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Battle Over Iraq War; News Conference Will be Held on Collar Bomb Case; Senator Admits 'Sin'

Aired July 11, 2007 - 10:59   ET

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

TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: And good morning, everyone. You're with CNN. You're informed.
I'm Tony Harris.

HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Heidi Collins.

Developments keep coming in to the NEWSROOM on Wednesday, July 11th.

Here's what's on the rundown.

Senate Democrats leading a new charge to get U.S. troops out of Iraq. Another Republican breaking ranks with the president just moments ago.

HARRIS: Forced to wear a collar bomb and rob a bank, so he claimed. Charges expected today.

COLLINS: Boy, they get sick a lot. Should antibiotics be used to head off illness in children?

Germ warfare in the NEWSROOM.

HARRIS: And as Heidi mentioned, just in, another Republican choosing to side with the Democrats in the battle over the U.S. military's future of Iraq.

Let's get straight to Capitol Hill and our congressional correspondent, Dana Bash -- Dana.

DANA BASH, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Tony, CNN has learned that Republican senator Olympia Snowe of Maine has now officially signed on as a co-sponsor of the Democrats' measure that will require U.S. troops to leave -- mandated them to leave by the end of April of 2008 from Iraq. Now, this is the way that Olympia Snowe was leaning. That's what she told us earlier in the week, but now CNN has learned that it is actually official. Not only will she vote with the Democrats, she has actually signed on as a co-sponsor of this measure.

Now, this is significant in that now it makes it not just Olympia Snowe, but also Senator Gordon Smith of Oregon, two Republicans who are now going to vote with the Democrats on this. Now, it is significant in terms of the symbolism of it, in terms of the fact that it is indicative of what we have been seeing, the growing opposition to the president and to his war strategy, because prior, there have been many, many votes on Iraq, many votes on the Democrats' plans to bring troops home, but Republicans simply haven't voted that way.

Olympia Snowe was one of them. Now she is saying she will.

Important to keep in mind the context here, though, Tony. Olympia Snowe is -- this is definitely significant, but it is still very unclear, probably unlikely that this particular measure, the key Democratic measure to bring troops home by April 30, 2008, probably still won't pass because it needs 60 votes to do it. And even Republicans, and there are a lot of them who say they don't like the president's strategy, they still probably don't want to go that far as Olympia Snowe is now going and saying, pull troops out of there by this hard and fast deadline.

HARRIS: OK. Our congressional correspondent, Dana Bash, for us this morning.

Dana, thanks.

BASH: Thank you.

COLLINS: She's got a lot to say, but some topics are off limits. Former White House political director Sara Taylor on the hot seat right now on Capitol Hill. A grilling before the Senate Judiciary Committee. But when asked about the firing of U.S. attorneys, she declined to answer.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SARA TAYLOR, FMR. WHITE HOUSE POLITICAL DIRECTOR: That the president has directed me not to testify concerning White House consideration, deliberations, communication, whether internal or external, relating to the possible dismissal or appointment of United States attorneys.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: Taylor told the committee she will talk if the courts rule against the president's use of executive privilege in the case.

New developments in an odd bank robbery case in Erie, Pennsylvania. You may remember these pictures, too, pizza deliveryman Brian Wells sitting in front of police wearing a collar bomb and pleading for help. He was killed by that bomb as police stood by.

Now almost four years later, federal investigators may be ready to charge two people in the case.

CNN's Jason Carroll joining us now live from New York.

And boy, I remember those pictures. It was absolutely -- it stopped your heart to watch those.

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It really did. It was one of those bizarre stories, Heidi, that just didn't seem to go away. And what was so strange about it, as you know, were those circumstances surrounding it.

There you see on that street there, that is Brian Wells, a pizza deliveryman who told police as he was sitting there that he was forced to rob a bank, armed gunmen, in fact, said that he had to do it, and placed a so-called collar bomb around his neck to ensure that he carried out their plan. And, you know, they had a bomb squad that had rushed to the scene to try to help out. It ended right as you see there with the bomb being detonated and Brian Wells killed instantly.

