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Former Astronaut Lisa Nowak in Court; Vick Plea Deal; Waterlogged Ohio

Aired August 24, 2007 - 11:00   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 again, everyone. You're with CNN. You're informed.
I'm Tony Harris.

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

Developments keep coming into the CNN NEWSROOM on Friday, the 24th of August.

Here's what's on the rundown.

A former shuttle astronaut, the woman she's accused of attacking, face to face in court this morning.

HARRIS: Kidnapped, raped, buried alive. John Couey faces sentencing for killing a Florida girl just hours away.

COLLINS: Flood alerts for nine states in the Midwest today, and it's still raining. Plus, more violent lightning could strike today.

Stormy weather in the NEWSROOM.

Space oddity. NASA's love triangle playing out right now in a Florida courtroom. A live shot for you there. It's a hearing for an ex-astronaut accused of attacking a romantic rival.

John Zarrella is joining us now live from Orlando.

John, we know you've been following this for quite some time. What have you heard so far this morning?

JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Heidi, right now the prosecutor has been speaking with the detective who conducted what he said was about a three-to five-hour interview with Lisa Nowak after she was arrested at the Orlando airport. He has been on the stand discussing how that interview went, at times saying he was the one being asked questions. He said that Nowak was very calculating in all of that interview process, and even said that it sounded at times like he was having a game of chess with her during that interview.

Now, of course, the big news this morning came right out of the box when Lisa Nowak herself took the stand and discussed this ankle bracelet that she had been wearing as part of her pretrial release, talking about how it costs her $105 a week, almost $3,000 right now, and that she, of course, would like to have that ankle bracelet removed now until the trial takes place. And also, discussing some of the issues why it's a bother.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LISA NOWAK, FORMER ASTRONAUT: On the days before I have to wear the boots and bring it up to that high point, it's held very tightly against my legs. So, on those days it causes abrasions.

Also, if it's worn without a bandage or something to keep it in place, it causes abrasions around the ankle area. And sometimes during sleep when I'm resting on it in one place the same thing happens.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ZARRELLA: Now, after Nowak's testimony, the attorney representing Colleen Shipman, the alleged victim in all of this, he got up and read a statement saying that Ms. Shipman felt very comfortable that Nowak was wearing this ankle bracelet. It gave her comfort that she new that.

Well, the attorney representing Lisa Nowak objected, saying, hey, wait a minute, she's here, Ms. Shipman. I want to hear from her. I want to hear from her.

The judge agreed. She took the stand and she discussed the fact that the same things, basically, reiterating that, in fact, she was glad that Ms. Nowak had that ankle bracelet. And then she discussed some of the other things that she's been doing during the course of these past seven months.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CAPT. COLLEEN SHIPMAN, U.S. AIR FORCE: I traveled to Texas to visit my boyfriend, where I do feel comfortable and I do feel protected. When I'm home alone and there's nobody there with me, it is a comfort.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ZARRELLA: Now she did -- she brought up there the fact that she had been going to Houston, Texas, at least three or four different times to visit her boyfriend. Her boyfriend being the third member in this alleged love triangle. That's astronaut Billy Oefelein.

So, that was something that came out that was quite interesting. And the judge, of course, saying -- and the defense attorney saying, look, if you can go there to visit, and that's exactly where Lisa Nowak lives, then, you know, why does she need this ankle bracelet?

Heidi.

COLLINS: Oh, it was interesting, that's for sure. I think we'll have, what do you think, several more days on this at least?

ZARRELLA: No. No, no. This hearing should wrap up sometime this afternoon. Right now they're going over those two other issues right now.

COLLINS: Right.

ZARRELLA: The defense wants them to go ahead and just toss out this hearing, this conversation that she had, and to toss out the fact that her evidence, the evidence that was found in her car -- Heidi.

COLLINS: Yes. All right. Well, that's some good news, then. It didn't get out.

All right. John Zarrella, thanks so much.

HARRIS: Quarterback calls an audible (ph). Three days before Michael Vick plans to plead guilty in a dogfighting case, word of a new development in negotiations.

ESPN reports Vick will not admit to killing dogs or gambling on dogfights. A source tells ESPN the Atlanta Falcons quarterback will plead guilty to interstate commerce for the purpose of dogfighting. ESPN also reports Vick will say he witnessed the killing of dogs but didn't participate in it.

CNN has not independently confirmed the story. As part of their plea deals, Vick's codefendants have said he took part in executing dogs and bankrolled the enterprise.

