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UAW on Strike Against GM; Bush to Address United Nations Today, Ahmadinejad Follows Soon After
Aired September 25, 2007 - 09:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Negotiations expected to resume today between General Motors and the United Auto Workers Union; 73,000 workers off the job. The first nationwide auto worker strike in some 30 years, operations shutdown at 80 plants across 30 states. A lengthy strike could cost the struggling automaker billions. CNN's Ali Velshi is on the story for us now and is live now in Warren, Michigan.
Good morning to you, Ali. What about the possibility for any type of progress today?
ALI VELSHI, CNN FINANCIAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Heidi, we know that walkout started at 11:00 Eastern yesterday morning. Negotiations resumed yesterday afternoon. They went till 8:00 p.m. and both GM and United Auto Workers have said that they will resume negotiations this morning. But they haven't said where and they haven't said when. For all we know they could be starting right now.
They have kept this very tightly sealed, in fact. What we do know from Ron Gettelfinger, the head of the United Auto Workers, is that this is about job security. This is about getting a commitment from General Motors to keep plants open and to keep jobs in the United States.
Now, these strikers -- you can see over my shoulder -- many of them have told us they really didn't think it was going to end up in a strike. And they don't know how long it can last. In fact, I've got the two Detroit newspapers here. "The Detroit Free Press", the headline is, "Strike: How Long Can It Last?" and "The Detroit News" says "Off a Cliff" which is what Ron Gettelfinger said, that the UAW felt like, they were pushed off a cliff.
Here is what you have to know about this: 73,000 workers on strike. But back in 1994, General Motors had a quarter of a million employees that were unionized. That has whittled down over the years to the point now there are 73,000 here and a 100,000 if you combine Ford and Chrysler. So you have 180,000 unionized workers in the United Auto Workers in the United States. That's a lot less than there used to be. The UAW wants assurances that it's not going to get a lot smaller over the years to come, Heidi.
COLLINS: Boy, I bet. What about the broader implications, though? When we talk about the larger U.S. economy? What will happen because of this strike?
VELSHI: It's a huge industry. It was a bigger industry and we've seen over the course of the past few years, as we've seen these layouts, 10s of thousands of layoffs more than a 100,000 in the auto industry -- we've seen how it's depressed housing values in places like Michigan. How it has affected spending. These workers go from their normal salaries to earning $200 a week now. How does it affect these areas where there are 1,000, 2,000 or 3,000 people working at a plant?
So, it's something for everybody to think about. In addition to the fact that most Americans who have 401ks probably hold GM stock in them. Everybody has a GM dealership in the neighborhood. Probably knows somebody who drives a GM car or somebody works for the company.
COLLINS: No doubt about it. All right, CNN's Ali Velshi is on the story for us from Warren, Michigan. Ali, we'll check back in with you should anything happen there. Thanks.
Also this hour, President Bush takes at the podium at the United Nations. He is going to be trying to seize the spotlight from Iran's fiery president, who also speaks today. CNN's Suzanne Malveaux is at the U.N. now.
Good morning to you, Suzanne.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.
COLLINS: What exactly is the president going to be focusing on today?
MALVEAUX: Heidi, it's really interesting. Because this is really a body he went before and taunted, saying that it could possibly become irrelevant, that before the Iraq war. Well, you're not going to hear that kind of language today. It's going to be a very different kind of speech.
The war on terror as well as even mentioning Iran is not the centerpiece this time. That was an issue that really divided the United States from the U.N. This time you're going to hear him talk about the need for the U.N. to go back to its core mission. He will talk about the Declaration on Human Rights. The idea that all of these countries can come together, they may have disagreed on the Iraq war, but they can come together on things like fighting poverty, tyranny, oppression, disease, things like that.
He will mention specifically the situation the genocide in Darfur. He will also talk about the struggle for democracy in Burma -- Heidi.
COLLINS: Suzanne, has there been any reaction, though, from the Bush administration to Ahmadinejad's visit to New York, that you've been hearing?
MALVEAUX: You know, it's funny. Because the White House of course wants you to think they are ignoring all of this. The president, we have not heard him directly address it at all. But we did heard from the press secretary yesterday, who really tried to minimize the comments. Saying essentially, it's his deeds that matter not necessarily his words here. That he needs to prove he is trying to give up what they believe is a nuclear program to build a nuclear bomb. They have a real difficult situation, Heidi, as you know, because they've been trying to convince the U.N. Security Council to pass a third resolution for more tougher sanctions against Iran. Obviously, the first two have not worked -- Heidi.
COLLINS: True, indeed. Suzanne Malveaux is at U.N. for us this morning, watching all of this. And we'll have that speech for you. Just want to give you a reminder, exactly. President Bush is scheduled to address the U.N. General Assembly at 9:45 Eastern. You can see that here, live in the NEWSROOM.
