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Congressman William Jefferson Indicted in Bribery Case; Tuberculosis Traveler; Small Plane Crashes in Upland, California; Terror From the Caribbean?
Aired June 04, 2007 - 14:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, everyone. I'm Kyra Phillips, at the CNN world headquarters in Atlanta.
T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm T.J. Holmes, in today for Don Lemon, who's on assignment in India.
All signs point to a sinister plot with a Caribbean connection.
PHILLIPS: It may have been a close call for New York's Kennedy airport, and one suspect still on the loose.
We'll get more on the manhunt live from Trinidad.
HOLMES: And the cash certainly was cold, but the case? Never. How things are heating up in a big way for the congressman caught with $90,000 in the deep freeze.
You are in the CNN NEWSROOM.
PHILLIPS: He's been the target of a long-running bribery investigation. Now Congressman William Jefferson is a defendant.
CNN has learned the Louisiana Democrat has just been indicted on multiple corruption counts.
Let's gets straight to our justice correspondent, Kelli Arena. She's in Washington -- Kelli.
KELLI ARENA, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, DOJ officials tell us that he's been indicted on 16 counts, and those counts including racketeering, soliciting bribes, wire fraud, money laundering, obstruction of justice.
If he's found guilty and receives a maximum sentence, he's facing more than 200, 235 years, to be exact, in prison. DOJ officials tell us that he stands accused of soliciting bribes for both himself and his family. And we should be hearing more from the Department of Justice and other players later on this afternoon, Kyra.
And, you know, as we heard before, you know, this thing has been going on for a long time. Yes, there were allegations that law enforcement found $90,000 in cash in his freezer. Court records indicate that that cash came from an FBI informant who was allegedly offering the congressman a bribe. Now, Kyra, we have reached out on several fronts to try to contact him today, as well as his lawyer. We have not been able to get any sort of comment to this point.
And as you know, you know, law enforcement's playing with a -- you know, a loaded deck here. They've already had two of the congressmen's associates plead guilty and have agreed to cooperate as part of those agreements, those plea agreements that were made. So, it's been a long time coming, but as you said, Congressman William Jefferson stands indicted today.
PHILLIPS: Kelli Arena, thank you.
ARENA: You're welcome.
HOLMES: Another bizarre twist in the case of the globe-trotting tuberculosis patient. Andrew Speaker caused an international uproar after traveling overseas while infected with a drug-resistant form of TB. Now a hospital official in Denver where Speaker is being treated says he's "relatively non-contagious".
Our Ed Lavandera live in Denver with this semantics lesson for us.
Ed, please, clear this up for us.
ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, T.J.
It's been a little confusing. So we'll get through this.
Essentially, that term "relatively non-contagious," my sense is, is that is as definitive an answer we'll get on this from the hospital mostly because this is a fluid situation, if you will. Andrew Speaker can get better, he can get worse. So, "relatively non-contagious" is as definitive, I think, as we're going to hear from the hospital. However, they're waiting to make that final determination on that.
We just spoke with the hospital spokesperson here just a few minutes ago who said they're waiting to make that language be kind of official out there, if you will, when those -- that third test from that sputum test that had been done over the weekend -- and they expect the results of that back here this afternoon. And they say that all indications are that that will come back negative.
After that comes back, then we can officially say Andrew Speaker is what they call here "relatively non-contagious". A lot of semantics here. The bottom line is the doctors here at this hospital have been saying since Thursday, when he arrived, that he's always been showing very, very low levels -- in fact, that's their quote, "very, very low levels" of contiguousness with this infection. So they continue to treat him.
What does this all mean for Andrew Speaker? Well, right now he's been isolated in that room here at the National Jewish Medical Center since Thursday. The quarantine order that kept him there locked up in that room all hours of the day, except when he needed some of those tests was lifted over the weekend. So that frees him up a little bit.
And hospital officials here also say that they will start figuring out a way of maybe perhaps letting him walk around the hospital in certain areas where there aren't other patients, and also maybe even perhaps around the hospital grounds if he so chooses. All of that is a situation where they're trying to figure it out as well, so no definitive answers on that point either -- T.J.
HOLMES: All right. Ed Lavandera.
Thank you so much for clearing some of that stuff up for us. Thank you so much.
We do want to turn now to our Betty Nguyen, who's in our NEWSROOM. Details now on a developing story.
Hey there, Betty.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Hi there, T.J.
We are learning information on a plane crash in Upland, California. We're working on live pictures to bring to you of this crash. But what we know so far is this: a small plane has gone down again in Upland, California. Not sure how many people were on board or the extent of the injuries, but we have learned from the FAA that it did clip at least three homes on the way down in that crash.