His family put up a Web site proclaiming his innocence, the Web site that you see there. And for the past several years, it's been this sort of question as to, was he involved, was he not involved?

Well, now police said they are going to charge two people, Kenneth Barnes, Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong, two people now charged in connection with the crime. They are charged with conspiracy to commit bank robbery. They face firearms charges, as well.

The question now becomes, was Wells an innocent bystander, Heidi, or was he a co-conspirator?

COLLINS: Right.

CARROLL: And these are the types of questions that we are waiting to hear -- waiting to hear answers from police. They are expected to hold a press conference in just about two hours from now, where hopefully we'll get some more answers for this.

COLLINS: Yes. Boy, I just remember they had -- just had such a hard time trying to figure out what they were dealing with in all of that.

CARROLL: Yes.

COLLINS: So it will be interesting to listen to that press conference.

Jason Carroll in New York for us today.

Thanks, Jason.

HARRIS: Increased concern for America's safety this summer. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff warning a greater risk of a terrorist attack. Chertoff says there is no specific intelligence suggesting any imminent plot and no reason to raise current threat levels nationwide.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAEL CHERTOFF, HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY: We are entering a period this summer of increased risk. We've seen a lot more public statements from al Qaeda. These things give me a -- kind of a gut feeling that we are in a period of -- not that I have a specific threat that I have in mind right now, but that we are entering a period of increased vulnerability.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: Chertoff insists al Qaeda's intent to attacks the U.S. remains as strong as it was before 9/11.

CNN "Security Watch" keeps you up to date on safety. Stay tuned day and night about your most reliable news about your security.

COLLINS: A new development now in a story we reported just this morning. A pet project is being pulled.

We've confirmed that a California state lawmakers is withdrawing his proposal to require most pet owners to spay or neuter their animals or face a fine. The plan was aimed at reducing the number of unwanted dogs and cats.

It had generated a lot of controversy among Californians and had been scheduled for a committee hearing today. Assemblyman Lloyd Levine (ph), who sponsored the bill, says he'll let the hearing go on, but will pull the bill after that. He says he regrets the proposal did not have enough support.

HARRIS: Out West, well, one step forward, one step back. Crews battling wildfires a day after the weather gave some of them a bit of a break.

Wind and lightning sparked new blazes and whipped up old ones. Firefighters busy in Idaho, tackling at least three substantial fires and a number of smaller ones. Dozens of wildfires are burning in at least seven -- count them -- seven western states.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COLLINS: An update on a dramatic story now you saw breaking on NEWSROOM yesterday.

The National Transportation Safety Board says it will look at the maintenance records of a small plane that crashed in suburban Orlando. Five people were killed, including the husband of a major figure in the NASCAR organization, one of two people onboard that Cessna 310.

The plane slammed into a row of houses and broke into pieces while trying to make an emergency landing. Three people in the homes died, including two small children. A 10-year-old boy remains hospitalized with burns over more than 80 percent of his body.

We want to take a moment to listen in to some sound now. This is from the off-duty firefighter. His name is Ryan Cooper. He was one of the people injured after he rushed to the scene.

Just minutes ago he spoke from the hospital where he's being treated. Let's listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RYAN COOPER, INJURED FIREFIGHTER: And we were moving the boxes back and forth, you know. We saw the plane come in. We heard it first, and then saw it impact.

And I told my wife Karen (ph) to go call 911, then I went. And I was right there in front of my car, and I just got all my stuff on and went over there as fast as I could.

I removed the child from the front living room. I came out and grabbed him. He's obviously -- you know, had a significant amount of burns. I had to help him out. And at that time, I think while I was helping him out I believe the father had gone back in -- even though he was still severely burned -- had gone back in to look for the small child.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: That's such a devastating story yesterday. Still trying to get to the bottom of how it all happened.

HARRIS: Yes.

COLLINS: It's going to take some time.

HARRIS: NTSB on the case investigating as we speak.

Still to come in the NEWSROOM this morning, the war in Iraq. Are military planners considering a plan B?

