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Pavarotti Dies From Cancer; German Police Search For Terror Suspects; Craig Ethics Investigation; Gerri's Top Tips
Aired September 06, 2007 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, everyone. I'm Fredricka Whitfield, in today for Heidi Collins.
TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Tony Harris.
Stay informed all day in the CNN NEWSROOM. Here's what's on the rundown.
The late-comer goes late night. Republican Fred Thompson making it official -- he is running for president.
WHITFIELD: A Baghdad neighborhood rocked by a fierce firefight. More than a dozen deaths reported.
HARRIS: How about this? A fake motorcade comes within a block of President Bush's hotel in Sydney. Did you hear about this? Inside a fake Osama bin Laden. Security breach on Thursday, September 6th. Are you in the CNN NEWSROOM.
WHITFIELD: Well this just in. An investigation of corruption in New Jersey leads to the arrest of at least 11 public officials, some of whom are elected officials. Eleven public officials from north and south New Jersey have been arrested in this sting operation. The charges apparently stem from insurance contracts for local government.
We expect that a news conference will be taking place in the 3:00 Eastern hour out of New Jersey for more details out on that, out of Trenton in particular. Among some of those arrested, we understand there to be a few assembly men, as well as a mayor. The mayor of Passaic. More information as we get it.
HARRIS: Well, the other story making headlines this morning, Luciano Pavarotti remembered today as the greatest tenor ever. The opera giant died this morning at home in Italy, losing a long battle to cancer. CNN's Brooke Anderson reports on an incredible life.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BROOKE ANDERSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT, (voice over): He was widely considered the greatest tenor of his time. In his prime, a singer capable of hitting the most demanding notes. But it was far more than mere technical skill that turned Luciano Pavarotti into a worldwide star. It was also the force of his personality. The man who would become larger than life began life modestly in the Italian city of Modena. He was the son of a baker and amateur singer. LUCIANO PAVAROTTI: I dreamed to become a singer when I was four. Then I hear my father in the church singing with a beautiful tenor voice and I say to myself, well, I try to do something.
ANDERSON: Do something he would, winning an international singing competition by age 25. But his big break came later in the 1960s when he appeared in dame Joan Sutherland in some acclaimed operatics performances.
His U.S. debut came in 1965. And by the 1970s, he was earning rave reviews at New York's Metropolitan Opera.
In 1979, at the height of his musical prowess, "Time" magazine put him on its cover, declaring him opera's golden tenor. Millions of record sales followed, earning him the title classical music's best- selling artist. And he raised millions of dollars for charity through benefit concerts, often sharing the stage with pop stars.
But the highlight of his career may have come in 1990 when Pavarotti joined Placido Domingo and Jose Carreras to form the Three Tenors. Critics complained Pavarotti's vocal skills were waning, but the tenors proved hugely popular and they performed together over the next 14 years.
Pavarotti's personal life was marked by ups and downs. He battled weight problems, which contributed to knee and back ailments. In 2004, he gave his 379th and final concert at the Met. But he did not retire from performing all together.
PAVAROTTI: For a man living the last days of his life, he always accomplished something. For me, my profession is to try to be the best I have always done since the beginning of my profession.
ANDERSON: Pavarotti embarked on a farewell tour of concerts in 2005 but had to stop when he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2006. It was only the second disruption in his career.
PAVAROTTI: I think I just don't (ph) one year went from a (INAUDIBLE) and the voice is changing. I was an alto and become a tenor. And that's is the only time I think I remember to have stopped singing.
ANDERSON: Brooke Anderson, CNN, Los Angeles.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: The contate (ph). The voice.
WHITFIELD: Beautiful presence.
HARRIS: The voice.
Hey, you know, the weather's starting to pop right now. Want to get you to Rob Marciano, who has a, what, a tornado warning, Rob?