All right. Let's go to ESPN legal analyst, Roger Cossack.

Roger, good to talk to you.

I understand that we have not been able here at CNN to confirm this story. And it looks like at least around the edges this story may be coming apart a bit.

What can you tell us about this?

ROGER COSSACK, ESPN LEGAL ANALYST: Well, I have -- you know, let me just say that I have suspicions about the veracity of this story. It doesn't -- doesn't really make a lot of sense to me.

I was there last Friday, of course, for the pleas of the two co- defendants, who specifically under oath indicated that Vick was present when dogs were executed and Vick put up the money for the gambling. While it's possible that he could plead guilty to the conspiracy by just saying, yes, I was the financier of this whole thing, I got it started, but I really didn't really have very much to do with it, I was just the guy who, you know, let these other guys run it, it becomes inconsistent with why...

HARRIS: Yes.

COSSACK: ... why the prosecutor would have these other witnesses come in and on the record under oath say what they did and now have Vick come in and say -- and deny that. It becomes an inconsistency...

HARRIS: Right. COSSACK: ... in which it makes very little sense.

HARRIS: So, do you have an idea the sourcing of this story? Because, my goodness, we have been trying to track it down, and we haven't been successful in doing it yet.

Does it sound to you like a source with intimate knowledge of the case? A defense source? Or what do you think?

COSSACK: Here's what it is. I would think this: if I was the defense team for Michael Vick, I mean, I would pray that this would be some kind of a deal that I could get.

I mean, look, to save him from having to admit gambling in front of -- you know, because of the NFL would be terrific. So maybe it happened that way. But I really have no idea where this came from.

And, you know, I have no idea the veracity of it. I just -- it just sounds a little strange to me, and it makes me think that maybe there is something going on that just isn't -- you know, I just have problems with this story.

HARRIS: Yes. Roger, when you hear this story, it sounds like it's a source from the defense camp, and that this source is revealing information that is known to the defense because the deal is done.

Is the deal done?

COSSACK: Well, you know, this is something that only the defense team and the prosecution know, whether or not the deal is done. We know that the deal is that he's going to go in there and plead guilty on Monday, and he's going to plead guilty to a conspiracy. But this judge makes you go in a little deeper.

You just can't go in and say, look, you know, I was the financier, and, you know, I didn't really have much to do with it, and all these allegations that were in the indictment, you know, really have not much to do with me, even though they do name me. I mean, he's going to make -- he's going to make Michael Vick answer some questions.

HARRIS: Yes. All right, Roger. We will continue to work on this story as well. It's just not coming together for us at this point.

COSSACK: Yes. There's just something about it that just makes me uncomfortable.

HARRIS: OK. Roger, we're going to be of course watching this Monday, Michael Vick in court, 10:30, right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.

Join us.

COLLINS: Severe storms with high winds in the Windy City. Lots of lightning and rain. Chicago recovering this morning. A transportation nightmare. More than 500 flights were canceled out of the city's two airports yesterday. Right now, airlines are trying to get back on track. But another round of storms later today could cause more problems.

Driving no picnic either. Roads littered with downed trees and power lines. Hundreds of thousands of people still without power this morning. Officials say it may take days to repair all the lines.

Take a look now at some pictures from I-Reporter Albert Cansino. He's a police officer in Aurora, Illinois, and was called to this scene during the storms. Luckily, no one was in this car when the tree demolished it.

In northern Ohio today, hundreds of residents trying to salvage whatever they can from flood-damaged homes.

CNN's David Mattingly reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Like most of their neighbors in Findlay, Ohio, Tate Met (ph) and his family are drying out.

(on camera): Once the basement was filling up, the street was flooding, what was going through your mind?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Panic. Just wanted to get out.

MATTINGLY (voice over): The speed of the flood from the raging Blanchard River caught them by surprise. The streets were impassable, and with baby twins and a 3-year-old in tow, they had to call for help.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So they sent a rescue boat for us. And there were about three or four firemen that helped load the boat up. And then we got out of here. We're just waiting for the water to rise so we can come down and clean it up.

MATTINGLY: They came back to find their basement and everything in it awash in floodwater and sewage. Many of their belongings won't be salvaged.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Probably 50 percent of the stuff will be -- will be trashed.

MATTINGLY: It is now a familiar story of loss and nature, with floods menacing thousands across the upper Midwest, all the result of torrential summer rains. And as one town dries out, another is drenched.