COLLINS: And taking credit for a senator admitting sin. "Hustler" magazine's Larry Flynt now saying he was behind Republican David Vitter's mea culpa.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: A senator unseen. Louisiana Republican David Vitter out of the public eye now in the wake of a startling admission.

CNN's Sean Callebs explains.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Recently, Senator David Vitter was out stumping for Republican presidential hopeful Rudy Giuliani. But as soon as Vitter admitted ties to alleged D.C. madam Deborah Jeane Palfrey, the staunch conservative was nowhere to be seen on Capitol Hill. He skipped hearings and stayed away from his office.

The 46-year-old father of four issued a statement saying, "This was a very serious sin in my past for which I am, of course, completely responsible. Several years ago, I asked for and received forgiveness from God and my wife in confession and marriage counseling."

The editor of an alternative New Orleans newspaper, Clancy DuBos, says there is too much at stake for this issue to die easily.

CLANCY DUBOS, EDITOR, "GAMBIT WEEKLY": You have a woman on trial for racketeering in Washington. She is about to go to jail for a long time for a series of transactions, one or more of which was with David Vitter.

CALLEBS: Federal say prosecutors say this woman, Deborah Jeane Palfrey, ran a prostitution ring under the auspices of an escort service, and that she made more than $2 million dating back to 1993. Palfrey says, nonsense, it was a legitimate business.

Vitter's apology may have come from the heart, but Palfrey's lawyer says it was prompted by a question from "Hustler" magazine about phone records allegedly linking him to the escort service. Attorney Montgomery Sibley says "Hustler" contacted Vitter's office. Hours later, Vitter issued his statement.

Vitter has made traditional family values the cornerstone of his political career. Some of his constituents are shocked and saddened.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think it's a shame that it happened. I'm very sad for his family, but his family has dealt with it.

CALLEBS: Active in his Catholic church, Vitter's strong social conservative statements have raised ire in the passed. Last summer, as New Orleans struggled to rebuild after Hurricane Katrina, and the war in Iraq raged, Vitter told the "Times-Picayune" newspaper that gay marriage, which he strongly opposes, was the most important issue facing America, and that infidelity, divorce and deadbeat dads are contributing to the breakdown of traditional families.

Constituent Silas Lee says Vitter drew a line in the sand.

SILAS LEE, POLITICAL POLLSTER: And for him to cross that line in the eyes of voters, that is -- for some might be perceived as the height of hypocrisy.

CALLEBS: But history shows voters can have short memories. Vitter was elected to the Senate in 2004, and he has three years to try to put this behind him before he needs to worry about reelection.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS: More pressing may be Vitter's future with the Giuliani campaign. When asked about the admission, Giuliani said, "Some people disappoint you." He also said no decision has been made on whether Vitter would continue as his southern campaign chairman.

Parents alert. A new look at antibiotics for a common illness. We are calling Dr. Sanjay Gupta.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: For treatment not prevention. A new study on urinary tract infections suggest giving your child antibiotics to prevent a repeat of the infection could be a bad thing.

Our chief medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta joined us earlier in the NEWSROOM.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: To be clear, if someone has a urinary tract infection, an adult or a child alike, they're going to need antibiotics for that. A full course, usually seven to 10 days. What gets confusing is, what about a child who has recurrent urinary tract infections?

COLLINS: Sure.

GUPTA: What should you do then? One thing is to check for why this is happening. Look at the anatomy of why it is happening.

But also, the question was, could you give prophylactic antibiotics? And for a long time, a lot of doctors have been doing that.

A new study coming out saying maybe not the best idea, for two reasons. It doesn't seem to work. The kids still seem to get the urinary tract infections despite those antibiotics. The second reason is that it might do exactly what you are saying, Heidi, cause these resistant bacteria to form, making an infection much harder to treat in the future.

The study was about 700 children, 6 years or younger. So it's not the biggest study in the world. A lot of doctors are going to look at this study, maybe change some of their practices. But it's an important thing to remember if your child does develop one of these infections.