(WEATHER REPORT) WHITFIELD: All right. On to the flurry of politics now. The will he or won't he political flirtation is over. Actor and former senator, Fred Thompson, officially is in the race for president. It kicks off a campaign swing across Iowa today. Thompson made the announcement on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" and on a 15 minute webcast.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FRED THOMPSON, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Just within the next few years, some very serious challenges are moving toward us that will present a difficult and dangerous time in the life of our nation. There are grave issues affecting the safety and security of the American people and our economic well being. I'm going to do my level-best in this campaign to address these problems and I'm going to give this campaign all that I have to give. And I hope that you will join me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Thompson hopes to win support from conservatives dissatisfied with the current crop of GOP candidates. National polls show him in second place behind front-runner Rudy Giuliani.
Well, he boasts about his common sense conservative principles. Here's a look now at where presidential candidate Fred Thompson actually stands on some key issues. On abortion, Thompson opposes abortion rights. He calls Roe versus Wade a bad law. On immigration, Thompson supports tougher enforcement of existing laws. He opposes blanket amnesty but is willing to consider a path to citizenship for some illegal immigrants. On Iraq, Thompson voted for the use of military force. He supports President Bush's Iraq policy, but says the U.S. entered with too few troops. Thompson is against same-sex marriage. He says he personally opposes civil unions, but the issue should be left to the states.
HARRIS: Republican presidential candidates facing off and facing a new contender. The GOP candidates held their latest debate in New Hampshire last night. The newest candidate, Fred Thompson, skipped the event to officially announce his presidential bid. His rivals weighed in on his candidacy and his absence.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The people of New Hampshire expect to see you. They expect to see you a lot. And they expect to see you at town hall meetings and at places all over this great state.
MITT ROMNEY, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: He's going to bring more entertainment and vigor and ideas to the Republican platform. So I welcome him into this.
RUDY GIULIANI, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: This is not a time that the United States should be electing someone who's going to get on the job training. (END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Other Republicans expressed support for the Iraq War, with the exception of anti-war candidate Ron Paul. He made the case for withdrawing troops from Iraq.
Well, here's your chance to have your voice heard. Go to cnn.com/youtube debates and post your questions for the Republican presidential candidates. The debate, Wednesday, November 28th. Your voice will be heard only on CNN, your home for the best political team on television.
WHITFIELD: A hatred of Americans and a mission to kill them. New this morning, German police are searching for more suspects in a terror plot. Three people are already under arrest. CNN's Frederik Pleitgen has the latest.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: German authorities remain on high alert this morning as the investigation into the possible terror plot in this country broadens. Investigators here in this country tell us that they are now investigating up to 10 possible further suspects in this alleged plot. They say that not all of the suspects are from Germany and they also say that they are not only investigating in Germany. That this has become a broader investigation. Now they haven't told us where these people are or where these people are from, but certainly they are not in custody yet but they are being investigated.
Another further development, security officials say that among some of the suspect they found highly sophisticated military detonators that would have made these explosions a whole lot more precise. The point of detonations would have been a whole lot more precise than with other, less lethal detonators.
Now Germany has also begun a debate about how this country wants to provide for its own security. One measure possibly, Internet eavesdropping and also eavesdropping on a private e-mail account in this country. A massive debate going on at this time.
Frederik Pleitgen, CNN, Ramstein, Germany.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: And an update on a story this morning of a discovery of a suspicious chemical at a U.N. office last month. Remember this scene? Commotion in Manhattan. Well, authorities thought they had found samples of a deadly chemical agent recovered from an Iraqi weapons lab by U.N. inspectors. They sent it off for testing. And it turns out it may be nothing more than a cleaning solvent. Something that you can buy over the counter.
WHITFIELD: And fallout now following an air and ground assault by U.S. and Iraqi troops. Live to Baghdad in the NEWSROOM. DANA BASH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Dana Bash on Capitol Hill, where Senator Larry Craig suffered a setback in his strategy to clear his name quickly in the hopes of staying in the Senate. More on that coming up in the NEWSROOM.