Now, let me tell you a little bit about that plane. That plane is a Piper Seneca which was built in 1972. It was on approach to a cable airport in Upland when it lost power. Again, it struck three homes.
We do not know the extent of the injuries of those on board the plane and those on the ground. Again, it did strike three homes on the way to the cable airport there in Upland, California, after it lost power.
So, as soon as we get more information on this, of course we'll bring that to you. And as soon as we get new pictures from this plane crash in California, we will bring that to you as well -- Kyra.
HOLMES: I'll take it from here, but thank you so much.
Betty Nguyen.
We'll get an update from you here shortly.
NGUYEN: Sure.
PHILLIPS: Well, when you think terror hotbeds, Trinidad and Guyana don't come to mind right away, but both those countries figure into the alleged plot to blow up JFK airport. And we're learning more all the time.
CNN's Jim Acosta once again joins us live from New York.
What do we know now, Jim?
JIM ACOSTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kyra, investigators say the lone U.S. citizen in the group, Russell Defreitas, traveled back and forth from New York to Guyana and Trinidad to plan the airport attack. And while authorities say the plot never got past the planning stage, it highlighted a little-known terrorism threat that may be brewing in the Caribbean.
Suspects Abdul Kadir, Russell Defreitas, Kareem Ibrahim and Abdel Nur are described by relatives and friends as incapable of carrying out an attack on New York's JFK airport, but authorities paint a dramatically different picture, pointing to the plot's alleged connections from New York to the Caribbean and South America.
Defreitas worked as a cargo handler at JFK in 1995. He is a U.S. citizen originally from Guyana. Two other suspects are from the island of Trinidad, one of them still being sought by authorities. And now according to authorities, the suspects met in Trinidad to discuss their plans with members of a radical Muslim group called the Jamaat-al-Muslimeen, also known as JAM. The extremist organizations launched an unsuccessful coup in Trinidad in 1990 -- there's some of the video there -- leaving 24 people dead.
Now, New York Police Commissioner Ray Kelly says the JFK plot shows just how far radical Islam has spread around the world.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RAY KELLY, NEW YORK POLICE COMMISSIONER: This particular plot is both similar and different to ones that we've seen in the past. It is different in that it has ties to the Caribbean. And this is an area in which we have growing concern and I think requires a lot more focus.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ACOSTA: And Russell Defreitas is due back in court for a bail hearing on Wednesday. And we should note that an attorney for two of the other suspects now being detained in Trinidad, that attorney says that he will fight extradition for his two clients to avoid those two gentlemen coming back to the United States to face charges here -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right. Jim Acosta from New York.
Thanks, Jim.
ACOSTA: Sure.
HOLMES: We got new word today on two missing U.S. soldiers. They've been missing in Iraq since May 12th. But whether or not this new word is for real or not still not clear.
An insurgent group released a video clip supposedly showing the military I.D.s of Army Specialist Alex Jimenez and Private Byron Fouty. A military official told CNN that, yes, the I.D.s look like the real thing. An audio track on that video suggests the soldiers are dead, but there is no proof that that is the case.
PHILLIPS: Well, the military had warned Fouty's family the video might turn up. His stepfather, Gordon Dibler, joins us now from Oxford Township, Michigan.
Gordon, thanks for being with us.
GORDON DIBLER, STEPFATHER OF BYRON FOUTY: You're welcome.
PHILLIPS: I'm assuming now that you got word about these I.D. before they made television? Is that true, or is that the first time that you saw them was when they popped up on air?
DIBLER: No. I was informed over the weekend.
PHILLIPS: And when you -- I'm sorry.
DIBLER: Go ahead.
PHILLIPS: No. You, go ahead. Please.
And they -- it was -- it was stressful, of course, but it still creates still hope for us.
PHILLIPS: That's what I was wondering, is once they came up -- because really nobody has any proof whether they were alive or had been captured or what the story was, and now you're seeing the military I.D.s. Do you believe that this is his military I.D.? And tell me how it's giving the family hope right now.
DIBLER: Well, it is his picture, and I saw him for such a brief time that I couldn't tell you if it was actually his I.D. or not. But I do know my daughter and I spent dinner last night talking about it, and reconfirming to each other that this was our hope that he's still alive since we didn't see them in person.
PHILLIPS: Gordon, give us a sense for your stepson and just his personality, his character. My guess is, is this is someone that would not give up easily and would be quite a fighter.
DIBLER: Oh, absolutely. He was a very intense young boy, and I know he carried that into his adult life. And I know the service developed that more.
And I was very proud of him for the decisions he made. And he made this decision to go into the service during wartime. So I respect that. And I think he was going in with his eyes wide open, and I love him for every decision he's made.
PHILLIPS: When was the last time you had a chance to talk to him, Gordon?