Down river from Findlay, the city streets of Ottawa, Ohio, have disappeared. And the water didn't stop rising until it was just short of a 94-year-old record. With flooding five feet or deeper in some parts of town, front- end loaders have become the newest form of mass transit. We hitched a ride for a look at a town that is paralyzed and soaked to the bone.

Homes have become islands. Intersections look like rushing rivers.

(on camera): You can get a really good idea how fast the water is moving right here. These are the railroad tracks that run right through the middle of town. Of course you can't see them under the water, but they're causing just enough of a bump to make the water churn.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All right. We're good.

MATTINGLY (voice over): Fire and police travel by boat, responding to emergency calls from people who can't leave their homes.

Some people, you know, we talked to, told them what was going on. And they tried to come on out. Some people said, no, they still wanted to stay with their house.

MATTINGLY (on camera): And now they're getting tired of staying in the houses?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. Some of them are.

MATTINGLY: And now you have to come get them?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right.

MATTINGLY (voice over): This house even caught on fire.

Responding was difficult. When water got too deep for the engines, front-end loaders had to carry the firemen to the scene.

A note of urgency in a town waiting for its turn to watch the waters recede.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS: Boy, oh, boy. David Mattingly joining us now live.

David, such a mess. What are people doing there today?

MATTINGLY: Well, mostly they're getting impatient. These waters aren't going away as quickly as they would like to see.

We've seen a lot of residents out in their canoes and their kayaks this morning, just like we saw them yesterday, out sightseeing. Today, public officials are saying, stop doing that, stay out of this water.

Remember, this water has gone into everybody's basement, everybody's garage, all these businesses. No telling what kind of chemicals and stuff is in there. So, for public health reasons, stay out of the water, stay patient, and stay dry inside your house. And when these waters finally disappear, then that's going to be the time to get out and get to work.

COLLINS: Boy, we wish them the best of luck, that's for sure. It's been a tough go.

David Mattingly, live from Ottawa, Ohio, this morning.

Thanks, David.

HARRIS: You know, the floodwaters aside, you take a look at that shot behind David, sunny skies out there in Ohio.

COLLINS: Very deceiving.

HARRIS: Does -- yes.

(WEATHER REPORT)

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I'm Susan Candiotti, reporting live from Miami.

Today, a chilling jailhouse conversation with John Couey, the convicted killer of little Jessica Lunsford. Couey is to be sentenced today.

I'll have that story coming up ahead in the NEWSROOM.

COLLINS: A renowned televangelist who preaches empowerment for women the victim of an alleged assault. The suspected attacker, her minister husband.

HARRIS: Drilling one last hole. One last hope for the trapped miners.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We hope that our loved ones survived the accident and are awaiting rescue. We know that the odds are stacked against them, but miracles happen.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: Families waiting for word.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: And word just coming in from the arraignment of a former Canton, Ohio, police officer accused of killing his ex-girlfriend. Bobby Cutts, Jr. pleaded not guilty at his arraignment in Canton, Ohio, just a short time ago.

Cutts faces aggravated murder and other charges in the death of Jessie Davis and her unborn daughter. He could get the death penalty if convicted. Cutts is the father of Davis' 2-year-old son, and authorities say he was also the father of the baby she was carrying. COLLINS: He was convicted of kidnapping, raping and murdering a 9-year-old Florida girl. Today, John Couey hears his sentence for the murder of Jessica Lunsford.

Susan Candiotti is joining us now live from Miami with more details.

Good morning to you, Susan.

CANDIOTTI: Good morning, Heidi.

And on the day John Couey learns his fate, some unusual insight, chilling insight into what's going on inside John Couey's head.

In response to a public records request, we now have access to a jail house phone call that John Couey had earlier this month with a woman Florida officials describe as his aunt. Now, in this phone call, he discusses what's going on in his life.

And remember that all jail house phone calls are recorded. Inmates are supposed to know it.

So, again, in this excerpt, you're going to hear John Couey talking with his aunt about how drugs and booze played a role in his troubles over the years.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

JOHN COUEY, FOUND GUILTY OF MURDERING JESSICA LUNSFORD: Yeah, I kick myself in the butt a hundred times a day.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. I know. I know.

COUEY: Stupidity.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. Well...

COUEY: Just trying to figure out, I'm just asking myself, why was you so stupid?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I know. Well, none of us are perfect, and the drugs didn't help any.