HARRIS: Also, getting into the act. TV star and former Senator Fred Thompson officially in the presidential race. We will talk to Thompson friend and supporter, Senator Lamar Alexander, coming up.
WHITFIELD: And a veteran officer charged because his police dog dies in a hot car.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Somebody has to take care of the animals. People have to be held accountable for abusing animals. Who else is going to take care of them?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: And it's that beautiful dog right there. Trapped for 12 hours in the Arizona heat. Phoenix is stunned by the case. You're in the NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: Welcome back, everyone, to the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Tony Harris.
Osama bin Laden just feet from President Bush's door? No, only an actor who plays him on TV. Comedians crashed the summit down under. Not a good day for Aussie security.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: The Virginia Tech massacre. Now it appears lawsuits by some of the families. Relatives of seven of those killed in the rampage have retained a high-profile Washington law firm. The attorneys specialize in wrongful death. As you may remember, a student carried out a shooting spree in April. Many students say the school failed to adequately notify them of the first killings. More families could sign on today. All would file suits individually.
Senator Larry Craig. A new setback in his bid to beat a sex sting arrest and stay in office. CNN congressional correspondent Dana Bash has the latest.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DANA BASH, CNN CORRESPONDENT, (voice over): Larry Craig may be having second thoughts about resigning, but his own Republican leadership sure isn't. First they pushed, now a shove.
SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL, (R) MINORITY LEADER: My view remains what I said last Saturday. I thought he made the correct decision, the difficult but correct decision to resign. That would still be my view today.
BASH: Senate Republican leaders have been boasting about their swift success in pressuring Craig to resign. Now the GOP leadership aides tell CNN, top Senate Republicans are furious that Craig is keeping the tabloid-like scandal alive.
DAN WHITING, SPOKESMAN FOR SEN. LARRY CRAIG: He is innocent and he believes that there is a good chance that he eventually will have this charge overturned.
BASH: Craig may now reconsider resigning on September 30th if he is able to overturn a guilty plea by then. One he signed admitting to disorderly conduct in a men's room. Most legal experts say clearing his name will be extraordinarily hard.
TIM HEAPHY, FORMER FEDERAL PROSECUTOR: And it almost never works. It's an extremely high, uphill climb for Senator Craig.
BASH: But Craig's change of heart was prompted by GOP Senator Arlen Specter who encouraged him to fight. Craig discussed his decision on a voice mail message obtained by "Roll Call" newspaper, left shortly before his news conference on Saturday.
SEN. LARRY CRAIG, (R) IDAHO: Arlen Specter is now willing to come out in my defense, arguing that it appears, by all that he knows, I've been railroaded and all of that. Having all of that, we've reshaped my statement a little bit to say it is my intent to resign on September 30.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: Reshape the statement. All right. Dana Bash joining us now.
Dana, Senator Craig suffered a setback with the Senate Ethics Committee investigation. What's the latest?
BASH: Well, the latest is that Senator Craig's attorney wrote to the Senate Ethics Committee just yesterday saying that he thought it would be appropriate for them to not investigate at all. He argued that there really isn't precedent for the ethics committee to investigate something that -- like a misdemeanor that really doesn't have directly to do with a senator's responsibilities here in Congress.
But the Ethics Committee rejected that pretty quickly late yesterday. What they said was that they think that they do have a right and a responsibility to investigate Craig's conduct and they are going to continue to do so. The argument that they made is that even if Senator Craig's actions might not have been directly related to his actions and responsibilities here in Congress, it reflects on the Senate and that's why they're going to look into it. That's one investigation, of course. That has to do with his standing in the Senate.
In terms of criminal conduct, that is the real push that he is going to have to be aggressive on in the Minnesota courts. And so far his attorneys haven't filed anything to formally try to overturn that guilty plea. That is his big challenge in terms of clearing his name.