DIBLER: I talked to him on April 17th, his 19th birthday.
PHILLIPS: So, it wasn't that long ago.
DIBLER: No, no.
PHILLIPS: And what did he tell you about what he was doing and how he felt about the war?
DIBLER: The only thing -- he never really spoke to the whole war except for his part that he was doing. And what he did speak of, I mentioned before, he did say that they're doing good things and that he's glad that they're there. And he did say that he wanted to be -- he was considering being a medic, requesting that. And I take that as wanting to be a healer.
PHILLIPS: Wow. Did he say because he was seeing so many injuries and he was being forced to tend to comrades that were hurt in conflict?
DIBLER: Well, actually, his comment came to me after seeing our men help the Iraqi people. So, it was more of a heart thing than a service thing, I think. I think he wanted to be a part of helping -- make it be know that we're there to help.
PHILLIPS: How is the military doing with regard to keeping you informed and updated? How is the family doing? What are you doing on a daily basis to just keep a positive energy going?
DIBLER: Well, I've -- on the 24th I did a press conference here in one of our local communities. I'm going to do one here shortly in our local community.
My casualty coordinator has been excellent. He's been available 24/7. In fact, he's standing outside now waiting, and he's been updating me every time there's been anything. And always in person.
My minister and my family have all been praying. I'm involved with a mankind project that -- I have brothers that are supporting me and friends. It's been a phenomenal experience knowing the love that's out there for our servicemen, and our hearts need to be open to every one of them.
PHILLIPS: Yes. And you need that support.
Gordon Dibler, really appreciate you talking with us. We hope that you stay strong. We'll follow up with you and your family.
DIBLER: Thank you very much.
PHILLIPS: Thanks, Gordon.
Well, 14 U.S. troops were killed in Iraq Saturday and Sunday. An explosion northwest of Baghdad claimed the most lives. Military officials say that four soldiers died when their vehicle hit a roadside bomb. A total of 3,493 U.S. military men and women have been killed in Iraq.
HOLMES: Well, a chill in the air between U.S. and Russia. Can an invitation to Kennebunkport ease the strain? President Bush reaches out to President Putin. PHILLIPS: And there are many miles to go in the presidential marathon, but is the Democratic pack looking any thinner? Debate postmortem with Bill Schneider.
HOLMES: And she is often spotted in the bars. Now she's behind bars. Paris Hilton checks in for detention.
You are watching CNN, the most trusted name in celebrity news.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: We want to get on the line now with our Brent Sadler, who's in Beirut. Word of more fighting, more violence happening there.
Hello to you, Brent. What can you tell us?
BRENT SADLER, CNN BEIRUT BUREAU CHIEF: Yes, T.J., at least seven people were wounded in a Christian district of east Beirut within the past hour or so when a bomb apparently targeting a public bus detonated as this, the fourth bomb to rock Lebanon in the past 16 days since the Lebanese army launched a wide scale military operation to crush Islamic militants holed up in a Palestinian refugee camp near the northern port city of Tripoli.
Now, this latest attack against the Christian neighborhood east of the capital has been one in a series, as I say, not only to target Christian areas, but also Druze, as well as a Sunni Muslim district in the recent spate of explosions. This, T.J., all very much seen by the western-backed government of Prime Minister Fouad Siniora as yet another attempt to destabilize Lebanon, to expose its continuing vulnerability to these kind of attacks at the same time as the military is trying to defeat Islamic militants.
Why should this happen at this stage? To serve the interests of those who would wish to see Siniora's government fail -- T.J.
HOLMES: And if you can, just quickly give us an update about what is actually happening at that refugee camp where we saw so much violence. Have things quieted down, or still some sporadic violence there as well?
SADLER: Yes, T.J., 16 days this siege has now been going on. The Lebanese army is throwing more troops into the offensive.
There's been a rotation of forces today, also more troops, more equipment, more firepower going in there. The Islamic militants under Fatah Islam are still resisting but being squeezed by the military, with the expectation there will be a second push later this week to try to overrun those militant positions and to spare the lives of thousands of Palestinians who are still trapped inside the fighting. The army trying to minimize civilian casualties -- T.J.
HOLMES: All right. Brent Sadler for us on the line.
Thank you so much for the update, Brent. PHILLIPS: The fight for Iraq front and center in the political battleground of New Hampshire. Iraq dominated last night's Democratic presidential debate in Manchester. All the contenders believe that President Bush has mishandled the warm, but they have different approaches in their desire to end it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN EDWARDS (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: There is a difference between making clear speaking to your followers, speaking to the American people about what you believe needs to be done. And I think all of us have a responsibility to lead on these issue, not just on Iraq, but health care, on energy, on all the other issues.
SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D-IL), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I think it is important to lead, and I think, John, the fact is, is that I opposed this war from the start. So you were about four and a half years late on leadership on this issue.
SEN. HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON (D-NY), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: What we are trying to do, whether it's by speaking out from the outside, or working and casting votes that actually make a difference from the inside, we are trying to end the war. And each of us has made that very clear. We have different approaches.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Politics and faith, two hot-button topics that are almost inseparable these days. Three of the Democratic hopefuls are hoping to reach the faithful tonight in a special forum you'll see only on CNN. It's at George Washington University, in the nation's capital, and that's where our CNN's Dana Bash is.
Hey, Dana.
DANA BASH, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Kyra.
You're right, faith and politics are hard to separate in general, but it's not something we usually hear Democratic candidates openly talking about, and that's what's going to make this particular forum here on this stage later tonight so different from what we've seen. Certainly last night in the debate, but even in general in big events, where we're hearing and listening to Democratic candidates.
At this table, we're going to see our own Soledad O'Brien questioning three of the top tier candidates: John Edwards, Hillary Clinton, and Barack Obama. And you see on these banners, you see what it says, "Faith Guiding Our Votes". That is what they're each going to spend about 15 minutes talking about -- about their faith, about their religion.
Again, something we don't usually hear from Democrats. And they're also going to be getting questions from the audience, from -- in the front row, those are not religious leaders. Those are GW students helping us out. But religious leaders will be sitting there, and they'll be able to ask these candidates, these Democrats about how, in fact, their faith, their morality and their values guide their policies.
It's something that, you know, Kyra, we hear -- we've heard traditionally from Republicans on issues like abortion, on issues like gay marriage. That is perhaps what is most prominent in the public discourse when you hear about faith. But Democrats have been making a push lately to talk more about their issues, the issues that they talk most about, like poverty, like human rights, even the environment, but through the prism of their faith -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: And we'll be watching. Dana Bash, thanks so much.
BASH: Thank you.
PHILLIPS: And again, CNN is your political headquarters. Live tonight, Hillary Clinton, John Edwards and Barack Obama taking part in a "Faith & Politics" forum in Washington right there where you saw our Dana Bash. That's at 7:00 Eastern, exclusively on CNN.
And from New Hampshire, the Republican presidential contenders hold their debate. That's tomorrow night, 7:00 Eastern, on CNN, home of the best political team on television.
HOLMES: All right.
We do want to turn back to our Betty Nguyen now, who's keeping an eye on a developing story. A small plane crash out in California.
What do you have now, Betty?
NGUYEN: Well, we do have some live pictures to bring to you of this crash in Upland, California. It happened just a short while ago.
Take a look at that. That is what's left of the plane. And where is it? Well, it's on top of a house there in Upland, California.
What we understand from the FAA is that this plane was on approach when it lost power. And apparently looking at the area where it hit -- we'll get a larger view a little bit later -- it looks like it overshot the runway and landed in this residential area, clipping three homes there. The emergency crews are on the scene as of now.
There we go. We're getting a larger view, and you will see over, right there in the middle top portion of your screen, is the runway there at Cable Airport in Upland.
Again, the FAA says this is a Piper Seneca plane which was built in 1972. Doing some research, it looks like it seats about six people.
Again, it was on approach to the Cable Airport in Upland, California, when we understand from the FAA that it lost power, striking three homes. And you see where it has landed there.
There is no word, T.J., as of this hour as to the extent of the injuries of people on the ground or those on board that plane. Don't know if those on board that plane were able to survive this crash at this point either.
Again, we don't even know how many people were on board that plane. But what we understand is that a Piper Seneca built in 1962 seats about six people.
So, as you can see, emergency crews are on rooftops right now looking at the damage, looking to see if anyone was at home, if anyone survived this crash on board that plane. I guess the good news in all of this, if we're looking for it, especially when we're just waiting for information to come in, is that it happened during the middle of the day. So hopefully many people in those three homes that were hit by this plane were at work or at school, or away from their home. And so there they would avoid some of the injuries from this crash.
But what a sight this is. You're seeing a small plane there, a Piper Seneca, which was built in 1972, overran the airport upon approach after losing power, striking three homes in Upland, California, in this residential area. And emergency crews have just arrived on the scene.
And of course we're going to learn a lot more as soon as we get that information from those crews on the ground. And we'll bring that to you, T.J., just as soon as we get it.
HOLMES: Well, yes, hopefully somebody was able to survive.
NGUYEN: I hope so, yes.
HOLMES: The plane wasn't completely busted up. But man, it looks crazy to see a plane sitting on a house like that.
NGUYEN: Middle of the afternoon.
HOLMES: All right. Betty, we will see you again here soon. All right?