Let's take a quick look at the U.N. General Assembly. There are 192 member states of the United Nations. Each has one seat in the General Assembly. Think of it as sort of a global town hall, where countries off their ideas and debate on different issues. In the United Nations first year, 1945, there were only 51 members. So certainly has grown significantly.
Outrage and ridicule. Iran's president stirs strong emotions even before he addresses the U.N. today. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad drew jeers at Columbia University. He also drew massive protests. Crowds condemned the Iranian leader and repeated accusations that he sponsors terrorism and is pursuing nuclear weapons.
At Columbia he drew derisive laughter when he responded about to a question about Iran's execution of homosexuals.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD, PRESIDENT OF IRAN (through translator): In Iran, we don't have homosexuals like in your country. We don't have that in our country. In Iran, we do not have this phenomenon. I don't know who has told you that we have it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: Even before the Iranian leader took the stage, Columbia's president accused him of being, a quote, "petty and cruel dictator".
New this morning now. More trouble for disgraced quarterback Michael Vick. This time, prosecutors in Virginia seeking an indictment on dog fighting charges. Vick pleaded guilty to federal charges last month. He admitted helping kill dogs and funding the operation. He faces up to five years in prison. Sentencing is set for December 10th. Convictions on state charges could potentially add decades more to Vick's sentence. His hopes of ever returning to the NFL -- sacked.
Want to take a moment to look at the weather situation. Jacqui Jeras is in for us this morning.
(WEATHER REPORT) COLLINS: A 70-yard run during the Kansas City Chiefs/Minnesota Vikings game. One problem. This guy wasn't on either team. A fan who ran on the field was finally tackled by stadium security. The Chiefs mascot K.C. Wolf piled on with a body slam, but he was not flagged by the refs. Check out the flex, right? How do you like him now? Love that shot!
Still ahead in the CNN NEWSROOM, a lot of buzz this morning over comments by Bill O'Reilly. Why his restaurant review is causing controversy.
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Susan Candiotti in Miami Beach. And abandoned charter boat, it's captain and crew missing. Two rescued customers found in a life raft. Authorities say it just doesn't add up. It's a real mystery at sea. I'll have that story ahead in the newsroom.
COLLINS: Also, at the United Nations on the world stage, President Bush about to speak. A former presidential advisor sets the stage for us here.
And remembering the Little Rock 9, 50 years later. A look at a new movie on the integration of Central High School. You're watching CNN. You are in the NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: High seas mystery. A boat found empty and in disarray. The FBI treating the case now as a possible crime. CNN's Susan Candiotti is in Miami Beach this morning.
Susan, it kind of sounds a little bit like a TV show plot?
CANDIOTTI: That's right. Either that, or maybe a plot out of a mystery novel. But this is for real. This is for real, Heidi.
Authorities telling us that four people, a captain and his crew, are missing. And the two people who chartered their 47-foot fishing boat, they have been rescued at sea in a life raft. The FBI is looking into this as a possible crime at the sea -- on the seas, because they said this just doesn't add up.
The FBI also is not telling us what the rescue boaters are telling them, not yet anyway. Let's show you an area of the search area that is now being looked over by the FBI and by the Coast Guard with seven assets out there, boats and helicopters, and planes as well.
This all started on Saturday when a boat called the Joe Cool set off from Miami Beach to go to Bimini, in the Bahamas. It's only about 50 miles offshore. Then authorities say it made a sharp turn according to a GPS tracking system, and landed about -- was discovered about 160 miles off course.
The search, again, starting on Sunday and, on Monday, they found two people in this life raft that came from that charter fishing boat. And the boat only about 10 miles away. But authorities, when they boarded it, said it just didn't look right.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PETTY OFC. JAMES JUDGE, U.S. COAST GUARD: They found the boat as if someone had left in a hurry. And everything was kind of thrown around in complete disarray. So that was one of the first things that was a little bit suspicious. Also the fact this vessel was found 160 miles south, unmanned, just abandoned for no apparent reason.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CANDIOTTI: So there is yet another twist to this. One of the two rescued boaters is a man by the name of Kirby Archer. The FBI is trying to confirm whether this is the very same man who is a fugitive out of Arkansas, who allegedly stole more than $92,000 in cash from a Wal-Mart where Kirby Archer was the customer service manager. And he hasn't been seen or heard from since.
The sheriff out there in Arkansas, Jefferson County, tells me that -- or Independence County, rather -- tells me that there was a rumor when he disappeared, that he always talked about wanting to go to the Caribbean or possibly to Cuba. We don't know exactly what happened here, but we certainly do hope to learn more as the day goes on -- Heidi.
