Well, absolutely. It takes a heck of a lot of presence, a lot of intelligence. And over the course of time, you develop that intelligence.
Look, these commanders on the ground, as you know, are there for quite some time.
HARRIS: Yes.
MARKS: They get a real feel for their environment, their city blocks. They know who they can talk to. They know who they need to engage with.
So this is not random.
HARRIS: Yes.
MARKS: And, again, it's not done in a very cavalier way. This is done very precisely with some very tight delegations of authority.
HARRIS: CNN military analyst, retired Brigadier General James "Spider" Marks, with us this morning.
Spider, great to see you.
Have a great weekend.
MARKS: Thank, Tony.
HARRIS: Thanks.
MARKS: Thank you.
NGUYEN: That's a nice welcome. He is home from war and just lucky to be alive.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The medics that are over there are incredible. I really -- I owe my life to the medics and, you know, the people that were there that were by my side who kept me alive.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: A wounded soldier soldiers on, here in THE NEWSROOM.
(STOCK MARKET REPORT)
COMMERCIAL
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): I'm Dr. Sanjay Gupta with this week's Fit Nation Friday tip.
Are you headed to the gym this weekend?
Well, if you want to burn more calories in the same amount of time, try interval training. When you're doing resistance or weight training, add in a few short bursts of cardiovascular exercise in between sets. It's not going to be easy at first, but studies show that you can increase your calorie and fat burning power by about 30 percent doing interval training.
Of course, there are some risks. Be careful when getting on and off the cardio equipment after a few sets. Your muscles will be a lot more fatigued.
Have a fit-tastic weekend and don't forget to check in at cnn.com/fitnation to join the Fit Nation challenge.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
COMMERCIAL
ANNOUNCER: This is CNN, the most trusted name in news.
Now back to the CNN NEWSROOM.
NGUYEN: Well, in case you missed it, we are continuing to follow this story. Dan Bartlett, a key member of President Bush's inner circle, has announced that he is going to resign on July 4th. He says he thought about this a lot over the past few months and has decided that today, on his birthday, he was going to make the announcement, and it's best time for him to get a less demanding job, as he calls it. And that would be taking care of his three children under the age of four.
HARRIS: That's more demanding.
NGUYEN: I don't know how less demanding that's going to be. But, indeed, Dan Bartlett says that he is going to resign effective July 4th. He is the White House counselor and one of the President Bush's inner circle members.
HARRIS: Well, he was called Dr. Death, but he says he won't help anyone else commit suicide. Dr. Jack Kevorkian set to walk out of prison this morning. He served more than eight years for the death of a 52-year-old man with Lou Gehrig's Disease.
Kevorkian says he helped 132 people die during the 1990s. Now he says he will work to legalize assisted suicide, but won't break any laws doing it.
Jack Kevorkian talks to LARRY KING LIVE Monday night, June 4th, 9:00 Eastern, only on CNN.
NGUYEN: Well, Florida hoping for rain -- Florida and a lot of other states.
But check this out. Flames in Florida is what they're seeing instead of those rain drops. Wildfires are a problem across the drought stricken state. This is one burning on part of the parched bed of Lake Okeechobee. The lake's water level has dropped to 8.8 feet, a record low. It should be around 13 feet this time of year. The lake is the main back-up water supply for five million south Florida residents.
HARRIS: High drama on the high seas. You may remember this from our newscast yesterday. A massive yacht takes on water and the Coast Guard races to the rescue. Plucked from the ship, three generations of one family, including an 8-month old baby.
CNN's Susan Candiotti has their story.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Imagine seeing your 65-foot yacht called Imagination about to disappear beneath the sea. A family of six was aboard this luxury boat when it started taking on water in the engine room. The captain called for help.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: May day!
May day!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What is the nature of your distress?
Over.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We've got the -- the engine is taking on water. We're taking on water.
CANDIOTTI: They didn't have to wait long. A Coast Guard cutter arrived within about 20 minutes. Everyone, including an 8-month-old baby, already had life jackets on.
ZAIDA PASCUAL, RESCUED BOATER: I was so concerned for the baby -- for the baby. We just made it on time before it went down.
CANDIOTTI: The family, including a couple in their '60s, was moved from the sinking ship to the Coast Guard cutter, as it slipped deeper and deeper into rough seas with waves up to seven feet. Debris from the yacht scattered around the ocean.
The Imagination was about 25 miles offshore from downtown Miami when it got into trouble. The rescued boaters weren't the only ones picked up by that same Coast Guard cutter. Already aboard, about a dozen migrants intercepted at sea. They all had a ring side seat for this -- the dramatic finale as the bow of the boat slowly disappeared from view.
(on camera): The Coast Guard says everyone's OK and the salvage company will figure out whether it can retrieve Imagination. It's in about 1,000 feet of water.
Susan Candiotti, CNN, Miami.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
NGUYEN: We want you to take a good look at this.
HARRIS: What -- well...
NGUYEN: Well, he's breaking it down behind closed doors, so he thinks. An unlikely path to stardom, though, for one military cadet. And no one is laughing more than he is.
HARRIS: Oh, that's good.
That's good.
NGUYEN: His story right here in THE NEWSROOM.
COMMERCIAL
NGUYEN: We have new video in to CNN.