NGUYEN: Sure.
HOLMES: Well, 18 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, there's a distinct chill in the air between Russia and the U.S.
Details on the relationship and a bit of trouble, that is next in the NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: You know, this is exactly what I would do if I was about to take a mug shot. I'd fix my hair, my makeup, maybe flip it over to one side. Yes. Look at that.
HOLMES: That's good stuff.
PHILLIPS: Give that look to the camera.
HOLMES: Oh, wow.
PHILLIPS: Hot. What do you think?
HOLMES: That's a mug shot?
PHILLIPS: Yes.
Paris Hilton, making life looking a little grand behind bars. She's in jail today in Lynwood, California. Checked in late last night. Before that, she checked out the MTV Movie Awards.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PARIS HILTON, SOCIALITE: I am trying to be strong right now. I'm definitely scared, but I'm ready to face my sentence. And even though this is a really hard time, I have my friends and family and my fans who support me, and it's just been really helpful in this really scary time.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Oh.
HOLMES: Yes. She was sincere.
PHILLIPS: It's a scary time for Paris Hilton as she spends 45 days for violating probation on a reckless driving conviction. She could be out in 23 if she behaves.
We're going to go live to California and our Sibila Vargas in just a few minutes.
HOLMES: We are also keeping an eye on another story, Kyra. A plane sitting on a house. Seriously.
Live pictures you're looking at there. Our Betty Nguyen keeping us updated on this developing story out in California. Stay here.
PHILLIPS: Also, candidates in combat. The campaign battlefield all about the war in Iraq. The Democrats debate.
We'll have more from the CNN NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: I'm Kyra Phillips, live in CNN world headquarters in Atlanta.
HOLMES: And I'm T.J. Holmes, sitting in today for Don Lemon. Eight candidates, one stage and dozens of hot, hot issues.
PHILLIPS: So how did they do? Bill Schneider dishes on the Democrats.
You're live in the CNN NEWSROOM.
President Bush getting read I do meet some of the world's other most powerful leaders, but the Group of Eight Summit in Germany is only one stop on a busy itinerary. Mr. Bush is due to begin his eight-day, six-country trip later today to the Czech Republican capital of Prague. The G-8 summit starts Wednesday with emphasis on global warming, aid to Africa and the world economy. The world will also take careful note of Mr. Bush's dealings with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Those two are at odds over plans for a missile- defense system in Eastern Europe.
Mr. Bush still refers to President Putin as "my friend," but U.S.-Russian relations aren't exactly friendly. In an interview released today Putin called himself the world's only pure democratic leader. He's also warning of consequences if Washington goes forward with the missile plan.
Putin says, quote, "It is obvious it is part of the strategic nuclear potential of the United States is located in Europe, we will have to respond."
CNN's Jill Dougherty joins me now from Washington with more on the tensions.
And, Jill, let's just -- I want to talk about that quote for a minute. How do you react to, we will have to respond? How are we supposed to understand that, take that, put that into context?
JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: President Putin would argue that the U.S. started this, and he would say that you go back to 2001, three months after 9/11, when the United States pulled out of the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, Putin would argue that's where it began, when the U.S. said we don't need that treaty, it's out of date, let's forget it. And the Russians were not happy about that, and time goes on. And now you're hearing the second shoe fall, where they're saying U.S. started it and we're going to have to take measures to defend ourselves.
Now, the U.S. says there's nothing to defend yourselves against, but that's the argument right now, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: But Condoleezza Rice said the system is supposed to guard against a nuclear threat, like against Iran. So, why would he be against something like this?
DOUGHERTY: Because the Russians look at this in a different way. Traditionally, they have felt that they were surrounded. They look at this, and they say, looks like we are getting surrounded again. I don't think anybody really believes it right now. The system doesn't even exist until 2012. But they fear that down the road it might be used against them in some fashion. So, they're making a statement here, and it's very, very strongly worded.
PHILLIPS: All right. we've got developing news. Jill Dougherty, we'll talk more about obviously these statements from Putin and the relationship Between Bush and Vladimir Putin.
But we want to get to the NEWSROOM, Betty Nguyen working details on a developing story -- Betty. NGUYEN: Yes, Kyra. We are getting some new information now that at least three people on the ground have minor injuries from that plane crash that we're showing you live pictures of right now in Upland, California. Here's what's left of that Piper Seneca six- seater built in 1972. And we understand from the FAA that it was on approach to the cable airport there in Upland when it lost power and struck three homes.
Now, as we zoom out, we can get a better idea. Earlier, we thought it just overshot the airport and landed on these homes. But when you look at the homes to the right of the plane right there, you'll see the two homes to the right of it, you will see the damage there. So it appears that the plane was coming in from that direction. And to the left of the plane is where the airport is.