COLLINS: Boy, it certainly a lot of twists and turns. All right. Susan Candiotti, on the story for us. Thanks so much for that, Susan.
Negotiations sputter, auto workers on the picket line. What's the beef? And more importantly, what's at stake here? Tell you all about that.
A coach loses his cool. A newspaper columnist criticizes his quarterback, not the QB's play, his character.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's why I don't read the newspaper! Because it's garbage! And the editor that let it come out is garbage!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: An Oklahoma State cowboy who shoots from the lip.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: Auto workers on strike this morning. Negotiations expected to resume today. What can we expect down the road? CNN's Susan Roesgen explains.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SUSAN ROESGEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Like all strikes, this one started with defiance. How it ends defiantly or in defeat, will affect the lives and wallets of more than 70,000 GM workers across the U.S.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We want job security. And we want our retirees taken care of, and I will be retiring in two years. So all that is just very important to us.
ROESGEN: The United Auto Workers Union has been bargaining with General Motors since Labor Day. But UAW President Ron Gettelfinger called the strike, saying negotiations had become one-sided.
RON GETTELFINGER, PRESIDENT, UAW: This is nothing that we wanted. Nobody wins in a strike. But there comes a point in time where somebody can push you off a cliff, and that is exactly what happened here.
ROESGEN: General Motors released a statement saying: "The bargaining involves complex, difficult issues that affect the job security of our U.S. work force and the long-term viability of the company."
Neither side will say exactly what the sticking points are, but everyone knows the American car business is not the proud giant it once was. Fewer than half the cars we drive in this country are made by American companies. Foreign cars now rule the road. The question is, how much is the company willing to give and what are the workers willing to take? Susan Roesgen, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COLLINS: We want to give you some information that we are just receiving now here at CNN. In regards to Kiefer Sutherland, you know the actor, from the hit show, "24". Apparently, according to some of the reports we have here from the LAPD and of course, CNN's radio, he was pulled over in Beverly hills, West Hollywood, shortly after 1 o'clock this morning.
And according to one of the LAPD officers it was a traffic violation for some reason they pulled him over, but then they administered one of those field sobriety tests. And apparently he failed that. He was taken to jail and booked on suspicion of DUI and then released shortly after that on $5,000 bail.
No word on what the actual traffic violation was that they initially pulled him over for, or what his blood alcohol level was. But you may know that that legal limit is .08 so it was somewhere beyond that, obviously. No word yet on a court date, either.
But once again, Kiefer Sutherland pulled over for suspicion of DUI. We will continue to follow this story. Give you any more details should we get them here.
Also, new developments in the Jena 6 case now. Stepped up security for the family of the so-called Jena 6. Six African-American teens accused of beating a white classmate. Last week a website posted what was said to be the addresses and phone numbers for some of the teens' families. Meanwhile, the Reverend Al Sharpton and the parents of the Jena 6 defendant Mychal Bell, head to Capitol Hill today. They will meet with House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers. They want federal intervention in the case. Mychal Bell, of course, is the only one of the Jena 6 still behind bars, although his conviction had been vacated. Bell's parents appeared on CNN's "Larry King Live" last night.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARCUS JONES, MYCHAL BELL'S FATHER: There's something illegal is going on with the justice system in the South Parish. The D.A. know that he has dug himself in a hole, that he probably can't get himself out of. I think really what he is really trying to do is hold Mychal in there, for whatever other reason. But I don't understand why he just won't give my son bail.
MELLISSA (BELL CLANGING) , MYCHAL BELL'S MOTHER: I think -- I think by them denying Mychal bail is his one last hope --
JONES: That's exactly right.
BELL: -- of getting next to Mychal and holding him.
JONES: That's exactly right.
BELL: Because, he knows sooner later he is going to have to set him free and that is his one last battle for him, is to hold him in there as long as he can.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: We want to give you this program note now, too. Representative Conyers will join us in the NEWSROOM. That's tomorrow. And he will be talking about the Jena 6 case.
Two presidents inside the United Nations, throngs of protesters outside. A look ahead to a big day.
Also a lot of buzz this morning over comments by Bill O'Reilly. Why his restaurant review is causing so much controversy.
(WEATHER REPORT)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: On the lookout for terrorists, the FBI keeping track from its secure screening center. CNN Justice Correspondent Kelli Arena has our exclusive report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KELLI ARENA, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT (voice over): If the war on terror has a brain, this is it. The FBI's terror screening center. CNN is the first network to ever get a camera inside.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The principal function going on here is we're receiving calls from the field.
ARENA: Who is calling? Border patrol agents, cops, airport security officials, anyone who comes across an individual trying to get into the country, or already here and raising suspicion.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're the manager of the (UNINTELLIGIBLE)?
ARENA: Names and other information are checked against a master list of terrorists connections. This goes on 24/7.