Tony.
HARRIS: Our congressional correspondent Dana Bash for us this morning.
Dana, thanks.
BASH: Thank you.
WHITFIELD: An officer of the law leaving his partner, who is also considered an officer, to die. A police dog trapped inside a hot car. This case making a lot of people in Phoenix hot.
GERRI WILLIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Gerri Willis.
Are you suffering from job burnout? We have the solutions next on "Top Tips" in the NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: A Baghdad neighborhood becomes a battleground. Iraq's interior ministry reports at least 14 people killed in a U.S. air strike this morning. It happened in an area known as a strong hold of a Mehdi militia loyal to anti-U.S. cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. The U.S. military confirms the operation but makes no mention of fatalities. It says U.S. and Iraqi troops came under fire and responded with well- aimed fire power from the ground and the air.
WHITFIELD: And we're keeping a close eye on the numbers on Wall Street. You see right there, the Dow is down 13 points. And the Nasdaq, it's not looking up either. Down about nine points last we checked. We'll continue to follow the numbers here from the CNN NEWSROOM.
HARRIS: So how about this? Almost half of U.S. workers feeling the blahs after returning to work after Labor Day. That's according to a new study. How do you fight burnout? CNN personal finance editor Gerri Willis is here.
Gerri, before we hit burnout, more bad news for Countrywide this morning. Why don't you bring us up to speed on that story.
WILLIS: Well, Tony, Countrywide Financial, that's the nation's largest mortgage lender, announced today that it had cut 900 jobs. Now most of these cuts were in positions such as loan agents and underwriters. Last month, Countrywide slashed 500 jobs in two units that deal with sub prime and broker originated loans.
Tony, I've got to tell you, these layoffs have been rumored all week. I spoke with an analyst yesterday who said the cuts were most likely to come in the loan origination portion of the business, which is about half of their total employment, which is somewhere around 60,000. Now he said that they might actually pick up a few people on the other side of their business, but it certainly won't be like the numbers we've seen today. Net net, Countrywide is changing its look. It's getting smaller, sizing down, as the mortgage meltdown continues.
HARRIS: Yes. Just need Countrywide to figure out a way to hang in there, Gerri.
WILLIS: Right.
HARRIS: Let's talk about burnout here. Boy, this is a little startling. Nearly half of U.S. workers reported feeling unmotivated after returning to work from the Labor Day holiday. Why are Americans so unmotivated?
WILLIS: Well, you could see it on their faces coming back to work on Tuesday. The number one reason is that employees weren't excited about working because they're working on the same old thing. People who were going to start new projects were much more motivated to go back to work.
Another reason is summer vaca. Nearly a quarter of workers surveyed said they didn't take any time off during the summer and 40 percent took zero to four days of vacation. Imagine that. You need some time to recharge those batteries, am I right?
HARRIS: Hey, absolutely right on that one. But, you know what, I need to know what the signs of burnout are because, you know, if I need to, I need to be able to fool the bosses.
WILLIS: Well, you always do.
Well, you know, we've all experienced stress on the job, right?
HARRIS: Yes.
WILLIS: But burnout is usually characterized by prolonged stress and exhaustion. You can feel detached, even cynical. And you may find yourself snapping at people or making snide remarks behind their back.
Now when you're burned out, you really -- you just don't care anymore.
HARRIS: Yes.
WILLIS: It's a bad situation.
HARRIS: Yes. How about limits? Explain this concept of setting limits.
WILLIS: Well, you want to set your priorities. Remember, you know, your company is no charity. Say no to workloads that you don't think you can handle. Delegate and prioritize tasks when you can. Make sure to leave your job on time. And set aside time to take part in something that is rewarding to you, whether that's having dinner with the family, working out, taking a walk in the park. You got to switch it up. HARRIS: That's good.
How about -- oh, great, that's the perfect segue, sort of switching it up. How about changing the routine?