So, again, the plane was on approach to the airport. It doesn't appear that it overshot it, but simply lost power before it got to it, and landed on top of the homes, at least three of them there in Upland, California.
Now, as far as those injuries go, again, three minor injuries because of this plane crash. What we don't know is if those minor injuries are from people onboard that plane or people on the ground. The only thing that we can hope for is because this happened in the middle of the day that many of the folks living in those three homes weren't there at the time, and therefore they weren't injured. So as soon as we get clarification on that, of course we'll bring it to you.
But something that you definitely don't want to see when you come home from work, a plane on top of your home, but that is what has happened today in Upland, California, three homes damaged because of planes that lost power on approach to the Cable Airport there. And as soon as we have more information, we'll bring it straight to you -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right, Betty Nguyen, appreciate it.
HOLMES: The fight for Iraq front and center in the political battle ground of New Hampshire. In last night's CNN-sponsored debate in New Hampshire, the Democratic presidential candidates agree the war has been mishandled by President Bush, but they had their own differences on the war.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN EDWARDS (D), PRES. CANDIDATE: There is a difference between making clear, speaking to your followers, speaking to the American people about what you need -- believe needs to be done. And I think all of us have a responsibility to lead on these issues, not just on Iraq, but on health care, on energy, on all the other issues.
SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D), PRES. CANDIDATE: I think it is important to lead, and I think John -- the fact is I oppose this war from the start, so you're about 4 1/2 years late on leadership on this issue.
SEN. HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRES. CANDIDATE: What we are trying to do, whether it's by speaking out from the outside or working and casting votes that actually make a difference from the inside, we are trying to end the war. And each of us has made that very clear. We have different approaches.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: All right, CNN's William Schneider, or Bill, if you know him well, is one of the best political guys on television. He's in Manchester, New Hampshire right now.
All right, Bill, everybody wants to be the anti-war person. John Edwards, some would say, did pretty well on that issue last night.
So, do they know that Iraq is going to be the overriding issue for Democratic primary voters?
WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SR. POL. ANALYST: Well, they know that Democratic primary voters are overwhelmingly opposed to the war, and they're very passionate about it. The question -- the issue will be can they see a difference between the candidates on this issue, because all of them say that they're anti-war, anti-Iraq war, at least. John Edwards said yes, there are big differences because the others voted -- Clinton and Obama, voted against funding the war, but they didn't lead the fight against it. They voted somewhat reluctantly in his view, and only at the very end.
Barack Obama said, no, no, they originally voted to support the use of force. I opposed the war from the beginning. It was kind of a fight there between Edwards and Obama where Hillary Clinton, as you just heard, was the one who said these differences are minor, we're all in agreement, we all oppose the war. Our fight is with President Bush. Because in her view, tie goes to the frontrunner. She wants the differences appear to be minimal so that she can argue, I'm just as anti-war as anyone else.
HOLMES: That was a pretty good back and forth I guess. That's got to be helpful for the voters, but some pretty good back and forth among those three on that issue. Iraq was talked about a lot. But health care came up a bit. We're going to listen to what they had to say. We'll talk about it on the other side.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
EDWARDS: Senator Obama came out with a plan just a few days ago which I don't believe is completely universal, but he deserves to be credited because he laid out what the cost is and exactly how he was going to pay for it.
OBAMA: The main disagreement with John and I is John believes that we have to have mandatory insurance for everyone in order to have universal health care. My belief is that most families want health care, but they can't afford it.
CLINTON: The most important thing is not the plan, because there are only a few ways to do this, and we're all talking pretty much about the same things. From my perspective, we have to lower costs, improve quality and cover everybody.
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HOLMES: All right, again, the big three going at it in the middle. We heard some specifics there from Edwards and Obama, specific plans. Clinton painted it more with a broader brush here. So how is this one playing out with the voters? Health care, is that a big one as well?
SCHNEIDER: It is a very big one. It's probably the top domestic issue to Democratic primary voters. And, again, you saw the same scenario play out. You saw Edwards and Obama getting into a squabble over whose plan would cover more people. One is mandatory; the other said it would give priority to lowering costs. And what did Hillary Clinton do? What did she as the front runner? She said, let's you and him fight. Her argument is, I'm going to rise above this issue, this squabble, rather, just as I'm rising above the squabble over Iraq. I think we're all in agreement here.
Again, she doesn't want it to appear there's any differences between the Democrats on this issue because if people don't see difference they are likely to go with the frontrunner.
HOLMES: And she wins the tie because she's the frontrunner right now. Bill, we have so much more to talk to you about, but we've got to run. Bill Schneider for us, in New Hampshire. Enjoy the next debate tomorrow night, as well.