COUEY: No, that was a big problem, drugs, alcohol.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. Because, remember, you always told me if you don't drink or do any kind of drugs you could handle yourself, that you could fight off the urges and stuff. But if you ever got messed up on something, that's when you lost control.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

CANDIOTTI: A jury found Couey guilty of the 2005 kidnapping, rape and murder of little Jessica Lunsford. Remember, he buried the little girl alive. A jury also recommended a death sentence, but in Florida, the judge accepts that recommendation. But the final decision is up to him as to whether John Couey gets life without the possibility of parole or death by lethal injection.

And Jessica's father, Mark Lunsford, back in July issued a victim impact statement, addressed the court, and said that he favors the death sentence -- Heidi.

COLLINS: So, Susan, is it obvious that the judge could bring that phone conversation into the courtroom come sentencing time?

CANDIOTTI: No, that's unlikely. All that's going to happen at 2:00 this afternoon Eastern Time, the judge will be announcing his decision. We only happened to have access to this phone call because they are public record in the state of Florida, and that's how we got to hear it.

COLLINS: Interesting. All right.

Susan Candiotti, live from Miami.

Susan, thanks.

HARRIS: Barack Obama on the stump now, sitting down with our Don Lemon. Details on that interview just ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Hoping for a miracle in Utah. Families and supporters of those six trapped coal miners plan a benefit tonight. And they are trying to raise money to drill a hole large enough for a rescue capsule to be lowered into the mine.

Mine officials have ruled out such an option unless they see some signs of life. Instead, they're drilling a sixth and final hole not large enough for a rescue capsule. It's an effort to locate the six trapped miners.

Meanwhile, in Washington, lawmakers are planning to look into the mine collapse.

COLLINS: The minister husband of televangelist Juanita Bynum turned himself in today. He's charged with beating his wife in the parking lot of an Atlanta hotel.

Eric Philips of CNN Atlanta affiliate WSB has details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JUANITA BYNUM, TELEVANGELIST: Really, that this is not a couple that is ready for divorce.

ERIC PHILIPS, REPORTER, WSB (voice over): Preacher and televangelist Juanita Bynum seen here in this YouTube video delivering a powerful message, but early Wednesday morning, it was not in a pulpit but in a parking lot where police say she became the victim of assault at the hands of her own husband, preacher Thomas Weeks.

Channel 2 has obtained from Bynum's sister these pictures of the bruising suffered by Bynum during the incident. It happened around 5:00 Wednesday morning outside the Renaissance Hotel near Hartsfield- Jackson International Airport.

The estranged couple had apparently met up to try and reconcile their marriage, but the meeting became violent. According to the police report, Juanita Bynum stated that her husband, Thomas Weeks, choked her, pushed her down, kicked her and stomped her in the Renaissance parking lot. She stated that her husband continued stomping until a bellman named John pulled him off of her.

The couple lead the Global Destiny Church in Duluth, a church founded by Bishop Weeks. Bynum met with police more than 24 hours after the incident to discuss what happened in an undisclosed location because she said she feared for her life.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS: Weeks and Bynum were married in 2002 in an a elaborate televised wedding.

HARRIS: And still to come in the NEWSROOM, washed out and worn out in the Midwest. Floodwaters devastate hundreds of homes and lives.

A live report from one of the hardest hit towns.

COLLINS: Sweltering temperatures. A parked car a deadly mix for two young children.

HARRIS: Should U.S. troops stay or should they come home? A top Republican adds pressure. Our guests tackle the battle over the troops, straight ahead in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Bottom of the hour. Welcome back, everyone, to the CNN NEWSROOM.

I'm Tony Harris.

COLLINS: Hi, everybody I'm Hiedi Collins. I want to get straight to this story for you NASA's bizarre love triangle playing out right now in an Orlando court room. A pretrial hearing underway for or ex- astronaut Lisa Nowak. You see her a few minutes ago taking the stand.

She is accused of attacking a romantic rival after driving cross country from Houston to Orlando. Her attorney wants evidence against her and statements me she made to police thrown out. He also wants her ankle bracelet monitor removed. Nowak and her alleged victim both taking the stand on that issue.

LISA NOWAK,FORMER ASTRONAUT: I can absolutely say that I will not go to Brevard County. I will abide by all the court orders that went along with wearing the unit and any additional ones that they wish to put on.

CAPT. COLLEEN SHIPMAN, U.S. AIR FORCE: When I'm home alone and there's nobody there with me, it is a comfort.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. And, when you were in Houston were you alone or with your boyfriend?