COLLINS: Yes. As a parent, you try tot not to do the antibiotics, but you want the child to feel better, too.

So, with this particular affliction, if you will, urinary tract infections, we know what causes them in adults. It can be too much caffeine, it can be too much sex. It can be sexually transmitted diseases. What in a child causes this type of infection?

GUPTA: Well, one thing -- and this is something I've just learned about as a parent recently -- is that it can actually be an anatomical problem. So the urine doesn't go in the right direction, if you will. Sometimes it can actually back flow a bit into the kidneys or back into the bladder through the urethra.

COLLINS: Yes, I've heard of that.

GUPTA: And that can be a problem. That's something that should be looked at if a kid has urinary tract infections frequently.

Also, you know, a kid who's older just might be holding it for too long, and you might potentially develop a problem there.

COLLINS: Yes.

GUPTA: A younger kid could have dirty diapers for too long, simple things like that. Sometimes it can be incredibly difficult to know that your child has a urinary tract infection. It's not always fever and burning. A kid just might be more tired than normal. It could be something more vague like that, as well. Just something to look out for.

COLLINS: OK. So if you shouldn't really give them the antibiotics to prevent the infection, what could you do? Cranberry juice?

GUPTA: Well, it's interesting about cranberry juice, because people always talk about it.

COLLINS: Completely not true?

GUPTA: Well, in adults it appears to have some effectiveness, but in kids, it just hasn't been proven to work. So I wouldn't hang your hat on cranberry juice.

COLLINS: It tastes good.

GUPTA: It does taste good. You can give it for that reason.

But I think the important thing is to look for those symptoms and to get a kid treated immediately when they do have the urinary tract infection. So, you know, be a diligent parent, health care provider. Look for these things. If the kid has it, certainly give the antibiotics. But just don't always give it prophylactically to prevent it.

COLLINS: OK. Real quickly, when you talk about building up a resistance if you take too many of these particular antibiotics for this particular infection, could the child become resistant to other types of infections, or only just the urinary tract?

GUPTA: No, absolutely, it's a good point. I mean, antibiotics obviously are something that are affecting your whole body. So you could be killing good bacteria in other places of your body, possibly developing resistance, as well. Giving antibiotics sort of indiscriminately, I think everyone agrees not a very good idea.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS: Sanjay says parents should talk with their child's pediatrician about specific risks of daily antibiotic use.

And to get your "Daily Dose" of health news online, log on to our Web site. You'll find the latest medical news, a health library and information on diet and fitness. That address, cnn.com/health.

HARRIS: Here is a tough subject to talk about, female genital mutilation. It is accepted in some countries and it is spreading to others. London police now trying to crack down against the practice.

CNN's Phil Black has this report, but we have to warn you, you may find some of the images and sounds disturbing.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PHIL BLACK, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): This young girl is a victim of an ancient custom still damaging millions of lives today. Eight-year-old Fusia (ph) is undergoing female circumcision, also known as female genital mutilation. This was in Kenya, but the terrible images are now being used as an educational tool by police in London, who say this is happening in the British capital.

DET. INSPECTOR CAROL HAMILTON, LONDON METROPOLITAN POLICE: Absolutely. You can't just stop something that has been in tradition since the time of the pharaohs. And we have now 28 practicing countries. And all of those countries will have immigrant population here.

BLACK: Police here say the approaching summer holiday period is the time most likely for British girls to undergo female circumcision, because the break from school allows time to heal.

HAMILTON: It's horrendous. It is physical and emotional torture of children.

BLACK: It is a tradition for mostly African and some Middle Eastern countries, often carried out to ensure chastity. Police say the mutilation is often planned for visits to family homelands. The precise number of British victims is impossible to know, but the police and counselors like Faduma Hussein believe it may be tens of thousands, mostly Muslim girls.

FADUMA HUSSEIN, COUNSELOR: It's not a religious obligation. It's not in the Koran. And people are starting to know more about the religion now, and that's a good reason why they have to stop it.