WILLIS: Well, sometimes the best way to get off the hamster wheel is to change the scenery. Ask your boss to focus on tasks in other areas for a while. And if that's not possible, then try to focus on the areas of your job that you do like.
HARRIS: And changing maybe your grip, changing -- but not your goals. Develop your own goals, huh?
WILLIS: Yes. Sometimes people get frustrated because they don't even have goals. So set some small ones. This will keep you moving towards your destination. Make sure you keep your plans simple.
Now, these goals should outline where you're going and how you're going to get there. Make sure you plan some rewards throughout the journey. That's always more fun. And focus on the bigger picture. That makes daily frustration seem less important.
HARRIS: Don't sweat the small stuff. It's all small stuff.
All right, Gerri, give us a look ahead to the big "Open House" show this weekend.
WILLIS: The big "Open House" show, 9:30 a.m. Saturday morning right here on CNN. We're going to talk about the mortgage meltdown, what the government is proposing to do about it. And then it's back to school. Hey, what's hot and what's not.
HARRIS: Love it. Gerri, great to see you. Have a great day.
WILLIS: My pleasure. Good to see you.
WHITFIELD: All right. Scene one, or maybe scene three or four. Now getting into the act. TV star and former Senator Fred Thompson officially in the presidential race. We'll talk with Thompson's friend and supporter, Senator Lamar Alexander.
HARRIS: So what's this? Osama bin Laden? Is that you? The bigger question here, how did this pretender make it past international security and within shouting distance of President Bush's hotel?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: We're just past the half hour. Welcome back, everyone, to the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Tony Harris.
WHITFIELD: And I'm Fredricka Whitfield.
Top story we're following right now out of New Jersey, a big bust involving public officials. In fact, quite a few elected officials were arrested. Let's get with our Allan Chernoff who's in New York. More on this, and it has a lot to do with corruption.
ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Reporter: You know, that is a word that is almost synonymous with New Jersey these days. And the residents of New Jersey are just sick and tired of it. The U.S. attorney there, Chris Christie, has been fighting a big battle, and here yet another series of arrests; 11 officials arrested this morning in New Jersey. We've just confirmed this. And they include officials who represent the state, the assemblymen from South Orange and Patterson. Those would be Mims Hackett (ph) and Alfred Steel (ph), as well as the mayor of Paseak (ph), two Paseak councilman, five Pleasantville school board members, and also the chief of staff of the New York City council president, all arrested on charges related to local insurance contracts.
These are federal corruption charges. They are scheduled to appear in court at 2:00 this afternoon in Trenton, and a press conference is scheduled for 3:30 this afternoon -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: Wow, any idea, Alan -- I know we're going to get a lot more details later on in the 3:00 hour, but any idea how long this investigation had been going on before these arrests were made?
CHERNOFF: We don't have that detail just yet, but we're hoping within the hour to have much more information about all of this. But this has just been an ongoing issue in New Jersey, as you know. The former mayor of New Jersey, Sharpe James, was indicted recently after a very long investigation over there. That's a big headline recently, and this yet the latest arrest in an ongoing investigation into corruption among elected officials in New Jersey.
WHITFIELD: Wow! A huge blow. All right, thanks so much, Allan Chernoff in New York.
HARRIS: Getting into the act. TV star Fred Thompson officially jumps into the presidential race in true Hollywood style. He made the announcement on "The Tonight Show" and the Internet.
Tennessee Senator Lamar Alexander is a friend and supporter who's known Thompson for more than 40 years? he joins us from Capitol Hill.
Senator, good to talk to you.
SEN. LAMAR ALEXANDER (R), TENNESSEE: Thank you.
HARRIS: Hey, if you would, let's listen to a bit of a quip last night from Rudy Giuliani at a debate talking about your good friend. And then let me fire a question your way.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RUDY GIULIANI (R), PRES. CANDIDATE: I like Fred a lot. I think Fred is a really, really good man. I think he's done a pretty good job of playing my part on "Law and Order." I personally prefer the real thing. But I think Fred will add something to this race. (END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: That was cute. That was funny.