SHIPMAN: I was always with either my boyfriend or one of his close friends or several of his close friends.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Are you still afraid of Ms. Nowak?

SHIPMAN: Yes.

COLLINS: The investigator who was on this scene of this incident back in February 5th was Orlando Police Officer, William Becton. As you may recall one of the major issues -- or I should say one of the issues that everyone at lest talked about a lot on this case was whether or not Lisa Nowak actually wore adult diapers in her cross country trip.

William Becton addresses that now.

OFC. WILLIAM BECTON, INVESTIGATOR, ORLANDO INTL. AIRPORT: When I opened the trunk of the car I saw lined up in a row approximately 30, maybe 40 unused baby diapers in the trunk of the car.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK.

BECTON: On the passenger side of the trunk was a case of water bottles, one gallon water bottles that were unused and unopened.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. All right. Now, were they baby or toddler or what?.

BECTON: They looked like they could probably fit a one-year-old, give or take a few months.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So, with that information, did that cause you any concerns?

BECTON: Yes, ma'am it did.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What type of concerns?

BECTON: My concern was that there was a child unaccounted for.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK.

BECTON: I had realized in the back seat there was no child seat. And seeing the used diapers and the unused diapers, I was in fear that we were missing a child.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So what did you do?

BECTON: I asked her where the kid was. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And what, if anything, did she say?

BECTON: She responded, there was no kid.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Did you ask her any other follow-up questions?

BECTON: Then I asked her why were -- where did the used diapers come from?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And what, if anything, did she tell you?

BECTON: She said that she used the diapers in order to pee, so that she didn't have to make as many stops.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK.

COLLINS: Interesting. We had not heard that before. Just to reiterate really quickly Officer Becton there saying that those diapers were the size of about a one-year-old child. So we had reported and been told before adult diapers. They were for one-year- olds. Again, you did hear him say that Lisa Nowak told him directly she did use them.

Interesting information there just happening moments ago in the pretrial. Nowak does face attempted kidnapping, battery and burglary charges. She has pleaded not guilty to those charges.

A suspected friendly fire incident in Afghanistan. Three British soldiers with NATO killed in an air strike by U.S. warplanes. It happened in the southern part of the country in Helmand Province. The British Ministry of Defense says a NATO patrol was attacked by Taliban insurgents.

Close air support was called in, and two U.S. F-15s responded. The ministry says one of the planes dropped a bomb, it killed the British soldiers and injured two others.

HARRIS: Battle in Baghdad. U.S. troops in a lengthy firefight. Conflicting reports on the outcome. U.S. ground troops and helicopters going after suspects in a Baghdad neighborhood. The Iraqi government said the fighting left at least ten civilians dead and 15 wounded. Women and children among the casualties.

But the U.S. military does not report any civilian deaths. It says that American patrol was engaged by small arms fire resulting in eight enemy deaths. A battle heating up over weather to start pulling troops out of Iraq. Joining me former Clinton aide Keith Boykin, and he is in New York. Keith, good to see you.

And in Washington, Cliff May on the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Gentlemen, good to see you both. Hey let's start -- Senator John Warner says it is time -- take some time to work through this with you guys. Time to start pulling some of the troops out of Iraq. Paraphrasing here. Mr. President, you decide the number. 5,000 by December seems a good place to start to send a message to the Iraqi government. Let me have you listen to the sound byte from the senator and then let's talk about it a bit.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOHN WARNER (R) VIRGINIA: I really firmly believe the Iraqi government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Maliki, have let our troops down. Our troops fighting the Iraqi forces delivered on that commitment. And the NIE confirmed that the Iraqi government continues to struggle in trying to meet any of those commitments. And that struggle could exist for the next 10 or 12 months.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: All right, Cliff, let's start with you. How does the administration handle this? You know the senator is going to be on the talks shows Sunday talking about this. So, what does the administration do here?

CLIFF MAY, FDN. FOR DEFENSE OF DEMOCRACIES: Handle it tactfully and in a pretty straightforward manner. I understand and the administration should understand Senator Warner wanting to send a message to Prime Minister Maliki. But keep in mind we are not fighting al Qaeda in Iraq as a favor to Prime Minister Maliki. We are fighting al Qaeda because its our enemy.

And, we are making progress against that enemy. As the National Intelligence Estimate and a whole number of critics of the war and Democrats have now acknowledged. If you remove the reinforcements that General Petraeus is using to effectively fight al Qaeda in Iraq you will begin to lose the progress you have made on the military front and you will have no chance to make progress on the political front.