SALIMATA BADJI-KNIGHT, MUTILATION VICTIM: I was about four and a half. And they told us we are going to a picnic.

BLACK: Salimata Badji-Knight suffered genital mutilation in Senegal. It was organized by her grandmother.

BADJI-KNIGHT: No one can come and tell me, oh, there is nothing wrong with this. It's not true. It had dramatically changed my life forever. And there's nothing I can do to change that.

BLACK: Doctors say the practice kills. It can also cause lifelong psychological trauma, serious menstrual and urinary tract problems, and complications during pregnancy.

(on camera): It is practiced in many countries and cultures and a number of different religions. But victims around the world have one thing in common -- they belong to patriarchal communities. And police in London believe for this to stop, it is men who must stand against it.

(voice over): Police have offered a $40,000 reward for information from the public about cases of female mutilation. It's been a specific crime here four years, but so far no one has been convicted. Police say they hope to change that soon.

Phil Black, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE) COLLINS: A plane goes down, lives lost, homes in ruins. A neighbor rushes to help. He happens to be a firefighter, and he's talking about his heroic effort.

HARRIS: The war in Iraq. Are military planners considering a plan B?

COLLINS: At a crossroads over immigration. A plan to identify illegal immigrants in one community now drawing protests and charges of racism

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Bottom of the hour. Welcome back, everyone, to the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Tony Harris.

COLLINS: Hi there. I'm Heidi Collins.

We want to go straight to our Jason Carroll who is standing by in New York right now with more information on that very bizarre bank robbery case back in August of 2003. We've been calling it, Jason, the collar bomb in Pennsylvania. What do we know now about this?

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Heidi, you and I were just talking about this not too long ago. And right now a source with knowledge of the investigation tells CNN that Brian Wells, he is that pizza deliveryman who had that so-called collar bomb wrapped around his neck. Remember, Heidi, he was the one who told police he was an innocent bystander, that armed gunmen were the ones who attached that collar bomb to his neck and ordered to get him to carry out that bank robbery.

Well, this source with knowledge of the investigation tells CNN authorities will announce Brian Wells was allegedly involved in the plot that eventually took his life. Now Wells' family has come out very publicly on a Web site saying that he is innocent, that he was not in any way involved in all of this.

But again, this source with knowledge of the investigation saying authorities will indeed announce that Brian Wells was allegedly involved in the plot that ended up taking his life -- Heidi.

COLLINS: Jason, any idea when we will be given more information as to how they came to that decision?

CARROLL: Well, one would hope. I know that during the press conference they will give more information about the two suspects they have charged with conspiracy to commit bank robbery. There is one of them right there. That is Marjorie Deal Armstrong (ph). The other person charged, Kenneth Barnes.

What is still unclear in all of this is how the three of these people knew each other and how this plot came to be. Hopefully during this press conference, Heidi, we'll be able to get more answers to some of those questions. COLLINS: And once again you see that should be happening 1:30 Eastern Time. I'm sure we'll have at least some of that for our viewers.

Jason, thanks so much for that.

HARRIS: An update now on a breaking news story you watched unfold right here in the NEWSROOM yesterday. The National Transportation Safety Board says it will look at the maintenance records of a small plane that crashed in suburban Orlando. Five people were killed, two onboard and three on the ground, including two children. The plane slammed into a row of houses and broke into pieces while trying to make an emergency landing. Fire fighter Brian Cooper lives nearby.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RYAN COOPER, FIREFIGHTER: I removed the child from the front living room. I came out and grabbed him. He's obviously had a significant amount of burns. I had to help him out. At that time I think while I was helping him out, I believe the father had gone back in, even though he was still severely burned, had gone back in to look for the small child.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: That boy, 10 years old, is hospitalized with burns over most of his body.

COLLINS: A renewed battle over the war fires up this hour. Senators deciding whether to end debate and take a vote on Democratic proposal, calling for military personnel returning from Iraq and Afghanistan to remain in the U.S. for at least as long as they spent abroad. This is seen as a test for Democrats. Have they gained enough momentum to force changes in U.S.-Iraq strategy?