Dan Bartlett right there leaving the White House today. This is, in fact, his 36th birthday. And on this big day, he made a big announcement today, saying that he is going to resign as White House counselor effective July 4th. He says that he's thought about it for quite some time and decided this is the best time to get a less demanding job, although he says he's going to concentrate on helping raising three children, all under the age of four.
That, to me, sounds pretty demanding.
But White House Counselor Dan Bartlett, 36 years old today, and announcing on his birthday that he is resigning as of July 4th.
Well, do you sing in the shower or cut the rug behind closed doors when you think no one's watching?
Stardom may be calling, whether you want it or not.
CNN's Jeanne Moos has one such cautionary tale.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): On graduation day at the Air Force Academy, you'd think this would be the climax for every cadet.
(VIDEO CLIP OF CADETS THROWING HATS IN AIR)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You are cadets!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MOOS: But for one cadet, now second lieutenant, this was the climax.
(VIDEO CLIP OF JEFF PELEHAC DANCING IN HIS DORM ROOM)
MOOS: Even the secretary of defense, Robert Gates, brought it up in his commencement address.
GATES: To learn about the dangers of dancing alone in your dorm room. And, yes, I've seen the video.
MOOS: That would be this video.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRIAN STOOPS, AIR FORCE ACADEMY GRADUATE: Just about every day it seems like I walk into this room and catch my roommate dancing to some retarded song.
MOOS: Back when they were sophomores, Brian Stoops installed a hidden camera in his dorm room to capture his roommate's gyrations when he thought he was all alone.
(VIDEO CLIP OF JEFF PELEHAC DANCING IN HIS DORM ROOM)
MOOS: Jeff Pelehac boogied his way to Air Force Academy immortality. Everyone said to him...
JEFF PELEHAC, AIR FORCE ACADEMY GRADUATE: Oh, you're the dancing cadet. Cadet.
MOOS: He became a smash hit on YouTube. He made the news repeatedly. He even made it on to "The Maury Povich Show."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM "THE MAURY POVICH SHOW," COURTESY PARAMOUNT TV) MAURY POVICH, HOST: Everybody dance now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MOOS: The audience loved him. No need to blur his face anymore. Jeff is practically famous.
PELEHAC: It's two years later and I'm still having fun with it.
MOOS: The head of the joint chiefs even gave Jeff and Brian little medallions for improving Academy morale.
The tape was named best viral video of 2005 by salon.com.
For some, the best part was when the jig was up.
(VIDEO CLIP OF JEFF PELEHAC DANCING IN HIS DORM ROOM)
STOOPS: Dance.
Come on, buddy.
PELEHAC: No!
MOOS: One viral video breeds another. This is the Air Force Academy's mascot.
(VIDEO CLIP OF AIR FORCE ACADEMY MASCOT DANCING IN HIS DORM ROOM)
MOOS: While most of the graduates Wednesday were jumping for joy and enjoying cigars, Second Lieutenant Jeff Pelehac was taking no offense to the words of the defense secretary...
GATES: Don't give up your day job.
MOOS: Yes, well, on YouTube his moves are appreciated. "White boy actually ain't bad" is a typical comment.
(on camera): So the next time your mirror beckons you to bust a move, remember the dancing cadet.
(voice-over): Jeff plans to be a civil engineer. So while he may never be a top gun, he'll forever be top fun.
(VIDEO CLIP OF JEFF PELEHAC DANCING IN HIS DORM ROOM)
MOOS: Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
NGUYEN: Not only was he dancing but he was singing it, too.
HARRIS: Working it, huh?
NGUYEN: He was. He was having a good time. HARRIS: Well, the weather girl (UNINTELLIGIBLE) or something. Let's see what he does -- anyway, still to come in THE NEWSROOM this morning, your forecasters are right. We're in for a lot of this in the weeks and months ahead. Hurricane season opens today. Extensive live coverage for you this morning in THE NEWSROOM.
COMMERCIAL
HARRIS: Remembering veterans -- one retired general wanted a place to honor his fellow Marines every day.
Randi Kaye has his story in today's Life After Work.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
RANDI KAYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over) (voice-over): Semper fidelis -- the motto of the U.S. Marines. Translated from Latin, it means always faithful. And for retired Marine General Ron Christmas, being faithful meant building a place to honor his fellow Marines.
GEN. RON CHRISTMAS, (RET.), MARINE CORP. HERITAGE FOUNDATION: The Heritage Foundation took upon itself about 10 years ago to build The National Museum of the Marine Corps, a place for all Marines, their families, but most especially, too, to tell the story of the Marine Corps to the American people.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And one of the largest concentrations...
CHRISTMAS: And to share with the American people this wonderful legacy of their Corps of Marines.
KAYE: The museum opened last November and General Christmas was on hand as president of the Marine Heritage Foundation, the group he has led since retiring in 1996, after 34 years on active duty.
CHRISTMAS: When I was asked to do the Heritage Foundation -- which I do pro bono -- that really became a labor of love. I feel very strongly -- and felt strongly then and even feel more strongly now -- that this national museum and the programs -- the historical programs that we support are so important, not just to the Marine Corps, but to the nation.
KAYE: And many of these exhibits have a personal attachment.
CHRISTMAS: I look over there at that picture of the wounded being lowered down that fire escape -- those are all my Marines. That's very meaningful. Those Marines carrying a wounded Marine through a blown out wall that we had worked our way through, they're my Marines.
So, yes, this is very meaningful to me. It really is.
KAYE: Randi Kaye, CNN.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
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