LEONARD BOYLE, DIRECTOR, TERROR CENTER: We receive about a 100 calls a day and about 65 percent of those are in fact positive matches. That is, people who are, in fact, on the watch list.
ARENA: That doesn't mean they are apprehended. Some are if they're believed to pose an immediate threat. Others not allowed in the country. But, mostly, they're let go.
BOYLE: The fact a person on the watch list does not necessarily mean he won't get into the country. What it means is the Border protection agent is aware of that, can drill down deeper, and get more information about that person.
ARENA: Boyle disclosed, for the first time, that there are roughly 300,000 people on the list, about 15,000 of them U.S. citizens. But he admits it still isn't 100 percent accurate and critics are losing patience.
SEN. RON WYDEN (D-OR.), INTELLIGENCE CMTE.: We have known or suspected a terrorist and information about them falling between the cracks and you can have instances where innocent people, who shouldn't be in the system, getting caught up in the maw of all of these bureaucratic rules and procedures.
ARENA: A Justice Department audit this month discovered that 20 known or suspected terrorists were not accurately listed. It also found 38 percent of the records examined contained errors or inconsistencies.
BOYLE: We have to find ways to make sure that the information is accurate and consistent. And we're working right now to try to develop a better process to do that.
ARENA: He doesn't have much of a choice. As we've repeatedly heard, just one mistake can cost lives.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COLLINS: They're on the picket line. They're reps are at the table trying to nail down a new contract with GM. Labor standoff and what happens next. You are in the CNN NEWSROOM.
ANNOUNCER: Live in the CNN NEWSROOM, Heidi Collins.
COLLINS: Among our top stories this morning, President Bush at the United Nations and ready to deliver his speech just minutes from now. You will see it live on CNN. The president expected to call on the U.N. to uphold its mission of upholding freedom.
He is expected to announce new sanctions against Myanmar, that's the country formerly known as Burma. The military regime there is issuing threats against the monks leading protests there.
The president is expected to make only passing mention of Iran. Its leader has dominated headlines with his contentions -- contentious comments yesterday in New York. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad follows President Bush with his own speech this afternoon.
Again, President Bush addresses the U.N. General Assembly. We will bring it to you live right here in the CNN NEWSROOM about 9:45, or so.
We are also watching picketers walking the line for a second day now. Negotiations between GM and the United Auto Worker's Union expected to resume today. But as they await to strike a deal, 73,000 union workers at General Motors are off the job. That means 80 facilities in 30 states have been shut down. Workers across the country hoping for a quick resolution.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We'll hang tight. We'll man the hall and stand tight and, you know, hopefully, the American people will agree. And say, you know, it's time to you know, pony up and let's -- let's get this thing done.
QUESTION: What do you think about it?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, I'm not really happy about it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Nobody wants to do this. Nobody wants to do this.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I figured they would have had it all worked -- would have had it settled by this time. I didn't there was that many hang-ups. I mean I guess a lot of it, with most everybody around here, it's, you know, we just want job security and we want to know we've got a future.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's tough, you know. The whole situation is tough. But you've got -- you can't think about today. You've got to think about tomorrow.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: Auto experts say the strike is costing the struggling automaker about 12,000 vehicles per day. But car buyers shouldn't actually see any shortages, at least in the short run. So we'll continue to follow negotiations as they happen here today.
We also want to bring you more information now.
CNN's Jim Roope is on the line for us now from CNN Radio.
I'm sorry. Jim Roope -- Jim, tell us a little bit more about what you know about Kiefer Sutherland. We've been talking about it this morning.
We know there's been an arrest, correct?
JIM ROOPE, CNN RADIO: Yes, there has been. Apparently, he was pulled over for a traffic violation just shortly after 1:00 this morning at the corners -- or near the intersection of Beverly and La Cienega Boulevards in West Hollywood. And officers determined he should conduct -- or they should conduct a field sobriety test. Sutherland failed that field sobriety test. They took him into the Hollywood Division police station, booked him for suspense of dui. He was released on $5,000 bail. No word on a court date.
But that's where we stand right now.
COLLINS: OK.
Any idea, Jim, has he had trouble before in this area?
ROOPE: Yes. He is well known for his -- his ability to gain friends in situations like this. I mean he likes to drop in on parties. He's familiar to a lot of the establishments, from the airport all the way through Hollywood.
So, no, this not the first time that he's had this kind of incident come up. But, you know, hopefully this won't be so bad for him.
We're not sure, again, what the exact traffic violation was that prompted the stop. We don't know his blood alcohol level at this point yet, either.
COLLINS: Right. Right.
ROOPE: But we do know that he's in a little bit of trouble.
COLLINS: Yes. We know that that limit .08 -- it certainly was above that from what our reports are showing.
