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O.J. Simpson Arrested; Attorney General Nominee; Jena 6 Case; Gerri's Top Tips

Aired September 17, 2007 - 10:00   ET

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

HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: If you are looking for a way to make a difference for Youssif, you can log on to cnn.com/impact. Click on "Iraq burn victim" and learn how you can become part of the solution. Impacting your world just a click away at cnn.com/impact.
Good morning, everybody. I'm Heidi Collins. Tony Harris is off today.

Stay informed all day right here in the CNN NEWSROOM. Here's what's on the rundown.

O.J. Simpson jailed in Vegas on robbery charges. Hear tape of Simpson losing his cool during the alleged crime.

The next attorney general may be this retired federal judge, Michael Mukasey. We'll get the nod 30 minutes from now.

The author of "The Kite Runner" (ph) live this hour. Kalid Husseini (ph). Building up a country torn down by war.

It is Monday, September 17th. You're in the CNN NEWSROOM.

COLLINS: O.J. Simpson behind bars and apparently caught on tape. He is charged in an armed robbery. You can hear that confrontation for yourself. But before we play that audio, some details for you. Police say Simpson was among an armed group of men who burst into a hotel room and demanded the return of his sports memorabilia. Simpson has said no guns were involved and the incident was not a robbery. We do warn you, though, the language is pretty raw.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (BLEEP) you. Mind your own business.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Look at this (BLEEP).

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get over there.

SIMPSON: You think you can steal my (BLEEP)?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Backs to the wall.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was trying to get past you.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Walk your ass over there.

SIMPSON: Think you can steal my (BLEEP)?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mike took it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You, against the (BLEEP) wall.

SIMPSON: I know (BLEEP) Mike took it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Search him.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And I know what Brian's trying to prove.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm cool. I am.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Stand up.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So, so.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get your (BLEEP) asses up.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Stand the (BLEEP) up.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: Let's go live now to Las Vegas where Simpson is sitting in jail. Our Chris Lawrence is here for us this morning to give us the very latest on everything.

Chris, good morning to you.

CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Heidi.

According to the Clark County Department of Corrections, O.J. Simpson is now scheduled to have a probable cause hearing tomorrow morning. And we believe it is at that hearing that his bail will be determined.

Now Simpson is charged with two counts of robbery, using a deadly weapon. And each one of those charges could send him to prison for 30 years. Remember, Simpson is now a 60 years old man. So theoretically these alleged crimes could put him behind bars for the rest of his life.

Now no one is disputing the basic facts of this case, that O.J. Simpson did go into that hotel room looking to retrieve certain pieces of sports memorabilia. Simpson says it belonged to him. Police say that doesn't matter. They believe that a gun was pointed inside that room, that threats were made and they have charged O.J. Simpson with assault, with conspiracy, with burglary and against those two serious counts of robbery with a deadly weapon.

Simpson is in an isolated cell. He's not receiving visitors yet. But again, after his first court appearance, that could change.

Heidi.

COLLINS: Hey, Chris, these are pretty serious charges. Anybody there that you've been talking with surprised by the number of them and how serious they are?

LAWRENCE: No. You know, charges are what they are. You know, there is a very long line to go from arrest and charges to an actual trial. Many of the charges that are initially filed are not the same charges that a person will necessarily stand trial for if it even gets that far, much less be convicted on. And it should be noted also that one of the men who was with O.J. Simpson and went into that room with him, he was also arrested on Saturday. He was charged with the same thing. And he was released without bail later that same night.

COLLINS: Interesting. All right, CNN's Chris Lawrence following the story for us from Las Vegas this morning. Thank you, Chris.

Minutes from now President Bush due to announce his choice to replace Alberto Gonzales as attorney general. We want to go live to CNN's Kathleen Koch. She's at the White House for us this morning.

Hi there, Kathleen.

KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi.

Basically what happened this morning, Dana Perino, the new White House press secretary, in her very first gaggle with reporters, did confirm that the president's nominee as attorney general will be Michael Mukasey. He is a 66-year-old retired federal judge who served in New York, nominated in '87 by President Ronald Reagan. Mukasey was basically chief judge there until September 2006 in the southern district of New York. A very, very high-profile, very busy court district where he handled a lot of terrorism cases.

And Perino said that was one of the things that was very important to the president. She said that Mukasey has a tremendous experience in national security law. She described him as very accomplished, highly qualified, someone who calls it like he sees it, someone who's known as being very fair. She says he brings a fresh perspective.

Now there were a lot of questions to Perino about whether or not the president was trying to avoid a fight. Some conservatives had been pushing him to nominate former Solicitor General Ted Olson. And Democrats in the Senate had warned the president that there would, indeed, be a very bitter, bruiser confirmation battle if Olson was nominated. But Perino said the president is not afraid of a fight. He simply chose the best person for the job.