HARRIS: Isn't that the case whenever the U.S. pulls troops out of -- whenever, five years from now, ten years from now?

MAY: No, not necessarily. First of all, you can stop al Qaeda from getting a base in Iraq, and I think we are absolutely doing that right now. And, I don't think it's necessary that they're going to have that. Secondly, while we're disappointed with the Maliki government, it's not as bad as the government we have in Tehran or Damascus.

And that will be the case if we leave too soon before we achieve some of our goals there such as destroying al Qaeda strongholds there, which we're doing and making sure that we don't have Iraq turn into (ph) an Iranian colony.

HARRIS: OK. So, Keith, what do you think? If you're the President you certainly can't ignore this. I'm wondering what the White House briefing sounds like later today.

KEITH BOYKIN, FMR. CLINTON WHITE HOUSE AIDE : Yes. You know, I think Cliff has got it exactly wrong here. What's really going on here -- the reason al Qaeda has a base in Iraq in the first place is because we allowed them to establish it. We were the ones that created the conditions for al Qaeda to operate in Iraq. And we are responsible for it.

So the whole effort to try to put the blame on al Maliki is really a diversion. This is George Bush's failure, George Bush's war. He caused this problem. And he should be held responsible for it. And, he has to answer, not just Tony Snow at the White House, but the entire administration from George Bush on down has to answer how they let this happen.

There were no weapons of mass destruction there was no tie between Saddam Hussein and al Qaeda. There was no reason -- good reason to go into Iraq in the first place, and now the National Intelligence Estimate indicates --

HARRIS: Cliff, do you want to get back in here.

MAY. Yes, I really do. Brian Baird who's a Democratic Congressman voted against the war and agrees the war was a terrible idea. He's recently backed (ph). He has an OP-ED today in a Washington paper -- Washington state where he says, listen, all that you can litigate and talk about, he says I haven't changed my mind this is a bad idea.

That does not make it a good idea to make the worst mistake now of saying let's pull out and let's let al Qaeda establish the kind of base in Iraq they used to have in Afghanistan.

BOYKIN: They had no base in Iraq until we allowed them to create it. And --

MAY: That's irrelevant. That's history. What do you do now?

BOYKIN: It's not irrelevant, because the same conditions that led -- the same misjudgments and conditions that led to this failure are what's going to lead us to a further failure. That type of thinking is what's causing the problem. We have to stop that.

MAY: So your view is abandon the struggle, accept the defeat, leave al Qaeda alone, because it's George Bush's fault.

BOYKIN: The war is lost.

MAY: No, no, no.

BOYKIN: Everybody knows that in America except for George Bush.

MAY: On the contrary. Excuse me, excuse me. Excuse me, sir.

BOYKIN: It's time to start to pull out our troops, Cliff, and you and the Republican party know that. It's time to pull out our troops.

MAY: It's time to pull out our troops. Hillary Clinton does not say the war is lost. Barack Obama does not say the war is lost. BOYKIN: What the presidential candidates say is different perhaps than what the rest of American people know.

HARRIS: Keith, let Cliff make his point.

MAY: No, no. What we have now is fair consensus that we are making military progress and not making significant political progress yet particularly from the top down with Maliki. So let us not give up the military progress and let's work on the political side of it as well. Let's not just score political points.

You can't be more angry at George Bush and Maliki than you are at al Qaeda and the rulers of Tehran, and you are.

BOYKIN: Yes, but John Warner said this himself. He is one of the leading Republicans. He's calling for some sort of troop reduction as well. What's going to happen here, Tony, I think everybody knows this, is that sometime after General Petraeus issues his report next month, the leading members of the Congress are going to have to come to talk to George Bush in the Oval Office in the White House.

And they're going to sit down to him and say, Mr. President, it's time to start changing what's going on with this war. This war is not going well. And we're going to --

HARRIS: Keith, let me stop you there and give Cliff the last word on this.

MAY: That's not going to happen, and please have us back on that point. John Warner is not going to vote against President Bush. We have -- right now, our soldiers on the battle field. They are reinforcements to the new strategy. To pull them back will endanger the other soldiers on the battle field. You shouldn't want to do that. I don't want to do that. I don't think John Warner would want to do that.

HARRIS: Let's agree to disagree, and let's also agree to come back here after the report from General Petraeus and Ryan Crocker. And let's talk about it at that time, all right? Keith, Cliff, let's breathe. All right, thank you, gentlemen. Appreciate it. Good Friday to you.