Senator, let me ask you, what is it that Fred adds to this race?
ALEXANDER: Well, conservative principles, commanding presence. Unlike most of us, most of us politicians recruit support. Fred attracts it, and that's very important for a president whose job is to persuade at least half the people he's right.
HARRIS: Conservative principles. Tick off a few of those, if you would, please.
ALEXANDER: Well, federalism, for one, not running everything out of Washington D.C. We Republicans got elected on that in 1994, no more unfunded mandates, for example, and promptly forgot it once we got here. And strong defense. Fred's focus on Iraq, Iran especially, terrorism, I think will serve him well.
HARRIS: I have to ask you, so Fred Thompson leaves politics for acting, he returns, and then he leaves again for acting. I don't mean this quite as snarky as it'll -- well, maybe I do. What do you say to folks who might is ask the question, is this just the next great role for Fred Thompson, or does he really in his heart, in his gut want to be president of the United States?
ALEXANDER: Well, I can tell people the conversation I had with him several years ago when I was trying to get him to run for the Senate. I invited him to the White House lunch room. We talked for an hour. He didn't ask me one single question about politics. His whole questioning what was what do you think I can contribute in the Senate.
So Fred's purpose-driven, and the fact he's had a lot of experience outside Washington I think is a big asset.
HARRIS: You know, a lot of people call this a change election. Do you buy that? Does this feel like a change election to you?
ALEXANDER: In a way it does, because we have no -- President Bush is leaving and we have no pre-determined Republican nominee and pre-determined Democratic nominee. Plus, we've got great big issues, and the company is ready for a change. So yes, I'd call it a change election.
HARRIS: So how is Fred Thompson a change agent, former senator, former lobbyist? He can't run as an outsider who is going to fix Washington. He is an insider, isn't he?
ALEXANDER: Well, he's been here long enough to get vaccinated, but not infected, I'd say. But, yes, Fred will run -- Fred looks different. He is different. He's not your usual run-of-the-mill politician. As I mentioned, he attracts support. He has his feet firmly on the ground in Tennessee and out in the country. And when people look and see and hear him, he talks differently than most people that we see in politics.
HARRIS: OK. Senator Lamar Alexander from Tennessee, great to see you. Thanks for your time. Thanks for taking time to talk about your friend. We appreciate it.
Well, you know you did you it once. Now it is time for history to repeat itself. Go to CNN.com/youtube debate and post your questions for the Republican presidential candidates. The debate, Wednesday, November 28th. Your voice will be heard, only on CNN, your home for politics.
WHITFIELD: This story that we're following in Miami. You're looking at smoke, because there's fire on the roof of this building. We don't know much about the building, except that there are roofing supplies here that somehow were ignited. You can see the firefighters are on the scene. They're trying to put out the blaze here before any more damage is caused, meaning like fire going through that ceiling and rooftop, and getting into the bottom of what appears to be some sort of warehouse or industrial kind of area.
We're trying to work details on exactly where in Miami this is located. But you see the fire right now being doused there by the firefighters' efforts. We're going to continue to watch it there in Miami. More information as we get it.
HARRIS: How about this? A TV comedy team upstages an international summit. Security officials are not laughing.
CNN's John Vause reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHN VAUSE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The biggest security operation in Australian history breached by a group of TV comedians, including one dressed as Osama bin Laden. Their phony three-car motorcade was decked out with Canadian flags. There was a motorcycle escort, SUVs and bodyguards. It all looked authentic enough to get within 30 feet of President Bush's hotel. He was inside at the time, and authorities here are not laughing.
DAVID CAMPBELL, NSW POLICE MINISTER: I don't see a funny side to what's happened today. I don't see a funny side at all.