He met Mukasey for the first time, Perino said, on September 1st. Had him come here to the White House. The president was very impressed with him. And then he called him Friday and offered him the job. And again, he'll make that announcement in about 25 minutes in the Rose Garden.

COLLINS: It is interesting, though, Kathleen, that was the first time that he met him.

KOCH: Quite so. And it is a very, very drastic departure from how the president has normally made these selections. He often draws from his inner circle. From people he has known for, if not years, for decades. People he's very comfortable with. But Perino said that the president is a very good judge of character, a very quick judge of character. He felt comfortable with Mukasey and went ahead with his choice.

COLLINS: All right. CNN's Kathleen Koch this morning for us from the White House.

Kathleen, thank you for that.

And a reminder for our viewers, President Bush expected to announce Michael Mukasey as his attorney general pick this morning in a Rose Garden ceremony. It will happen at 10:30 Eastern. And you can watch it right here on CNN.

Here's a little background now on Michael Mukasey. He's a 66- year-old retired federal judge from New York. Appointed to the bench by Ronald Reagan. He currently serves as a judicial advisor to Republican presidential hopeful Rudy Giuliani. Mukasey presided over several high-profile terror cases we told you about, including dirty bomb suspect Jose Padilla and blind Sheikh Omar Abdel Rahman. He graduated from Columbia University and Yale Law School.

Alan Greenspan speaking out in his new memoir. The former chairman of the Federal Reserve takes issue with the Bush administration while offering some kind words for a couple of former presidents. Greenspan is a self-described libertarian Republican. He says, "I would say that Nixon and Bill Clinton were by far the smartest presidents I have worked with." But Greenspan wasn't so kind with his assessment of the current president. He spoke about it on CBS "60 Minutes."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALAN GREENSPAN, FORMER FEDERAL RESERVE CHAIRMAN: He was much less focused on restraining spending than I would have liked. And . . .

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well actually Cheney has said deficits don't matter.

GREENSPAN: Well, I think he was mistaken on that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: And this from his book now, too. Greenspan says, "I made no secret of my view that President Bush ought to reject a few bills." It would send a message to Congress that it did not have carte blanche on spending. "But the answer I received from a senior White House official was that the president didn't want to challenge House Speaker Dennis Hastert."

For more with Alan Greenspan, be sure to check out cnnmoney.com. Greenspan sat down for a special one-on-one interview with "Fortune" magazine's Andy Serwer. An interesting development in Iraq this morning. Iraq's interior ministry has revoked the license of Blackwater Security. The ministry is blaming Blackwater guards for a gun battle yesterday in Baghdad. The battle left eight Iraqis dead, 14 others wounded. An Iraqi ministry spokesman says the incident is being investigated and "those responsible for Sunday's killing will be referred to Iraqi justice."

Blackwater guards provide protection for construction workers, diplomats and government officials. An estimated 25,000-plus private security workers are in Iraq. It's not known how many of them are employees of the North Carolina-based company. Also unclear, how this will affect reconstruction projects and workers Blackwater guards are assigned to protect.

Investigators are trying to determine what caused a deadly plane crash in Thailand. Right now they are focusing on the flight data recorders that were recovered from the plane. Eighty-eight people died in the crash of the one-two-go airlines plane. Four of them were Americans. There are as many as 40 survivors, many of them speaking about the tragedy from their hospital beds.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERT BORLAND, PLANE CRASH SURVIVOR: Everything went black and was a big mess. And we had hit the ground. People were screaming. There was some fire in the cabin. My clothes caught fire. My trousers. I was able to drag myself across to the other side, which is where the exit row was. A person was able to assist me out of -- drag me out of the aircraft.

MILLIE FURLONG, PLANE CRASH SURVIVOR: We are sinking (ph) or something and I looked up and there was flames coming towards us from the front where the cabin used to be. I mean the flames just like -- they were licking (ph) at people, like burning people, (INAUDIBLE) clothes. And then it sucked back and then I looked to my right to see if the people beside me, if we were getting out or if they could get out and I couldn't even see people. Just flames all on the right side of the plane.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: It could take several weeks, of course, before investigators are finished examining the flight data recorders.

Well, no bright sunshine here. Tossed cars on top of power lines. It's a super time surprise for residents of one Florida community. We'll tell you about that.

And a small Louisiana town on edge. A huge victory for a defendant in the so-called Jena 6 case. We'll talk with his advisor in just a moment.

Looking for Maddie. Her parents turning to the media in an effort to find their little girl and clear themselves as suspects.

And a reminder, President Bush expected to announce Michael Mukasey as his attorney general pick this morning. Rose Garden ceremony, 10:30 Eastern. You can watch it right here on CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: You are in the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Heidi Collins. The best in primetime television. The Emmys are handed out. So was everyone singing "Sopranos"?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: Tensions on the rise in Jena, Louisiana. A judge overturns the conviction of an African-American teen in the racially charged incident. Our Sean Callebs is covering the case of the so- called Jena 6.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT, (voice over): It's not the 1960s, and Jena, Louisiana, isn't Selma or Birmingham. But civil rights leaders are targeting the town's about 2,900, saying the justice system is unfairly pursuing a group of black teenagers. Many, many people in this predominantly white town angrily reject the accusation and the national attention.