Senate leaders also plan to debate an amendment to begin with drawing troops within four months.

Democrats got a boost just a short time ago with Republican Olympia Snowe saying she would sign on as a sponsor of the measure. President Bush standing firm on his strategy to maintain troop levels in Iraq until he hears otherwise from his top general.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRES. OF THE UNITED STATES: But I believe that it's in this nation's interests to give the commander a chance to fully implement his operations. And I believe Congress ought to wait for General Petraeus to come back and give his assessment of the strategy that he's putting in place before they make any decisions.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: The president is sending his national security adviser back to Capitol Hill today. Stephen Hadley will try to shore up eroding GOP support for the war.

The war in Iraq. Are top military planners working on plan B? CNN Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr takes a look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

STARR: (voice-over): CNN has learned that some Pentagon planners are quietly considering a revised Iraq military strategy if the so- called surge doesn't result in significant progress by September. And given the violence, it's unlikely that quick progress will happen.

The leading ideas are part of the Iraq Study Group's analysis -- get the troops out of day to day combat and instead have them focus on fighting al Qaeda terrorists, training Iraqi security forces the forces and securing Iraq's borders with Iran and Syria.

The Pentagon knows this potential Plan B is one of the best chances for bipartisan Congressional support.

JON ALTERMAN, CENTER FOR STRATEGIC & INTERNATIONAL STUDIES: We'll have some garrisoning around Baghdad. We'll have some border control responsibility. We'll have a training responsibility. And then we'll have an attack capability for insurgent groups.

STARR: But experts say telling the troops to just go after Al Qaeda could be a security nightmare.

JIM CARAFANO, SENIOR FELLOW, HERITAGE FOUNDATION: If it's a domestic bomb factory, you're going to leave it alone?

I mean, you know, you can't tell these things. You're going to go after bad guys who are trying to kill innocent people. So trying to say we'll parse this and we'll only go after the bad guys who are, you know, that we care about, that's almost impossible to do.

STARR: Some military planners are already crunching the Plan B numbers -- how many troops, where would they be positioned and could the U.S. give up some of its bases in Iraq?

(on camera): Officially, none of this is happening. Officially, the Pentagon is sticking with its current strategy. Even Defense Secretary Robert Gates is keeping his distance from Congress. Aides say the secretary doesn't want his public presence to stoke the political fires any further.

Barbara Starr, CNN, the Pentagon.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(WEATHER REPORT)

COLLINS: A new attempt to crack down on illegal immigration now drawing loud protests in one community.

CNN's Brian Todd takes a look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Hundreds of protesters converge on a government building in Prince William County, Virginia, channeling their wrath toward one man. The crowd mostly Hispanic accuses county supervisor John Stirrup of racism, harassment.

UNIDENTIFIED GROUP: (UNINTELLIGIBLE)

TODD: Stirrup is trying to pass a new law, which would turn police into defecto (ph) immigration agents.

JOHN STIRRUP, PRINCE WILLIAM CO. VA SUPERVISOR: When they encounter an individual involved in a violation of a crime or ordinance to ask that question, among other questions that they ask during a typical preliminary interrogation, ask that question of their immigration status.

TODD: That may apply even to routine traffic stops. Then the police would send that information to federal agencies with the idea of getting that person deported. But Stirrup is not stopping there. He eventually wants people applying to send their kids to local schools to be asked the same questions about their immigration status, as well as people using fire and rescue and other emergency services.

Under federal law, the county cannot deny anyone these services, but Stirrup wants to use those services to flag any illegal immigrants. These protesters and other immigrant advocates say this is nothing short of profiling.

RICARDO JUAREZ, MEXICANOS SIN FRONTERAS: Why do they ask that to us, to the brown people, to the Latino people, so I don't know (UNINTELLIGIBLE) this law, the white officials or the white workers in the county will request the same questions to a white person?