VAUSE: The Canadian prime minister hadn't even touched down in Australia, but still the fake convoy went through two security checkpoints, and no one realized anything was up until the bin Laden impersonator got out of the car, and then police moved in.
DAVE OWENS, DEP. POLICE COMMISSIONER: I'm not embarrassed at all. What I am is I'm very angry that such a stunt like this would be pulled.
VAUSE: Eleven people were arrested. They face jail time for breaching the APEC security zone.
ALEXANDER DOWNER, AUSTRALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER: Well, they were arrested, so I guess that just shows the security system works.
VAUSE (on camera): This is all meant to be just a prank, and it seems most Australians thought it was funny. One snap online newspaper poll found almost 90 percent believed it was a pretty good joke, and they're laughing at APEC security.
John Vause, CNN, Sydney.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: And now to Germany. A manhunt for 10 more terror suspects. Three men are already in custody. Police say they plotted attacks on U.S. military installations and other targets in Germany. Investigators say the attacks were imminent and driven by a hatred of Americans. Seized in the raids, a massive amounts of explosive materials, the potential, police say, a stronger explosion than the 2004 train bombing in Madrid, or the London terror attacks two summers ago. Police say the suspects also had sophisticated detonators.
HARRIS: Know for cheating death and beating records. Does Steve Fossett have one more in him? The search for the millionaire adventurer, live to Nevada, in the NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Still holding out some hope, the search for missing adventurer Steve Fossett resumes full force this morning in Nevada. Crews scouring the soaring peaks and desert. Authorities say it could take another week to cover the more than 600 square miles where Fossett's plane might be located. The 63-year-old thrill seeker disappeared after takeoff on Monday. He was in a single-engine plane.
(BUSINESS HEADLINES)
WHITFIELD: Well, this will make you pretty irate. A veteran officer charged, his police dog dies in a hot car.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Somebody has to take care of the animals. People have to be held accountable for abusing animals. Who else is going to take care of it?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Phoenix is stunned by the case.
And fighting the poppy jihad in Afghanistan.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Two days later with eradication under way, there's trouble. Gunfire breaks out. The force is under attack.
(END VIDEO CLIP) HARRIS: CNN's Anderson Cooper takes us behind the lines.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: Ah, you know what, interpreter, give me something different with the podcast, all the time. The first idea was just to bring you the news, and then we said, no, let's change that up. Let's bring you different stories. You can watch us every day ...
WHITFIELD: Yes.
HARRIS: ...9:00 to noon to ...
WHITFIELD: Change it up.
HARRIS: ...get the news of the day. As much (ph), change it up.
WHITFIELD: Make it less predictable.
HARRIS: Absolutely! So bring folks stories that they don't normally see in the newscasts, and we're doing that. And now, we're thinking about -- ready for this, Fred?
WHITFIELD: What?
HARRIS: Adding music.
WHITFIELD: Oh.
HARRIS: So what you do is you go to CNN.com and you download the CNN daily NEWSROOM podcast. It is available to you 24/7 right there on your iPod.
WHITFIELD: OK, looking forward to that.
A police officer arrested for leaving his partner to die, in this case, a police dog.
Veronica Sanchez of affiliate KPNX reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
VERONICA SANCHEZ, KPNX REPORTER (voice-over): Sheriff Joe Arpaio with the announcement: animal cruelty charges against Chandler Police Officer Thomas Lovejoy.
SHERIFF JOE ARPAIO, MARICOPA COUNTY, ARIZONA: It's a sad situation. On the other hand, he cannot be treated any differently than you or I.
SANCHEZ: The victim, a dog named Bandit. Lovejoy's 5-year-old canine partner died when his owner left him in the car for 12 hours. The sheriff calls the act reckless and worthy of a misdemeanor charge.
ARPAIO: Somebody has to take care of the animals. People have to be held accountable for abusing animals. Who else is going to take care of them?