JANICE DOSHER, JENA RESIDENT: I just think it's just an untrue statement about Jena. I just don't believe, you know, that there's that much racism. I know in every place there's probably some, but not to the extent that it's been, you know, portrayed over the media.

CALLEBS: The charges stem from a schoolyard beating last year. Six black teens pummeled a white student, knocking him out and sending Justin Barker to the hospital. The D.A. has said repeatedly race played no role in the charges. But an attorney for one of the defendants says attempted murder charges were filed because the students are black.

CAROL POWELL LEXING, MYCHAL BELL'S ATTORNEY: Well, times people can't see race problems if they've been involved in -- embedded in it for so long. You can't see it and you might think that nothing is wrong. But other people can see it. And I think within yourself you know something is wrong.

CALLEBS: Carol Powell Lexing represents Mychal Bell, who was 16 at the time of the fight and in June was convicted as an adult on pared-back charges of second degree battery. A state appeals court threw out the conviction on Friday, saying D.A. Reed Walters erred in going after Bell as an adult, instead saying the case should be tried in juvenile court. Bell has been in jail since his arrest in December. His mother says he's a changed young man.

MELISSA BELL, MYCHAL BELL'S MOTHER: I see that he knows, you know, he's got life, about the horrors (ph), and he know that what he want out of life. And now that he's been in there and, you know, a long time to sit back and think about what he want out of life and that, you know, it can be taken away from him any minute.

CALLEBS: This Thursday, civil rights leaders have a massive demonstration planned in Jena to support Bell and the other defendants who have come to be known as the Jena 6. Crowd estimates vary widely, anywhere from 5,000 to 40,000 protesters. D.A. Walters has two weeks to refile charges and has given no indication he's backing down and has a message for outsiders.

REED WALTERS, JENA, LOUISIANA D.A.: People from Chicago, Illinois, New York, New York, Detroit, Michigan, Atlanta, Georgia, Los Angeles, California, people that have no clue about what's going on, to please stay away.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS: And our Sean Callebs is joining us now live this morning from Jena, Louisiana.

So, Sean, we saw a little bit of a reaction from people who live in the area. Overall, how do they think this whole process has gone so far?

CALLEBS: Well, we went to a fair that was held here in Jena over the weekend and we probably tried to talk to 30 people on camera. Only one would speak with us. Many of them unsolicited would actually say to us, you know what, we didn't think that Mychal Bell should have been tried as an adult to begin with, but we're really upset at what they view as outside agitation. Meaning the media coming in, focusing attention on this, and to a big -- in a big way, the civil rights demonstrations planned here.

To show you the kind of press this is getting, this is the local paper. This is the big headline, "Jena prepares to rally." This is this morning. And if you look down here, about three column inches is the O.J. story. So it really puts the Jena 6 story in perspective in this community. And quickly, a couple of points. We did have a chance to speak with the D.A.'s office and so far the D.A. has not refiled charges in juvenile court and there's been no movement on a bond hearing for Mychal Bell.

COLLINS: All right, Sean, we're glad you're there following that one for us out of Jena, Louisiana.

Sean Callebs, thank you.

Want to talk a little bit more about this this morning with Harvard Law School Professor Charles Ogletree. He's an advisor to the defendants in the Jena 6 case.

Thanks for being with us, Mr. Ogletree.

We know there's a hearing going on right now on whether or not the judge in this case should actually recuse himself. Your thoughts on that.

CHARLES OGLETREE, HARVARD LAW SCHOOL: Well, there are a lot of reasons the judge should recuse himself. And this criminal justice case has been a colossal failure of justice for these young men. The judge has made mistakes in allowing the charges to go forward. Having this man in jail since last year, Mychal Bell. And now the appeals court's involved in it.

So this is a case that was waiting to have some fresh air and publicity. I think now it's very likely this D.A. will try to re- bring these charges. And I hope it means that these other young men will be tried as they should be tried, a schoolyard brawl with a suspension, not federal -- not serious felony charges.

COLLINS: You do think it's unlikely that D.A. Walters will move forward?

OGLETREE: One of the problems that the D.A. in this case has been pointing fingers at these young black men since the schoolyard incidents. We forget there were nooses hung in a tree. We forget an African-American male in that community was hit on the head with a beer bottle. We forget that a gun was drawn on one of these young men. There's a whole series of failures of the system. And I think the district attorney is being watched nationally. The judge is being watched nationally. Some good lawyers are being brought into the case now. And I hope that these young men will not only avoid criminal charges, but they'll be back in school before this year is out.

COLLINS: I don't think everybody forgets about the way that this whole case started, certainly with the nooses.