COLLINS: Chicago in recovery mode after a severe storm system with winds over 70 miles per hour blasted the city. Lots of lighting and rain, too. A transportation nightmare. More than 500 flights canceled out of the cities two airports yesterday. Right now airlines trying to get things back on track. Another round of storms later today could cause more problems. Driving, not a picnic either. Roads littered with downed trees, power lines. Hundreds of thousands without power this morning, and officials say it may take days to repair all the lines. That is a major frustration.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COLLINS: Some news just into us now at CNN regarding the Michael Vick case. I want to tell you exactly what it says. A plea agreement that we have been telling you about was reached between Michael Vick's attorneys and federal prosecutors will be filed in court today. That filing is going to include a summary faxed from Vick. Not clear exactly, though, what other information the court filing is going to include.

But as you know, we have been reporting here, he is scheduled to appear in court for his plea on Monday. Expected to plead guilty to conspiracy involving illegal dogfighting. An 18-page federal indictment against him, so we will continue to follow that throughout the day here, and of course again on Monday.

Barack Obama on the stump. Now sitting down with our Don Lemon. Details on that interview straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Once again, just into CNN a short time ago. A plea agreement has been reached between Michael Vick's attorneys and federal prosecutors, and that agreement will be filed in court later today. The filing will also include a summary of the facts according to Michael Vick.

You also know that we've been following this report from ESPN, that Vick will not admit to killing dogs or gambling on dogfight. A source telling ESPN, we don't know where this source is coming from, that the Atlanta Falcons quarterback will plead guilty to interstate commerce for the purpose of dogfighting, but you heard Roger Cossack, the ESPN legal analyst, a short time ago, saying that he is highly skeptical of that reporting from ESPN. It sounds like we will know soon enough. Again, a plea agreement reached between Michael Vick's attorneys and federal prosecutors, to be filed in court on Friday. Michael Vick, of course, will be in court on Monday, and we will have that hearing for you right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.

COLLINS: Your world today is coming up in just about 10 minutes or so. Jim Clancy is standing by to tell us more about the show.

Hi there, Jim.

JIM CLANCY, CNN ANCHOR: Hi, Heidi and Tony. You know, the story of that little boy, Youssif, in Iraq, who was horribly burned by masked gunmen, we're going to have a story about that. It's a story that's touched all of our hearts in the NEWSROOM, and I think it's really touched the hearts of a lot of our viewers. We're going introduce you to one of the people that's going to be helping this little boy recover.

We'll also take you to the Pentagon, where that debate is continuing. When, where, how might the United States begin to bring home some of its soldiers from Iraq.

Plus, warthogs have always been a part of the wildlife in South Africa. But a new kind of hog is certain to bring a new kind of wildlife on the roads of that country. We're going to have a little more on Harley Davidson in South Africa. Tune in at the top of the hour. COLLINS: Sounds good. All right, Jim, thanks.

Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama on the campaign trail. CNN's Don Lemon caught up with him at a stop in South Carolina. Obama's focus, the Iraq war and the newly released National Intelligence Estimate.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: The NIE report out today. Iraq, Nouri al-Maliki. The surge supposedly is working in some areas, not working in other areas. What do you think of Nouri al-Maliki? Should he go? Do you agree with that? And why pull the troops out if it appears to be working?

SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D), ILLINOIS: I think this is a distraction, this whole notion of, is Maliki the right guy? We can replace Maliki with four or five other guys. If the underlying political dynamic is not changing, then we're not going to see progress in Iraq.

We know that the -- our troops are performing well under the surge and that there's been a temporary reduction in violence. What we also know is that none of the Iraqi factions have taken seriously the need to come to political accommodation. And we can't create a stable Iraq until that happens, which is why I believe that we need to, more than ever, initiate the kind of responsible, orderly withdrawal that will trigger a change in behavior on the part of the factions.

And this is a fundamental disagreement that I have with George Bush. This disagreement is not going to go away. And, you know, as president of the United States, I am going to set us in a new direction.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: Don Lemon joining us now here to tell us a little bit more about that interview. Other candidates are kind of pressuring him and questioning him about his experience. When you talk to him, does he seem to feel some of that pressure regarding his experience on Iraq.