TODD: The county police are also against the proposal. They say it will add too much to the officers' workload and turn the immigrant community against them.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: He says he is doing this because he got numerous calls from constituents complaining illegal immigrants were overpopulating neighborhoods, trashing the streets, causing crime to skyrocket and draining resources. But, these protesters and other immigrant advocates say Stirrup's proposed solution is nothing short of profiling.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RICARDO JUAREZ, MEXICANOS SIN FRONTERAS: Why they will ask that to us, to the brown people? To the Latino people? So, I don't know if under this law the white officials or the white workers on the county will request the same questions to a white person.

(END VIDEO CLIP) TODD: The county police are also against the proposal. They say it will add too much to the officers' workload and turn the immigrant community against them. Brian Todd, CNN, Woodbridge, Virginia.

HARRIS: Well, let's take you to the floor of the Senate right now where the vote is underway on the Webb amendment. This is the amendment that would bring troops home. To start the process of troop withdrawals from Iraq in about four months. That vote is underway now. Of course the magic number is 60 and as we heard Dana Bash reporting this morning, it is unlikely we will get to this point.

As you know, there are a couple of amendments that are being discussed. But right now this is the Webb amendment that is discussing the idea that the troops who are deployed will, in the future, get as much time back home as they are deployed in the field. So that is the vote. Let me correct myself here. That is the vote going on right now.

We will keep an eye on that vote in the Senate right now. This is the Webb amendment. We'll give you an update on the vote as soon as we get it here in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: YOUR WORLD TODAY coming up at the top of the hour about 15 minutes from now. Jim Clancy. There he is, standing by with a preview for us. Jim, good morning.

JIM CLANCY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Tony and to Hiedi there, as well. There were six Bulgarian nurses sitting in a courtroom this day in Tripoli, Lybia. They heard a verdict announced, they are sentenced to death. They're crime, they are accused of infecting children with HIV as they attempted to treat them. We'll have more on their case and the calls for clemency coming in from around the world.

In Iraq meantime, some serious doubts about the government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. We've all heard the promises, this government was going to get down and get to work, but since nobody is showing up for work, the question is how. And you can't knock success, or can you? The Simpsons TV show is a success. Some convenience stores that changed their names to promote the show doing nicely too.

But, many wonder whether stereotypes and success can be written into the same script. All that and much, much more coming up at the top of the hour noon eastern here on YOUR WORLD TODAY. Back to you Hiedi and Tony.

COLLINS: Hey, Jim, that Simpsons story is a great one. In fact, we have a guest who's going to tell us all about it right now. Simpsons Movie premiere -- Homer call for a small town. Springfield, Vermont, has won the right to host the world premiere -- yes the world premiere of the Simpsons Movie.

The Vermont town submitted a video shot by a teenager. It shows Homer chasing a giant pink donut throughout the town. In an online vote, the Vermont town beat out 13 other Springfields around the nation. Cowabunga. Patricia Chaffee is joining us now on the phone from the winning Springfield. She is the Vice President of the Springfield, Vermont, Regional Chamber of Commerce. And first off we just have to say congratulations, Patricia.

VOICE OF PATRICIA CHAFFEE, CHAMBER OF COMMERCE; Thank you so very much. It is a very exciting time for us.

COLLINS: I can tell by your voice. Hey, why did you guys think it was important in your town to go ahead and do something like this?

CHAFFEE: Well, initially the thought process was it was just a great way to promote ourselves, you know, get our name out there and hopefully maybe get more tourists and a little bit of economic growth from it. In our wildest dreams we would have never thought we would win. But, here we are. We are at the top of the heap, and we're going to host the premiere. So, it's been a great, great turn of events for us.

COLLINS: How is that going to happen, you guys have 212 seats in that little theater there?

CHAFFEE: Yes, we are going to do the best we can. We've got two small, there's the 212-seat cinema, and there's the smaller one with about 70 seats. So, we'll try to do both theaters at the same time, or both cinemas at the same time, and host as many people as we can.

COLLINS: That's great. Governor Jim Douglas said as we watch the video here of that pink donut, which I dying to ask you how that was made, said this proves there is really nothing a giant donut can't do. Do you think the donut is what gave you the edge up?