And folks, remember we are your political headquarters. Live tonight Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, and John Edwards are taking part in faith and politics forum in Washington. That's at 7:00 eastern, exclusively on CNN. And from New Hampshire, the Republican presidential contenders hold their debate. That is tomorrow night at 7:00 eastern on CNN. Home of the best political team on television.
PHILLIPS: Well, talk about a major child care concern, parents going to work half a world away.
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UNIDENTIFIED CHILD: I'm going to think that they'll come back safe.
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PHILLIPS: Mom and dad off to war. Straight ahead from the CNN NEWSROOM.
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PHILLIPS: Two-forty-four eastern time, here are three of the stories we are working on right now from the CNN NEWSROOM. We're just learning of a major indictment against Louisiana Congressman William Jefferson. He's been the target of a long-running bribery probe and now he has been indicted on 16 counts and could face some 200 years in prison if convicted on all of them. A chilling new twist in the search for two U.S. soldiers in Iraq. A militant group that claimed it kidnapped them last month, has released new video of what appears to be the soldiers' I.D. cards. The speaker on the video says the soldiers are dead but the U.S. has not confirmed that and the search goes on.
Live pictures now from Capitol Hill, where we are about to listen to the Senate. It's about to resume debate on a compromise immigration reform bill. Critics say the bill amounts to amnesty for the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants right here in the U.S.
HOLMES: The Iraq war splitting up a family in Tennessee. Just days from now, a husband and wife are both deploying to Iraq, and they are leaving behind their three children. Their story now from WBIR's Stony Sharp.
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ZULMA YOUNGS, MOTHER: This is my first tour.
MATTHEW YOUNGS, FATHER: I went over in 2004 and 2005.
STONY SHARP, REPORTER WBIR: Soldiers focus on a new mission far from home. Two faces in the crowd, Zulma Youngs, a high school Spanish teacher, and Matthew Youngs, a construction worker and volunteer fireman. They share the same last name, wear the same uniform, and are both headed to Iraq.
Z. YOUNGS: We're ready to go to do what our commanders tell us to do.
SHARP: Even that means leaving behind their three children, 13- year-old Johnny --
JOHNNY YOUNGS, SON: I want to think they'll come back home safe.
SHARP: Nine-year-old, Timmy.
TIMMY YOUNGS, SON: I'm sad because they're going over there.
SHARP: And 12-year-old, Christina.
CHRISTINA YOUNGS: This is the first time having this in a day to day over there.
SHARP: All of the Youngs see this sacrifice as an opportunity.
M. YOUNGS: To go over, do a mission and come home so my kids ain't got to go in a couple years.
Z. YOUNGS: This is a decision we made together, and it's just -- we want to do it.
SHARP: While away, home will come second to survival. E-mails and letters will be their only connection. M. SHARP: When you're on your down time, that's the only time you want to think about what's going on at home because if not, you jeopardize the whole mission.
SHARP: They won't have to worry about their children. A friend of the family will make sure they get to school and church. So, the Youngs can focus on their ultimate goal.
M. YOUNGS: Coming home safe.
Z. YOUNGS: Coming home safely to our kids and our friends and family.
Stoney Sharp, ten news.
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PHILLIPS: Means, motive and opportunity, the linchpins of a successful crime. But how did the suspects in the alleged JFK plot stack up? A closer look at who they are, next in the CNN NEWSROOM.
SIBILIA VARGAS, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: I'm Sibilia Vargas, at the Central Regional Detention Center in Lynbrooke, California. Paris' new home for the next 23 days. I'll tell you what jail is going to be like when CNN's NEWSROOM continues.
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PHILLIPS: President of the United States arriving in Prague, getting ready for the G-8 Summit that will be held in Germany. As you know, the various leaders from the G-8, participants, will be talking about international economic security and political issues.
This is just moments ago. That's the president's airplane landed in Prague. Met with protesters, live pictures now as he works his way down the runway. But already, protesters in Germany, protesters in Prague. Not in support of the G-8 Summit. It's pretty typical you see this every year when they meet, the protesters come out. The president will meet with leaders from Canada, France, Italy, Japan, Russia, and the UK.
Obviously, Germany the host of this year's G-8 Summit. We'll be tracking his trip. He'll be heading on also to meet with the Pope once he leaves Germany. The president arriving in Prague as he gets ready to head to Germany to the G-8 Summit.
HOLMES: I don't know how you go from the president to Paris Hilton but we're going to give it a shot, here. Forget about the Paris blues. Ms. Hilton, Paris Hilton all about her orange jail jump suit for the next few weeks. Yes, she's turned herself in, early. And is now safely behind bars.