But let me ask you this, your defendant not being tried in an adult court now, possibly as we've said, going to juvenile court system, how will that change things for him?

OGLETREE: Well, it will change dramatically. First of all, the lawyer who represented him before did a poor job of challenging the government's evidence. Didn't call any witnesses. Didn't investigate the case. And now, hopefully, a judge, a juvenile court judge, will be able to listen to the evidence dispassionately, hear Mychal Bell's defense and come back with the judgment of not responsible in the juvenile terms. So I think it's going to make a huge difference.

But the most important thing is that he should be released. There's no reason he should be in jail now having been found not guilty not guilty of some charges, having had some reversed, and facing no charges right now. I think he should be released. And that might change the whole method of this case as well.

COLLINS: You know, you have to wonder as you watch sort of the process and the way that this story developed, if there was any responsibility that should have been placed on the adults in this case. The adults at the school. People in the community to help sort of diffuse tensions between the kids at the school before it got to this point.

OGLETREE: Well, I think Jena never imagined that this case would have the national, international attention it has generated. They never imagined that you'd see civil rights leader, national press coming and watching. And if you look at the school board, which revoked -- reversed the principal's decision to punish those who hung nooses in the tree, if you look at the apathy of the community when these black kids complained about being treated differently, adults played a significant role.

And adults are going to have to cure it. If they don't think there's a problem of race in Jena, they're not living in the 21st century. And I think hopefully the good news is that black and white families will come together, live together and they'll be a positive result after this case is resolved, hopefully in the next couple of months.

COLLINS: Yes, we certainly hope so. All right. We'll continue to follow this story as always right here on CNN.

Charles Ogletree of Harvard Law School, thanks for your time this morning.

OGLETREE: Thank you.

COLLINS: Count on CNN to bring you new developments on the Jena 6 investigation.

Coming up this Thursday, our Special Investigations Unit brings you "Judgment in Jena." Join Kyra Phillips for an eye-opening documentary at 8:00 p.m. Eastern right here on CNN.

Open wide and say ahh, America. Hillary Rodham Clinton today unveiling her plan for mandatory health care for all Americans.

GERRI WILLS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Gerri Willis.

The Federal Reserve meets tomorrow. What does it mean if you're looking for a loan? "Top Tips" is next in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: President Bush expected to announce Michael Mukasey as his attorney general pick this morning in a Rose Garden ceremony at 10:30 Eastern. You can watch it right here on CNN.

Another story that we are following, this just in to CNN now. We are understanding that O.J. Simpson will have some type of hearing in court in Las Vegas. Apparently about to get underway any minute now. We had originally heard the first scheduled court appearance would be on Thursday. As you may know in this situation, there was no bail posted for him. He was not allowed to have bail, I should say. And those charges against him, robbery, assault, burglary and conspiracy. Again, these pictures coming in from Las Vegas. Our Chris Lawrence is there. He is following this story. And we will check in with him in just a few moments.

The Federal Reserve meets tomorrow to decide will the bankers lower interest rates? And what do their moves mean to you and your wallet? That's the important question. CNN's personal finance editor, Gerri Willis, is joining us now.

Good morning to you, Gerri.

WILLIS: Hey, Heidi. COLLINS: If the Fed decides to cut rates, will that actually have a direct impact on mortgage rates that we've been talking about for a long time now?

WILLIS: Well, look, even if the Fed does act, some experts are saying there may be little change in mortgage rates. That's because bankers are so uncertain about the mortgage market that they're requiring borrowers to really pay a premium. It's going to take series of moves by the Fed for allow credit to flow again. That's what one expert told us. The mortgage market isn't going to behave normally they say until next spring or summer.

However, a rate cut will reduce the rates for adjustable rate mortgages. One of the types of the loans that has caused the problems in the first place. So you won't see a huge difference probably after Tuesday, even if the Fed does cut rates in loans out there.

COLLINS: All right. So then what is the reality of the market if you actually really do need a loan? Well, the standards are all different. The banks have really tightened their purse strings. Expect to put down a 10 percent to 20 percent downpayment and your credit score is going to have to be better as well. Even if you're taking out a car loan, any kind of loan out there. That's because bankers want to avoid taking on any kind of risk.

You first move should be to pull your credit report and go over it for any errors that could be dragging down your score. Go to annualcreditreport.com for that information. And remember that any info older than seven years should not be on that report and you can contest it.

COLLINS: OK. So what about that downpayment? Pretty hefty?

WILLIS: Pretty hefty. You've really got to put a lot of money down, 10 percent to 20 percent. And not only are you going to have to polish up your credit score, you'll have to put down a lot of dough. Today you may have to pony up 20 percent of your home's value. Lenders are no longer offering loans that exceed 90 percent of the appraised value. If you don't think you have enough money for a downpayment, wait.

Look, you can tap into your IRA as a first-time home buyer, but it's not the best idea. A better bet is save more now so you can have a bigger downpayment when the market hits its low point next year. See these money market funds are a great place to part short term money and really get a decent return.