LEMON: Well, I would imagine that it would have to bother him in some way, but he does about it, because he talks about Donald Rumsfeld, and he talks about Dick Cheney, being, you know, older statesman and being more and more experienced than anyone, yet and still, in his opinion, the war has not turned out the way that most people would have liked it to turn out, or the way that they would have liked it to turn out. So he said they have most experience in the world, but it doesn't mean that they did the right thing with the war, so that's how he counters that.

COLLINS: Right, but then there is perception. What about the polls?

LEMON: I talked about the polls more with his folks than I did with him.

COLLINS: They don't look at polls. No one looks at polls.

LEMON: We don't look at ratings, as we would say. But they don't look in the sense of a national poll. They care in the key primary states.

But one reason he's doing this, Heidi, let's not get this wrong, in a national poll in July among registered Democrats, the choice for nominee, Hillary Clinton, 44 percent. This is an August poll, and then Obama, 24 percent.

Also in South Carolina, a July poll among blacks the Democratic nominee, 47 percent Clinton, 31 percent Obama.

COLLINS: All right, so the key states there. But it wasn't all work yesterday. He had some fun.

LEMON: Yes, he did have some fun, and he had fun inadvertently, because he was in a gym touring the school, which needs a lot of work. This is known as the corridor of shame, this district in South Carolina. And there he goes, goes to the gym, visits.

COLLINS: Oh, he is so glad, that not only did he make it, but that the cameras were rolling.

HARRIS: A lefty! A lefty.

LEMON: A lefty. Swoosh. Look at that walk. He's like, yes, I'm the man. That's a Southside Chicago walk there.

COLLINS: Sounds like a fun day.

LEMON: It was really fun and very interesting. And on Sunday he's going to announce his Gulf Coast plan for the region down in New Orleans, how he's going to take care of things there if he does become president.

COLLINS: All right, very good. Don Lemon, thanks.

LEMON: Thank you, Heidi Collins.

HARRIS: All right, let's be clear about this -- no one wants to see your underwear, OK. That from an Atlanta city councilman. He's trying to make it illegal. We asked earlier for your thoughts. E- mail ahead in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: OK, just want to bring you the latest information. We know you're following the Michael Vick story. We certainly are here at CNN. a plea agreement reached between Michael Vick's attorneys and federal prosecutors will be filed in court later today. The filing will include a summary of facts from Vick, not clear exactly what other information the court filing would include. And no immediate word now from Vick's representatives. He is scheduled, as you know, to appear in court and to enter a plea Monday. He is expected to plead guilty to conspiracy involving illegal dogfighting. This is part of an 18-page federal indictment against Vick.

Those are the latest developments. We will continue to follow this story for you in the NEWSROOM.

COLLINS: Also, want to get this information to you about what happened in 1964, the murders of two black Mississippi teens, their names Charles Moore and Henry Hezikiah (ph) Dee. They disappeared in Franklin County on May 2nd of 1964, and then there bodies were found two months later in the Mississippi River. The man accused of those killings, reputed Klansman James Ford Seale. Well, he has now been sentenced for those crimes to three life terms, again, sentenced to three life terms for his part in the 1964 murders of those two Mississippi teens.

HARRIS: And still to come, no one wants to see your underwear. If you don't want to see the boxers, the thongs, the sports bra, don't look. All right, the response from one e-mailer to our question earlier today on this topic. More of the e-mails coming up for you in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: Earlier we asked for your thoughts on the city of Atlanta's proposal to ban exposed underwear. Yep. Well, here's what we heard back. I want to read a couple of these to you.

The first one coming to us from Ron in Gadsden, Alabama. He says, "I'm in full agreement with the city of Atlanta on the ban. Our young people, of all racial and ethnic groups, need to be taught what are acceptable forms of dress in public."

HARRIS: And this from Wayne in Ontario, Canada. He writes, "The broken window theory of policing has shown that these kind of interventions early on can prevent serious crimes in the future."

COLLINS: We live in a free society, and that includes the people's freedom to make bad fashion choices. School dress codes are one thing, but a government cannot attempt to regulate what free, adult citizens choose to wear," from Brian in Mt. Laurel, New Jersey.

HARRIS: And Ryan writes, "If you don't want to see the boxers, the thongs, the sports bras, don't look."

COLLINS: Yes, whatever. That's a little hard.

Anyway, CNN NEWSROOM continues just one hour from now.

HARRIS: "YOUR WORLD TODAY" is next with news happening across the globe and here at home. I'm Tony Harris.

COLLINS: And I'm Heidi Collins. Have a good weekend, everybody.

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