CHAFFEE: Well, I'm not so sure the donut gave us the edge up. I think that our video was unique, and had a fresh feel to it. And, I think that's what got people to vote.

COLLINS: Now, you were the producer of the film.

CHAFFEE: Yes, I was.

COLLINS: You coordinated this shoot with the town and you recruited merchants. You also were the person to contact Fox. So when we show this picture of you getting the phone call that you had won, how did that feel?

CHAFFEE: Oh, my God. We were thrilled. Obviously, we're in awe. We didn't think we would win. But, it was a thrill to get the phone call and we are very excited to be able to showcase our great community.

COLLINS: Well, there were something like 9300 people competing for this. Massachusetts got U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy involved. Springfields all over the country involved in this. Anything special planned for that big premiere on July 21st? CHAFFEE: We will have the premiere. We are going to hold a huge party and just hope that people will come to town and enjoy what we have here.

COLLINS: Are you going to serve pink donuts?

CHAFFEE: Yes, we might.

COLLINS: All right. Well, Patricia Chaffee, congratulations once again, Vice President of Springfield, Vermont, Chamber of Commerce.

CHAFEE: Thank you.

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(BUSINESS HEADLINES)

Move over, Obama girl. This girl is hot for Hillary. The story straight ahead in the NEWSROOM. Nice reaction.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: So after the success of the Obama girl's video -- stop laughing, Heidi. It was only a matter of time before someone was hot for hill.

CNN's Jeanne Moos explains.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Obama girl, meet hot for Hill.

TARYN SOUTHERN, ACTRESS (singing): I've got a crush on a girl named Hill. But she's not with me, she's with a guy named Bill.

MOOS: Oh, he won't mind.

SOUTHERN (singing): Hillary, I think I need you.

MOOS: Actress Taryn Southern was inspired by the "I've got a crush on Obama" video.

SOUTHERN: I thought it was brilliant.

MOOS: So the former American Idol contestant did a parody of the parody.

SOUTHERN (singing): I could be your maid or your White House aide or the soldier who marches in your first parade.

(speaking): I would vote for Hillary.

MOOS: Though we're not sure this is the best way to help her get elected.

SOUTHERN (singing): H-I-L-L-A-R-Y. I know you're not gay but I'm hoping for a ride.

MOOS; We opted for a bicoastal connection. The whole angle of a girl writing about a crush on a girl, is it safe to assume you're acting?

SOUTHERN: I am actually straight.

(singing): The USA would be a better place if everyone could just get a taste of you.

(speaking): When I was writing this video, I knew that the comedy would come from the fact that it's a girl singing about how she has a crush on a girl. That's what made the parody different from the Obama girl video.

(singing): You're into border security. Let's break this border between you and me.

MOOS: It's hard to keep up, not too long a Condoleezza Rice video was big. A Condi imitator rapped on subjects ranging from Iraq to her Condolicious shoes. From Condi's shoes to Hillary's skin. The gain(ph) is seen to get under the skin of some, though who most who commented online seemed amused.

She may be hot for Hill. But Hillary wasn't hot to comment. The campaign had nothing to say about the video. They never returned our call. There was competition between Hillary girl and Obama girl, but while Obama girl featured booty shorts, Hot for Hill focused on pantsuits.

SOUTHERN (singing): I like your hair, the pants that you wear and the shape of your derriere.

(speaking): I do like her pantsuits.

MOOS: Derriere is just a nice rhyme.

Jeanne Moos, CNN New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: Heidi, it's never too late. What are you talking about?

COLLINS: Happy anniversary, honey. Can you believe that?

HARRIS: This is my gift to the wonderful couple.

COLLINS: To the Collins.

HARRIS: Heidi and Matt Collins.

COLLINS: Look at this. I could just hide behind it.

HARRIS: No they're from me.

COLLINS: Oh, they are? They are not. CNN NEWSROOM continues just one hour from now.

HARRIS: YOUR WORLD TODAY is next with news happening at -- we'll see you tomorrow.

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