ROOPE: Yes. And it's easy to get -- to get to that, too.
COLLINS: Yes.
All right, well, Jim Roope, we appreciate your reporting on this.
We'll follow that story and bring any more information to our viewers just as soon as we get them.
Thank you, Jim.
Remembering now the legacy of the Little Rock 9. Fifty years ago today, they made civil rights history -- nine African-American students integrated all white Central High in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Some amazing footage here. Federal troops standing by as they entered the school. Commemorations began last night. The nine honored at a gala in Little Rock. And former President Clinton and the Reverend Jesse Jackson among about 1,300 guests. More ceremonies are set for this morning.
And a new film looks at Central High School then and now.
That part of the story from Charles Crowson of affiliate KTHB.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM "LITTLE ROCK CENTRAL: 50 YEARS LATER," COURTESY HBO)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Since I do believe that Central is two schools. I believe it's a black school and it's a white school.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHARLES CROWSON, KTHV CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Thoughts expressed during an open discussion at Central High between Cynthia McHomes and her students.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM "LITTLE ROCK CENTRAL: 50 YEARS LATER," COURTESY HBO)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But everything is not to keep the black man down. Everything is not to make the black man look bad.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CROWSON: The clips are from a new HBO documentary "Central High 50 Years Later," a film airing September 25th, 50 years to the day since the 1957 Central High desegregation crisis.
BRENT RENAUD, DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKER: You know, for a lot of the country and even the world, Central High and what happened there with the crisis of 1957 is synonymous with Little Rock.
CROWSON: Fast forward to 2007 and filmmakers Brent and Craig Renaud return to the school, hoping to examine how it's grown since those dark days.
B. RENAUD: With the 50th anniversary coming, we thought it would be important to come back and make a film inside the school today -- something a little bit different, that hasn't been done before.
CROWSON: They say their findings from interviews with those who have walked the halls indicate race is still a dividing line today, as it was 50 years ago.
B. RENAUD: There are still these issues between advanced placement classes and regular classrooms. And there is division in the school, in which kids do get separated. And there's not one answer for the reason that that happens. But Central High does provide us an opportunity to really look at those issues. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM "LITTLE ROCK CENTRAL: 50 YEARS LATER," COURTESY HBO)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Falling structures, vacant lots.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CROWSON: Issues Ken Richardson, a 1984 Central High grad, says must be addressed for true equality to be achieved, not only at Central, but nationwide.
KEN RICHARDSON, CENTRAL HIGH CLASS OF 1984: I think this documentary will clearly show you a reality of what's going on here at this institution, a reality that's going on in other institutions throughout the country. And I think it's going to be an eye-opener for a lot of people.
CROWSON: But not everyone who has seen the film agrees with its message.
NANCY ROUSSEAU, CENTRAL HIGH PRINCIPAL: Some of them don't understand or realize what the opportunities are here.
CROWSON: Central High Principal Nancy Rousseau said of the Renaud brothers' work, "The filmmakers approach overlook the unique character of today's Central High that was shaped by the people and events of half a century ago. Had the filmmakers only looked deeper, they would have produced a far more compelling story."
CRAIG RENAUD, DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKER: People that have seen the film have actually commented on how refreshing it is to see people having a candid conversation about these issues. People were very open about these topics.
CROWSON (on camera): The brothers say responses to screenings of their film have been favorable and they believe the work could go a long way in the healing process, now 50 years in the making.
Charles Crowson, today's THV.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
COLLINS: We were actually able to speak with one of the Little Rock 9, Jacqui.
We're going to hear her interview in just a little while on this 50th anniversary. So it's pretty interesting stuff.
Meanwhile, you are also looking at some interesting stuff -- an interesting gal by the name of Karen.
Yes, still friendly to us?
(WEATHER REPORT)
COLLINS: At the United Nations, on the world stage -- President Bush about to speak. A former presidential adviser will set the stage for us.
And we want to get a quick check now -- there you have the opening bell for this Tuesday morning. We'll take a look at those numbers for you here shortly. As we know, yesterday, 61 points down was the close, resting at 13,759. Today, down about 50 points at the open -- 13,708.
We're going to be talking with Susan Lisovicz a little bit later on today.
We'll have all of our business stories for you and certainly more on the G.M. strike and how it may affect those numbers that you're looking at right now.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: We want to quickly show you a live picture now of the United Nations. That, of course, is where President Bush will be addressing the general assembly. It's going to be happening just minutes from now. We want to talk a little bit what that speech will entail with David Gergen.
He is a former presidential adviser and now teaches at Harvard University.
David, nice to see you, as always.
DAVID GERGEN, FORMER WHITE HOUSE ADVISER, HARVARD UNIVERSITY: Thank you, Heidi.