COLLINS: What about those low-doc and no-doc loans. I mean, it seems like a pretty cool things. Can't get those anymore?

WILLIS: That's done. That's done. Long gone are the days of low-doc and no-doc loans. You should expect to submit full documentation of your income and your assets when you apply for a mortgage these days. That means you've got to show evidence of your paychecks, pay stubs for three months. You've got to show your bank account statements for at least two months. Tax returns for two years. You'll also need to provide at least three months of your statements for any kind of 401(k) or IRA assets.

I'm telling you, they're getting really strict about this. It will hit people who are self-employed most because it's most difficult for them to prove their pay.

COLLINS: And, you know, it's always smart, I know, to shop around. I mean you do have a lot of choices out there and you've got to do the homework.

WILLIS: Right. Exactly. Look, shop around because there are big differences right now in what different lenders are offering to people with the same credit score. You need to know that. So go and get like three different estimates from three different lenders. If you use a mortgage broker, have them come up with a lot of different offers for you. Because at the end of the day, if you really shop around, you can get a better deal than if you just go to the lender you've already been using.

COLLINS: All right. CNN's personal finance editor Gerri Willis.

Nice to see you, Gerri. Thank you.

WILLIS: Good to see you. Happy Monday.

COLLINS: You, too.

You are in the CNN NEWSROOM. It is Monday. I'm Heidi Collins. Tony Harris is off today.

President Bush just announcing his choice to replace Alberto Gonzales as attorney general. We want to go live to CNN's Kathleen Koch now at the White House this morning.

Kathleen, this announcement coming up in just a couple of minutes.

KOCH: Yes, indeed. And it will be 66-year-old former federal judge, Michael Mukasey. He served starting in '87. He was nominated by Ronald Reagan, served in the southern district of New York as a federal judge there. He's seen as being independent, though he is considered a conservative Republican. He is considered to be someone who is very fair. Press Secretary Dana Perino this morning said the president also chose him because he believed that someone -- he was someone who had a keen appreciation of national and security law, of the threats facing the nation. The judge handled a lot of high- profile terrorism cases while he was in New York.

He was offered the job by President Bush on Friday, and the White House is calling on the Senate to act quickly and confirm him before they leave on their recess on October 8th.

Back to you, Heidi.

COLLINS: And, Kathleen, it's pretty interesting that you reported earlier, that even though he appointed him on Friday really hadn't met him, the president, in Mukasey much before that. KOCH: Met him for the first time on September 1st when he invited him here to the White House, and that's quite unusual, because as we know the president tends to select people who he is known for, if not years, for decades, people from his inner circle. But again, Perino this morning said the president was impressed with the judge, with his credentials. A lot of people are saying the White House here is choosing the path of least resistance.

Mukasey has been praised by liberals, been praised by Senator Chuck Schumer from New York, who said he was someone who could put the rule of law first and show independence from the White House. So again, some conservatives not entirely pleased with this selection, with praise coming from Schumer and from liberal groups, but again, he is expected to be confirmed relatively easily -- Heidi.

As we continue to watch the doors there coming out to the Rose Garden. Wait for the president to come to those microphones. I'm reading some of this stuff on Michael Mukasey. He used to be a journalist. He was a reporter.

As we now see the president and Michael Mukasey coming to that podium, let's go ahead and listen in.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRES. OF THE UNITED STATES: Good morning.

I'm pleased to announce my nomination of Judge Michael Mukasey to be the 81st attorney general of the United States.

Judge, thank you for agreeing to serve.

Attorney general serves as our nation's chief law enforcement officer. The attorney general has an especially vital role to play in a time of war and when we face challenges -- and we face the challenge of protecting our people on a daily basis from deadly enemies, while at the same time protecting our freedom.

Judge Mukasey brings impressive credentials to this task.

In 1987 he was nominated by President Ronald Reagan to the United States District Court of the Southern District of New York. It's one of the country's busiest and most respected trial courts.

He sat on that court for more than 18 years, and he earned the reputation as a tough but fair judge.

For six of those years he was the chief judge, and he was a sound manager and a strong leader.

Throughout his time on the bench Judge Mukasey was widely admired for his brilliance and his integrity.

Mike has experience in the Justice Department and private practice, as well as having served on the bench.

He served four years as an assistant United States attorney in Manhattan, where he tried many cases and he developed expertise in the workings of the criminal justice system. He's also worked as a partner in a law firm. And he holds degrees from Columbia University and Yale Law School.

Some of Judge Mukasey's most important legal experience is in the area of national security.

Judge Mukasey presided over the trial over the terrorist known as the Blind Sheik and his co-defendants in the conspiracy to destroy prominent New York City landmarks, including bombing of the World Trade Center in 1993.

Before the 9/11 attacks, this was one of the most important terrorism cases in our nation's history. And the verdict in that case was affirmed on appeal.