SANCHEZ: We spoke to Officer Lovejoy's wife tonight outside their Chandler home. She says her husband never intended to leave the dog in the car, that he was part of the family. And that they've received a lot of mail, most of it in support of Officer Lovejoy.
ARPAIO: I have a job to do, I'm going to do it. And if some people don't like it, I'm doing my job, that's the way it's going to be.
SANCHEZ: But consider the death of Amber Lee Brown (ph), another case in Chandler. The 3-month-old died after she was left in a hot car by her own father. Kyle Brown (ph) says he forgot she was there and was never charged. When asked about that, the sheriff simply said, "It wasn't his case."
ARPAIO: We are charging people that leave kids in the car.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: Lovejoy is scheduled to appear in court September 25th.
HARRIS: Iraq war vets paying the price for speaking against the war.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I've had horse manure thrown at me by a Vietnam veteran.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I get death threats. I get just people talking (EXPLETIVE DELETED), I'm a traitor.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Boy, now other Iraq vets are speaking out in favor of the fighting. The debate's in a few moments.
WHITFIELD: And he did it on "The Tonight Show." Then, he did it on his Web site. Fred Thompson is in.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FRED THOMPSON, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: My friends, I come to you today to tell you that I intend to run for president. I feel deeply that I'm doing it for the right reasons.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Late to the party? He doesn't think so. But do Republicans have room for one more?
HARRIS: How about this? Our NEWSROOM News Quiz: with Fred Thompson entering the race for the GOP presidential nomination, how many Republicans are currently running for president? We will tell you straight ahead in the NEWSROOM. Good luck.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: So earlier, we asked you how many Republicans were in the race for the GOP nomination for president. Was that the question? Yes, that was the question.
WHITFIELD: Well, where's the -- ha-ha (ph).
HARRIS: These folks don't have this answer. There's no way.
WHITFIELD: But you had to -- ha-ha -- that was perfect.
HARRIS: All right, here's the answer. Because I know you don't have it. Nine. Can you name them? Sam Brownback, Mike Huckabee, Duncan Hunter, Rudy Giuliani, John McCain, Mitt Romney, Ron Paul, Tom Tancredo, Fred Thompson.
WHITFIELD: And the latest.
HARRIS: Chief National Correspondent John King is in Des Moines, Iowa, waiting for Fred Thompson to arrive. We will check in with John at the top of the hour right here in the NEWSROOM.
WHITFIELD: Meantime, it is one of the biggest challenges facing Afghanistan: how to eradicate the poppy trade.
CNN's Special Investigations Unit takes a look. CNN's Anderson Cooper with a preview of narco state, the poppy jihad.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Doug Juancall's (ph) in charge of the U.S.' fight against drugs in Afghanistan. He's America's man on the ground. Juanco travels the country with his Afghan counterpart, Lieutenant General Mohammed Daud-daud (ph). Juancall and Daud bring a message from the United States and from President Hamid Karzai: stop growing poppies.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There was very little eradication last year.
COOPER: It's an unusually frank discussion.
DOUG JUANCALL: Some people would question who do you eradicate. Nonetheless ...
ANDERSON: Deciding whose fields to eradicate is always controversial. Local officials try to influence the decision-making based on loyalties to them, and sometimes bribes. Juancall is having none of it.
JUANCALL: Because (ph) I don't trust the people here anyway. I mean, obviously, they haven't done anything anyway, OK, so ...
COOPER: He shuts down the debate. JUANCALL: If you guys want to argue later, we can argue. But that's not now. Eradication will start, usually around, let's say 8:30, 9:00. And it'll be finished by 2:00 or 3:00.
COOPER: Two days later with eradication underway, there's trouble. Gunfire breaks out. The force (ph) is under attack.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We need (ph) a direct hit. We are taking fire! We are taking fire! Out, copy.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Taliban?
COOPER: The gun battle rages for four hours and leaves four Afghan policemen wounded. Eradication efforts here are called off for the season.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
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