COLLINS: Let's talk for just a minute about how important this particular speech and the content of it is for the president.
GERGEN: Well, I must say I think the president is treating it as less important than some of his past appearances. He has traditionally gone to the U.N. And given long speeches, 30 to 45 minutes.
COLLINS: Yes.
GERGEN: Often about Iraq, about the Middle East, about the problems of war. And this time, he seems to be coming with a much shorter speech, perhaps 15 minutes or so. And it's going to be about human rights and the extension of liberty. It's going to be about HIV aids, we're told; perhaps something about climate change.
So, he's not going to have that kind of confrontational edge that he's had before, urging nations to join the United States. But rather he's -- it's going to play to what are sometimes called the softer issues.
That, at least, is all of the early reporting.
COLLINS: OK, so that being said, then, who do you think his audience is?
Is it the international community? GERGEN: I think it is. The president is lauded by people on all sides for his -- the generosity and aggressive approach he's taking taken to HIV/AIDS and the poverty in Africa in particular. Even liberals in the United States tip their hat to him on that and say, yes, we must -- we acknowledge he's been very, very, very strong on that.
So it -- I think he's -- I think the president doesn't want to lose any more ground than he has already lost on Iraq issue in the Middle East.
I had thought he would come here and make an appeal on the Middle East, about his big Mideast conference that's coming up in November, which Condi Rice is trying to put together for him. And I thought he might make an appeal on his view on climate change. We'll have to wait and see if that happens.
I must tell you, if he goes entirely with a soft agenda, the -- I think the interpretation that could come out of this is that he no longer looks to the United Nations as an instrument to achieve his -- the basic aims of his presidency.
COLLINS: Does that surprise you?
GERGEN: Not entirely. But at least in the past, they have sort of made -- they have pretended that they really take the United Nations seriously. And here, the most important issues of his presidency rest in Iraq and Iran and trying to deal with that, you know?
So normally, as president, you bring those central issues to this kind of forum and say we need help and we want to partner up with you. For him not to do that suggests he no longer believes the U.N. Has much to offer for -- to him in Iran and Iraq.
COLLINS: Yes. And we just want to let people know what they're looking at on the other side of the screen with you, David.
GERGEN: Sure.
COLLINS: ...is a live shot of inside the United Nations. So as we wait to see the president come forward and make some of his announcements and some of the topics that he will be discussing, we just want to let people know what they're looking at.
Also, I mean it seems to be the obvious question here. Iran and its president, of course, has been sort of sucking up the headlines as of late. President Bush not going to be talking about Iran, possibly a quick mention.
But what's behind a decision like that?
GERGEN: Well, it's interesting -- I again think that he doesn't think there's much that the U.N. Can do about it. But he probably also feels why would I get into a -- I don't want to -- I've got to watch my language here. Why do I want to get into a...
COLLINS: I know what you were going to say.
GERGEN: Yes -- a match with Ahmadinejad, this terroristic leader, radical leader of Iran?
If I -- if I address him directly, I, in effect, elevate him to the same place on the world stage.
Why don't I just ignore him?
COLLINS: Yes. I'm not sure it's something that we will ever see, you know, the two of them engaging each other.
GERGEN: I don't think that they're going to build presidential libraries right next to each other.
COLLINS: No. I think you'd be right on that.
(LAUGHTER)
COLLINS: Also, let's talk about -- I was trying to get you to say it. But you're going to make me say it, aren't you?
Spending -- he's going to talk a lot about Myanmar. Other people know it as -- help me.
GERGEN: Other people have known it in the past as Burma.
COLLINS: Yes.
GERGEN: But there is, as you know, there's a lot of unrest going on in Myanmar right now.
COLLINS: There certainly is.
GERGEN: And the monks are protesting there. There's been repression. This is a -- this is a part of the world where freedom, unfortunately, has not shown its face. And for the president to bring that up, you know, it's admirable. But, you know, you would think that if he's going to talk about Myanmar, he would put a lot of emphasis on Darfur, too. And what's being -- you know, we just kicked around and kicked around on Darfur.
COLLINS: Well, is this -- I mean it seems obvious that it would be a topic to discuss, and appropriate at a place like the United Nations.
GERGEN: Yes. Well, listen, the United Nations does have a, you know, a longstanding record on human rights. It's been at the forefront a lot of that, sometimes controversially. But it is an appropriate place.
But what, you know, what's missing here is an attempt by the president to engage other nations in a serious dialogue about the future of the Middle East -- the most, you know, where a conflagration could take place, you know, with Iran.
We've already got a mess in Iraq. We've got these problems with the Palestinians and the Israelis.
It would seem, under normal circumstances, if the president were at the beginning of his administration, I think he would come in and talk about that seriously.