In affirming the convictions, the appeals court singled out the judge for praise. I found it very interesting of what they said.

Here's what they wrote: "The Honorable Michael B. Mukasey presided with extraordinary skill and patience, assuring fairness to the prosecution and to each defendant, and helpfulness to the jury. His was an outstanding achievement in the face of challenges far beyond those normally endured by a trial judge."

When the World Trade Center was attacked again, Judge Mukasey quickly reopened his court, even though it was just blocks from ground zero. He recognized the importance of maintaining a functioning justice system in the midst of a national emergency.

He and other judges in his district worked day and night to ensure that applications for warrants were processed, investigations could proceed and the rule of law was upheld.

Judge Mukasey's clear-eyed about the threat our nation faces.

As a judge and a private lawyer, he's written on matters of constitutional law and national security. He knows what it takes to fight this war effectively, and he knows how to do it in a manner that's consistent with our laws and our Constitution.

And when confirmed by the Senate as attorney general, he will work to ensure that our law enforcement and intelligence officers have the tools they need to protect the United States and our citizens.

When he takes his place at the Department of Justice, he will succeed another fine judge, Alberto Gonzales. From his days as supreme court justice in Texas to his years as White House counsel and as attorney general of the United States, this honorable and decent man has served with distinction.

I've known Al and his family for more than a decade. He's a dear friend and a trusted adviser. I will miss him and I wish Al and Becky all the best.

With Mike Mukasey, the Justice Department will be in the hands of a great lawyer and an accomplished public servant. Mike has shown good judgment in the courtroom. He's shown good judgment outside the courtroom. After all, he married a teacher. And we welcome Susan here, as well as son Marc and daughter Jessica.

Thank you all for coming.

He's also brought his sister Rhoda and brother-in-law Norm.

I want to thank you all for supporting, Mike, as he takes on this important responsibility for our country.

It's a pivotal time for our nation and it's vital that the position of attorney general be filled quickly. I urge the Senate to confirm Judge Mukasey promptly.

Until the judge is confirmed, Assistant Attorney General Paul Keisler will serve as acting attorney general.

Accepting this assignment requires -- Peter, I said -- Peter -- Peter Keisler.

Accepting this assignment requires Peter to delay the departure date he announced earlier this month. And I appreciate his willingness to do so.

Peter's the acting attorney general. Paul Clement, who agreed to take on this role, will remain focused on his duties as solicitor general so he can prepare for the Supreme Court term that begins just two weeks from today.

Judge, I'm grateful for answering our nation's call to serve. I look forward to welcoming you as the next attorney general of the United States. Thank you for coming.

MICHAEL B. MUKASEY, ATTORNEY GENERAL NOMINEE: Thank you, Mr. President.

I am, of course, deeply honored to be selected as the nominee for attorney general of the United States.

Mr. President, I am also grateful to you for giving the chance to return to the Department of Justice, where I served early in my career.

The department faces challenges vastly different from those it faced when I was an assistant U.S. attorney 35 years ago. But the principles that guide the department remain the same: to pursue justice by enforcing the law with unswerving fidelity to the Constitution.

I have always had great respect for the men and women who follow those principles day in and day out in all the constituent branches of the department. My fondest hope and prayer at this time is that, if confirmed, I can give them the support and the leadership they deserve.

This morning, I received a congratulatory call from the man I've been nominated to succeed, Alberto Gonzales. And I appreciate his support and encouragement.

I said a moment ago that the challenges the department faces are vastly different from those we confronted 35 years ago.

Less than a week ago, we marked a solemn anniversary that reminds us, if we need reminding, of how different those challenges are.

Thirty-five years ago, our foreign adversaries saw widespread devastation as a deterrent. Today, our fanatical enemies see it as a divine fulfillment.

But the task of helping to protect our security, which the Justice Department shares with the rest of our government, is not the only task before us. The Justice Department must also protect the safety of our children, the commerce that assures our prosperity, and the rights and liberties that define us as a nation.

I look forward to meeting with members of Congress in the days ahead and, if confirmed, to working with Congress to meet our nation's challenges.

Thank you very much.

COLLINS: There you have the president of the United States appointing officially Michael Mukasey as his new attorney general. The 81st attorney general.

CNN's Kelli Arena is checking in with us now to talk a little bit more about him and his background. We keep saying it, I believe we're going to get to know him quite well over the next few weeks as we move toward a confirmation hearing of some kind.

But interesting some of the things i've read here. September 11th is very involved, of course, in some of those cases afterwards. But the World Trade Center came down right near his courtroom.

KELLI ARENA, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: That's right. And did he get back to business as usual as quickly as he could. He's very much known as a hard-nosed, get-down-to-business kind of guy, and he proved that in the days following that devastating attack. You know, well respected in legal circles. As we heard a lot, he has sort of developed this reputation as someone who has a keen knowledge about national security issues.