Entertainment correspondent, Silibla Vargas joins us now live from the detention center where Paris is holed up in Lynwood, California. All right, do tell us how are things for Miss Hilton in jail? VARGAS: Probably very boring. I hear she's going to be spending 23 out of the 24 hours in her cell and to be a fly on the wall. I'm sure we all want to know exactly what Paris Hilton is doing right now. I can tell you this, this morning she had some breakfast, it was taken to her cell.
Everything will be going into her cell. Again, she only has one hour to go out. She had some cereal, some bread, some orange juice, and like you said, she'll be donning an orange top and orange pants. Very, very different from what she was wearing yesterday. Oh, yes, she took the opportunity to walk that red carpet at the MTV Movie Awards. We caught up with her and she surprised everyone. This is what she had to say.
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PARIS HILTON, SOCIALITE: I'm just trying to be strong right now. I'm definitely scared, but I'm ready to face my sentence and even though this is a really hard time, I have my friends and family and my fans to support me. It's been really helpful in this really scary time.
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VARGAS: Scary times indeed. I was out here yesterday for visiting hours at this correctional facility, and it go to speak to some people, including an inmate who told me what it was like to be inside.
PAULINE HINES, FMR. INMATE: It's a lot of violence. It's just something you have to deal with. Personally, I was in there, I got sick to my stomach. When my time was up, that was the most happiest moment of my life, you know, because I was just so ready to get out of there. But her being celebrity, I'm sure she'll be treated better.
TERESE AGUILAR, VISITING INMATE: She needs to be housed with the regular population. Just how do you think some of the women that first get arrested their very first time. Are they specially held? There are some people that need to be protected too. There are times people go in there and they're scared to death of life, OK, because think they they're going to get hurt by convicts, OK. So, she's no better than us. I'm sorry.
VARGAS: And that was the general consensus here. I spoke to a lot of people going in to see some of the inmates in there, and the inmates are not very happy. They think Paris Hilton could be getting special treatment. She is staying at a special-needs unit, which is away from the general population, but the L.A. County Sheriff's Department says they need to do that to protect her.
She is Paris Hilton, she's a big name, and there's a lot of people here that might want to do her harm.
HOLMES: Yes, she is Paris Hilton, after all. What is it -- we saw one mug shot. It looked like a head shot for a model agency, maybe, but there were two different mug shots. Is that right? VARGAS: Oh, yes. And both equally as beautiful. This was very strange, actually. This morning we got one mug shot and, you know, looking very glamorous, of course, very cosmopolitan. Then we got another mug shot and the L.A. County Sheriff's Department said stop, stop, stop, that first mug shot was when she was busted for suspicion of DUI back in 2006. Sorry for that. We have -- this is the real mug shot. The mug shot that is the correct one, the one taken today, was actually the one where she had her hair on her side, very much looking like she did at the MTV Movie Awards. So that would make sense.
HOLMES: OK. Is there money being made somewhere in all this, Sibila?
VARGAS: Oh, T.J., I'm sure there's going to be a lot of money being made many places. It just breaks my heart because you would think this is an opportunity for her to change her life, but we're already hearing about possible, you know, diaries being sold. We're also hearing about Madam Tussaud's who's gotten into this -- they've got a wax figure where she's wearing jailhouse outfit. And also the L.A. County sheriff's Department told me that they're already offering like half a million dollars for the first picture that is taken of Paris Hilton inside the jail. So, imagine what they have to contend with. Yes. They said, you know, imagine like a camera being inserted in a person's button. That is something they might have to contend with. This is bizzare, but everything here seems to be bizarre.
HOLMES: For half a mill, I'll find a way to get a picture of her. Alright. Sibila Vargas for us.
Yes, give me the finger, Silbila thank you so much. On Paris watch, a story that our Kyra Phillips is watching closely and interested in as well.
PHILLIPS: Oh, glued to the tube.
HOLMES: Meanwhile, we'll turn from one bad girl to the mother of another bad girl, you might say, Mama Mia, Lindsay Lohan just days into her second rehab stint. Her mother, Dina, I guess, how you say her name. She's reportedly in talks with E! to do a reality show focused on her two youngest kids. The "New York Post" says the show would focus on Dina's star making efforts aimed at 14-year-old Ali and 11-year-old Cody.
PHILLIPS: Straight ahead, an instant sensation. The major meltdown by a minor league manager. If you haven't already seen this video stay tuned and if you've seen it, I'm sure you'll want to see it again. We're not quite sure what this move is but --
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HOLMES: Alright. This is the video everybody is talking about, but you just need to watch it. Don't need to talk about this stuff. This was a major league meltdown by a minor league manager. That's Phillip Wellman of the Mississippi Braves. Don't really know what set him off.
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