Now he's at the tail end and he looks like he's going to talk about some of the softer subjects, important to be sure, but not essential to what he's trying to do. And, indeed, not essential to what the U.N. Itself is devoted to this week, and that is climate change.
They had a big session there yesterday.
COLLINS: Yes.
GERGEN: And, you know, they -- Governor Schwarzenegger was there. Al Gore was there. And they made, you know, they've made a serious commitment -- or they're trying to -- to have new limits on carbon emissions. And the president, instead of joining the U.N. Conversation, has called his own conversation in Washington later this week in which he is going to talk about voluntary limits and countries setting their own limits, as opposed to this more mandatory, more top down kind of approach, which he doesn't like ideologically or philosophically.
COLLINS: All right, well, we appreciate the analysis before he gets to those microphones. We hope that you'll stick around with us and talk with us afterwards...
GERGEN: OK, Heidi.
COLLINS: ...after we actually hear what he does say.
GERGEN: OK.
COLLINS: David Gergen, thanks so much for that.
GERGEN: OK.
Take care.
COLLINS: In the meantime, as we wait for the president to come to the microphones, we want to give you a quick closer look at the U.N. General assembly now.
Did you know there are 192 member states of the United Nations?
Each has one seat in the general assembly. You can think of it as sort of a global town hall where countries offer their ideas and debate different issues. In the United Nations' first year, 1945, there were only 51 members.
Iran's leader set to address the U.N. Today, as well. The speech follows a contentious Q&A at Columbia University.
CNN's Jim Acosta reports. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED PROTESTERS: Columbia. Shame on Columbia.
JIM ACOSTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Outside the campus of Columbia University, it was a welcome fit for a dictator. Protesters waved signs blaring "Hitler Lives." "The New Daily News" announced on its front page, "The Evil Has Landed."
Inside the university's auditorium, the reception was just as cold.
LEE BOLLINGER, PRESIDENT, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY: Mr. President, you exhibit all the signs of a pretty and cruel dictator.
ACOSTA: The Iranian leader was all but ambushed, as he was introduced by Columbia's president, Lee Bollinger.
BOLLINGER: I am only a professor who is also university president. And today I feel all the weight of the modern civilized world yearning to express the revulsion at what you stand for. I only wish I could do better.
ACOSTA: After a rambling speech, the real fireworks came as Ahmadinejad opened the floor to questions. Defending his nation's right to nuclear power, the president of Iran raised questions about who carried out the 9/11 attacks. He challenged Israel's legitimacy. And he suggested the Holocaust should still be open to historical research.
PRES. MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD, IRAN (THROUGH TRANSLATOR): Can we close the books for good on an historical event?
ACOSTA: But perhaps the biggest shock of all was this stunning claim.
AHMADINEJAD (THROUGH TRANSLATOR): In Iran, we don't have homosexuals, like in your country.
(LAUGHTER)
AHMADINEJAD (THROUGH TRANSLATOR): We don't have that in our country.
ACOSTA: Outside the speech, protesters clashed over whether Columbia University made a big mistake inviting Ahmadinejad to speak.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He is a known state sponsor of terrorism. He wants to destroy another sovereign nation and has many human rights violations. And I don't believe that the school should be endorsing that.
ACOSTA: Kevin Hermening is one of the Americans held captive during the 1979 hostage crisis in Iran.
KEVIN HERMENING, FORMER HOSTAGE IN IRAN: I would like to introduce him to a couple of rubber hoses, just like he and his colleagues introduced some of my colleagues to back in 1979.
ACOSTA: Many of the former hostages believe to this day, Ahmadinejad was actively involved.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
ACOSTA: As for the controversy over whether Ahmadinejad will visit Ground Zero, the Iranian leader said he's not going this year, but, he added, he'd like to stop by next year.
Jim Acosta, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
COLLINS: World leaders will be addressing the United Nations general assembly throughout the day. That includes Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Afghan leader Hamid Karzai.
If you can't be in front of a television to watch CNN, you can logon. All you have to do is follow all of that action from the U.N. live on CNN.com.
The blogs are buzzing over Bill O'Reilly this morning. Controversial comments about African-Americans made on his nationally syndicated radio program. O'Reilly was talking with NPR's Juan Williams about rap culture. It led to these observations on dining at Sylvia's famous restaurant in Harlem and a trip to an Anita Baker concert.
Listen to this.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP FROM "THE RADIO FACTOR WITH BILL O'REILLY, SEPTEMBER 19TH)
BILL O'REILLY: I think black Americans are starting to think more and more for themselves. The band was excellent, but they were dressed in tuxedos, and, you know, this is what white America doesn't know, particularly people who don't have a lot of interaction with black Americans. They think that the culture is dominated by Twista, Ludacris and Snoop Dogg.