As you heard from the president, what was the presiding judge over one of the early terrorism cases, involving the so-called Blind Sheikh, and plots to attack several New York targets.

Also involved in the case against the former enemy combatant Jose Padilla, where he ruled that, yes, the government had a right to hold him as an enemy combatant, but also ruled Padilla had the right to see a lawyer.

And as you know, he gets praise from both sides of the aisle here. Some concern, though, as you know, on the part of conservatives, wondering if he's really up to the task. He's not someone obviously who has name recognition. A lot of people saying today, who? Who is this guy? They're wondering, does he really have what it takes from a managerial standpoint to take over the vast department that is Justice.

COLLINS: Yes. Certainly that would be something that I think people are talking about, even within the justice department themselves, because you have reported many times some issues there right now, obviously with the departure of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and morale.

ARENA: That's true. And the feeling over at main justice is that they just wanted somebody confirmed. They just wanted the ball moving. Let's get past this, let's get back to business, let's stop all of this other nonsense.

But this is a department that's still facing several investigations. You have the investigation into the domestic wiretapping program, whether or not the former Attorney General Gonzales lied, you know, committed perjury under oath, the whole issue of the firing of those U.S. attorneys and what led to that. So lots of maneuvering with the hill that, that if Mukasey is confirmed, that he will have to do. And of course you have the situation, the civil rights division, lots of people saying that's been politicized in a way that could be irreparable, that will take years to fix. So he does have several challenges ahead, besides the very tricky road that is justice, in and of itself.

COLLINS: Yes, and I was going to say, no one would expect the job of attorney general to be an easy one in any regard.

CNN's Justice Correspondent Kelli Arena for us this morning. Kelli, thank you.

ARENA: You're welcome, Heidi.

CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Chris Lawrence live in Las Vegas, Nevada, where there is some confusion about when O.J. Simpson will make his first appearance in court. We'll have that story and more coming up after the break.

COLLINS: And rebuilding lives in Afghanistan. The award-winning author of the best-seller, "The Kite Runner," his homeland, and what life is like now.

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COLLINS: Happening now, O.J. Simpson before a judge in Las Vegas for a hearing. CNN's Chris Lawrence is there.

Hey, Chris, you mentioned a little bit of confusion here. We thought he was going to court for the first time on Thursday.

CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's what the judge said initially. But then the Department of Corrections Web site said it would be tomorrow morning, and just recently it updated it to say this morning. But we have not been able to confirm anything like that is definitely going to happen. So a little bit of confusion in that regard.

But again, this is semantics. Eventually, whether it is today, tomorrow, Thursday, it will happen, and there will be a determination whether he gets bail or not.

The most important thing are these two counts of robbery with a deadly weapon. Because each of those charges carries a sentence of 30 years in prison. When you consider that O.J. Simpson is a 60-year-old man, theoretically these alleged crimes have the possibility of putting him behind bars for the rest of his life.

So far, Simpson's says this has been a misunderstanding. His lawyer says there are problems with some of the witness statements, and he is promising to fight these charges for Mr. Simpson -- Heidi.

COLLINS: OK, we'll continue to follow the developments of that. Let us know if you see anybody going to court there. Chris Lawrence for us in Las Vegas this morning.

Want to give you a little bit more legal insight now on this story. CNN's senior legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin is joining us once again from New York.

Hi there, Jeff.

JEFFREY TOOBIN, CNN SR. LEGAL ANALYST: Hi, Heidi.

COLLINS: You heard Chris say it, the biggest concern I'm sure for O.J. Simpson's defendants, or lawyers, I should say, is those two counts of robbery with a deadly weapon carries very long sentencing.

TOOBIN: And that's very relevant to the immediate issue before Simpson, which is getting out on bail. The more serious the crime, the more the police and the district attorney want to limit the amount of -- whether you get out on bail.

What may be happening here is -- first of all, Simpson's got to hire a Nevada criminal defense lawyer. His lawyer in Florida, Yale Gallanter (ph), is a Florida lawyer. He needs someone who can practice in Nevada. He's got to get a lawyer in Nevada. He's also got to put together a package for bail. He's got to say, look, I will post this much money, I will post this much real estate. All of that takes some time. Obviously he wants to get it done as fast as possible, because he wants to get out of jail, but those are the kind of things that tend to move more slowly than you'd like when you're on the defense side. So it's not surprising that there is some confusion about when his team can get its act together to get into court.

COLLINS: Yes, quickly, does it say anything to you there that there was no bail to begin with, about what the prosecution may have?

TOOBIN: Given the seriousness of the charges there would have to be some posting of bail. They certainly wouldn't let someone charged with such serious crimes out on his own recognizance. But some bail package is possible, I'd even say likely, but it's going to take some time to put it together. COLLINS: All right, CNN's senior legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin. Jeff, thanks for that. We'll continue to follow this one of course.

TOOBIN: Okey doke, Heidi.