JUAN WILLIAMS: Oh, and it's just so awful. It's just so awful because, I mean, it's literally the sewer come to the surface. And now people take it that the sewer is the whole story...
O'REILLY: That's right. That's right.
WILLIAMS: (INAUDIBLE).
O'REILLY: There wasn't one person in Sylvia's who was screaming, "M-Fer, I want more iced tea."
They were ordering and having fun. And there wasn't any kind of craziness at all.
(END AUDIO CLIP) COLLINS: CNN's " AMERICAN MORNING" talked about it with CNN contributor and radio talk show host, Roland Martin.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM CNN's "AMERICAN MORNING")
ROLAND MARTIN, SYNDICATED COLUMNIST, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: But here's the deal, though.
And it's so -- OK. First of all, it's not true, all right?
I mean when you look at -- when you talk about Ludacris, excuse me. I believe a Stanley O'Neal, who runs Merrill Lynch, I believe a Kenneth Chenault, who runs American Express, and a Dick Parsons, who runs Time Warner, have a heck of a lot more power and influence than a Ludacris or some other rapper.
So I'm not going to give some hip- hopper all that much credence.
That makes no sense to me whatsoever, OK?
Also, use your platform, Bill O'Reilly, to talk about those individuals, as well. No. He's fixated on rappers, somehow thinking that is actually what black culture is all about. That's what doesn't make any sense to me. And what bothered me was when he says that he was surprised that there was no difference between Sylvia and someone else.
Well, why would you be surprised?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right.
MARTIN: Have you not gone to a black restaurant before?
I mean I don't go to a Mexican restaurant and somehow think that there's a van in the back stuffed with 20 folks who just crossed the border. No. I don't operate on stereotypes. I see that as a business and I say people have napkins and forks and knives and they sit down and they eat. But he was surprised.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: O'Reilly told CNN's Rick Sanchez his remarks were taken out of context. He calls it a hatchet job by the Web site mediamatters.org.
President Bush in front of the United Nations general assembly this morning. His address live right here in THE NEWSROOM, coming up shortly.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: You already know to catch us weekday mornings from 9:00 until 12:00 Eastern.
But did you know you can take us with you anywhere on your iPod?
It's pretty cool, too. The CNN NEWSROOM pod cast. It's available 24-7 right on your iPod.
We want to let you know we are awaiting President Bush. There he is.
Are these live pictures, guys?
We're not quite sure -- going into -- this is tape, actually, that we are getting now of the president. We know that he is inside the United Nations. He will be addressing the general assembly. We've been talking about it all morning long. It's going to be kind of a different sort of speech than you may have anticipated here. Apparently he is going to be talking much more about human rights, possibly poverty, disease, Myanmar.
Certainly quite a bit of activity going on there about the military regime, who is trying to get some new sanctions against them, where they are doing business, if you will, over there.
Also, he's going to be talking about disease and certainly not going to be talking very much -- at least from what we know at this point -- about Iran. However, we do know that that president will also be at the general assembly. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will be there giving his speech, as well, after President Bush. So it is an interesting dynamic and we will follow these pictures and the story for you and bring you that speech just as soon as possible. It was supposed to take place about 15 minutes ago. And so we're kind of watching it and wondering where he is.
Deadly attacks to tell you about in Iraq now. Dozens of people killed and wounded by a suicide bombing at a mosque in Baquba. That is just north of Baghdad. The attacker targeting a reconciliation meeting between leading members of Shiite and Sunni militias.
Meanwhile, another deadly attack in the capital. Bombs ripped through two commercial areas, killing seven people. Several others were wounded.
And this from the United States military. There were raids across Iraq today, including Southern Baghdad. The target -- Al Qaeda in Iraq. In all, the military says five suspected insurgents were killed, 22 captured. Once again, President Bush in front of the United Nations general assembly this morning. His address is coming your way shortly. We will have it for you live.
For now, we'll take a quick break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: And here now, President Bush at the microphones at the U.N. General assembly.
Let's listen.
GEORGE BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for the opportunity to address the general assembly of the United Nations. Sixty years ago, representatives from 16 nations gathered to begin deliberations on a new international bill of rights. The document they produced is called The Universal Declaration of Human Rights and it stands as a landmark achievement in the history of human liberty.
The Declaration opens by recognizing the inherent dignity and the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family as the foundation of freedom and justice and peace in the world.
And as we gather for this 62nd general assembly, the standards of the Declaration must guide our work in this world. Achieving the promise of the Declaration requires confronting long-term threats. It also requires answering the immediate needs of today.
The nations in this chamber have our differences, yet there are some areas where we can all agree.
When innocent people are trapped in a life of murder and fear, the Declaration is not being upheld.
When millions of children starve to death or perish from a mosquito bite, we're not doing our duty in the world.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.voxant.com.