COLLINS: Meanwhile, rebuilding lives in Afghanistan. The award- winning author of the best-seller "The Kite Runner," we'll talk with him. He'll tell us about his homeland and what life is like now.

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COLLINS: Life in Afghanistan. People there trying to rebuild lives and communities. Award-winning Afghan author Khaled Hosseini just returned from his latest trip to Afghanistan. Hosseini wrote the best-selling novel "The Kite Runner," now published in 42 different languages. His latest novel is "A Thousand Splendid Suns," both novels wrapped in the rich history of his home country.

Khaled Hosseini is joining us now live from Washington. It is a pleasure. Thanks for being on the show today. We do appreciate it.

KHALED HOSSEINI, AUTHOR, "THE KITE RUNNER": My pleasure.

COLLINS: I also know that you just came back from Afghanistan, and your last trip prior to that was in 2003. What stood out most to you? What was different?

HOSSEINI: Well, I mean I think there have been some limited but tangible improvements. The city of Kabul, for instance, I noticed some neighborhoods have been destroyed, have been rebuilt. Some of the roads have been paved. So they have been some improvements. But the overwhelming impression that I got when I was there is that all of these games really are at a risk of being lost.

Afghanistan, six years after the signing of the Bonn (ph) agreement has really reached a very, very critical juncture. This is a country that is now beset by a raging insurgency in the south. There is rising opium production, millions of people who are trying to make a living, struggling very mightily.

And I think very importantly, the international focus has shifted away from Afghanistan over to Iraq. My feeling is that we cannot afford to let Afghanistan slide back at this critical juncture. We have to build on what positive developments have happened in Afghanistan and make a robust, genuine and long-term commitment to Afghanistan, if indeed we want long-term results in that country.

COLLINS: International focus -- don't you just mean the United States? I mean are there other countries, internationally, who are interested in the progress of your homeland?

HOSSEINI: I think it is important for Afghanistan to be in a global consciousness. Of course the U.S. is footing much of the bill, but I think it's important for the situation in Afghanistan to be understood globally, which I think in the end it will be a global effort. COLLINS: Right, imperative. Talk to me a little bit about your family, your countrymen. I'm sure that you spent quite a bit of time talking with them, and how they feel about the progress in their country.

HOSSEINI: You know, the Afghan people are constitutionally an optimistic people. A recent survey by the Afghan Human Rights Commission found that 78 percent of Afghans are still hopeful about their future today. That's not to say that the living standards are good. In fact quite the opposite. You know, I traveled to northern Afghanistan and I met villagers and met villagers where people had no homes, were living in tents or shelters, sometimes in holes they dug on the ground. People have no access to clean water. More than 50 percent of the Afghan population does not drink potable water. They have no access to schools, no access to health care.

But what that statistic tells me that we cannot give up on these people. We cannot abandon these people. We have to stay engaged in Afghanistan, and we have to stay engaged on a long-term basis and build a socioeconomic base for the coming generation in Afghanistan.

I know "The Kite Runner" was basically a story -- I don't want to put words in your mouth; as you are the author obviously -- but of a little boy growing up in Afghanistan;and "A Thousand Splendid Suns"more about a little girl, Miriam, who is obviously going through some of the challenge for women. Has that situation, the plight of women, improved much in the past few years?

HOSSEINI: Well, I think that's the situation that, again, requires a long -- requires patience, a long-term engagements. You know, Afghanistan is largely a patriarchal society, particularly in rural areas, and we cannot expect to have that changed overnight. There have some improvements particularly in rural areas in Kabul. You have women who are back in the work force, working in education, working in health care, serving for the government. But to bring about radical change in rural countries where it is essentially a tribal way of life will be, I think, misguided and we have to be patient. And like everything else in Afghanistan, we have to give it time.

COLLINS: I know that were you in Kabul for September 11th. Does that day hold any significance for the people of Afghanistan?

HOSSEINI: Of course. It's the day that really put Afghanistan front and center. It's the day that the world woke up that there is a very, very serious problem in Afghanistan.

Sometimes one of the frustrating things is that people tend to forget that day. People tend to forget that Afghanistan is still a very vital country. It is of utmost important to the national security of us here in the United States. And that a failed Afghan state is a disaster for the Afghan people, a disaster for the region and a disaster for the West, and that's why we have to remain engaged and stay committed.

COLLINS: Khaled Hosseini, we appreciate your time here. Your words are beautifully written in your book. Thanks so much.

HOSSEINI: My pleasure. Thank you.

COLLINS: Another story we're following today, O.J. Simpson. Lawyers, allegations of guns and memorabilia. We'll tell you why he's sitting in jail this morning.

And you saw it live in the NEWSROOM just a short time ago, President Bush's choice for attorney general. Who is Michael Mukasey? What are chances of Senate confirmation? We'll talk about that in just a minute.

Plus tossed cars, toppled powers lines -- a suppertime surprise for residents of one Florida community.

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