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Pakistan on the Brink; Teacher Shot Near Miami High School
Aired November 06, 2007 - 15:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: The president and police on one side, the top judge and lawyers on the other, in the middle, Pakistan, a nation on the brink. We're live in Islamabad, where emergency rule is still the law of the land.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: How much would you pay for a barrel of oil? Trick question. Unless you are one of these guys, you don't really have much choice. Oil consumers brace for $100 a barrel, as a new record high comes and goes.
Hello, everyone. I'm Kyra Phillips, live at the CNN Center in Atlanta.
LEMON: I'm Don Lemon.
You are in the CNN NEWSROOM.
PHILLIPS: New details now in that breaking story that we are following in the Miami area. A teacher was shot near a high school. Now police have people in custody.
Let's get straight to CNN's John Zarrella -- John.
JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN MIAMI BUREAU CHIEF: Kyra, that's exactly right.
Within the last half-hour or so, police who had been combing through an apartment complex right across the street from Carol City High School have arrested three individuals in one of those apartments that they had been searching. So, three men, believed to be young men, are in custody in connection with the shooting of this teacher at Carol City High School.
Now, what happened today was that at about 11:30 this morning Eastern time, two teachers were outside the high school, not on the school grounds, across the street, taking a smoke break. They were approached by some individuals who demanded money. The teachers said no. One of the men shot one of the teachers in the torso. The teacher has been transported to Jackson Memorial Hospital's Ryder Trauma Center, where he's listed in condition.
But he was alert and conscious when he was brought in. So, that is good news. Now, as far as the schools are concerned, Carol City High School and the middle school and elementary school in that area, they are no longer on lockdown, we are told by school authorities. Miami-Dade County school authorities say the schools are no longer on lockdown. So, the kids will be able to get out of there. Their parents don't have to worry anymore. They can go home and, again, three men in custody right now in connection with the shooting of that teacher outside of Carol City High School.
And the way they got these guys, apparently, Kyra, tips poured in to a hot line from folks who saw them and knew where these men were. So, that's what led police to their whereabouts -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right, John Zarrella, out of Miami -- thanks, John.
LEMON: Details on a developing story out of California. At least last count, two people have died.
Let's check in now with T.J. Holmes for an update on a plane crash -- T.J.
T.J. HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Two dead in that plane crash. This is out in Chino, California, near the Chino Airport. Just three-quarters of a mile from the airport is where this airplane went down.
It was small twin-engine plane. Here is the picture. The scene, the plane broke up, you could tell, a little bit and ended up essentially upside down as you see there. Two people dead. We do not know if they were the only two on board and if anybody happened to survive this crash, do not have word on that just yet.
We don't know also if the pilot was able to give any kind of emergency signal or indicate that something was wrong before the plane went down. The skies were described by the FAA as hazy, but don't know if weather played any kind of a factor or role in this crash at all, but two people dead, again, Chino, California.
This is just to the east of downtown Los Angeles. But this is a story we are keeping an eye on, trying to get more information, also trying to find out if there were any more people possibly on board this plane. But this is something we are keeping an eye on here in the NEWSROOM. When we get more info, of course we will pass it along to you guys.
PHILLIPS: Batons, beatings, thousands of arrests, that's how police in Pakistan are enforcing the nationwide state of emergency now in day four. Their target, the nation's judiciary, lawyers rounded up and hauled off to jail, judges confined to their homes, courtrooms locked down.
Opposition leaders such as Benazir Bhutto are desperately pushing for democracy, but the crackdown shows no signs of easing.
First, let's get the very latest from CNN's Zain Verjee, who arrived just today in Islamabad -- Zain.
ZAIN VERJEE, CNN STATE DEPARTMENT CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, more than 3,000 lawyers have been arrested, as Pakistan cracks down on them.
We have just learned that they are being brought in on terrorism charges and their cases are being brought before anti-terrorism courts. The entire country's court system is on lockdown. The lawyers aren't going there at all. Now, thousands of human rights activists and political activists have been arrested as well.
Opposition leaders have been arrested, too, by security forces that are hunting everyone down. Now, you can't turn on the TV and see CNN International here on or the BBC because there is a blackout. It is off the air.
All local television channels are also off the air. There are media restrictions on the print media that are covering the story of the state of emergency here in Pakistan. We heard that eight journalists have been arrested. We have only been in Islamabad, the capital city, for a few hours. But the situation here is being described to us as tense -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: How was it for you once you landed, got to your location? Can you give us sort of a visual, what was going through your mind, what you were experienced, Zain?
VERJEE: Well, we landed in Islamabad. And when we were making our way to our current location, we saw security forces out in the city. There were barriers all over the place. We understood that that isn't peculiar. That tends to happen fairly often.
But what was different, Kyra, was that there were barriers thrown up around the president's and the prime minister's homes. And also in the hotel area of Islamabad, there were massive security forces surrounding that. When you walk around town, when you talk to people here in the location that we are at, they seem to be going on as normal. But there seems to be as well a sense of underlying unease and uncertainty as to what is going to happen next -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Zain Verjee, we will continue to follow up with you there in Islamabad. Thank you so much.
Meanwhile, dozens of her colleagues are behind bars, but Pakistani opposition leader and former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto is still free. She is in Islamabad meeting with other opposition figures.
Her spokesperson denies reports that she might have struck a deal with President Musharraf to stay out of jail. Bhutto says that she and Musharraf are not talking at all.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BENAZIR BHUTTO, FORMER PRIME MINISTER OF PAKISTAN: The talks are off, before we were talking, even talking for a restoration towards democracy.
And, to my great surprise and shock, instead of going towards democracy, we ended up with martial law. So, I feel it was a breach of faith. And I think that General Musharraf, if he wants to put the derailed democratic transition back on track, must come on television and tell us that he's retiring as chief of army staff.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Bhutto came back to Pakistan just last month, after eight years of self-imposed exile. Her homecoming was shattered by a suicide bombing which killed at least 130 people.
A state of emergency in Pakistan means a news emergency for many international networks, especially Arab networks. You are seeing just a few of them right now on your screen, many of them with round-the- clock coverage of the crackdown. In addition to our own extensive coverage, CNN is following media from around the globe to bring you the very latest.
LEMON: Lakshmi is a little girl with a big smile who is having a rare and risky surgery.
The 2-year-old was born with four arm and four legs joined at the Pelvis to a twin that had stopped developing. Well, for the past 18 hours, dozens of doctors in India have been removing the extra limbs and organs, in hopes of giving her a more normal life.
Stay tuned to CNN. We expect to talk to one of the doctors who is taking a break from the surgery at any minute. He will give us an update.
PHILLIPS: At least 35 people are dead, dozens wounded, after a suicide bombing in northeast Afghanistan. The dead include a half- dozen parliament members and at least three children.
Other reports say as many as 100 people were killed or hurt. Politicians were on their way to a sugar factory to promote an economic aid plan at the time. Schoolchildren were lining the route.
LEMON: And police across Europe swoop in on terror suspects today. They arrested 20 people believed to be involved in recruiting suicide bombers to send to Iraq and Afghanistan; 11 were taken into custody in Italy, three in Britain, and one each in France and Portugal.
Other countries were involved, but not identified. Italian police say they found al Qaeda weapons and operations manuals in some of those raids. It all results from an investigation launched in 2003.
PHILLIPS: He co-opted a name that resonates in American history. Did the head of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps also co-opt donors' money? We're "Keeping Them Honest."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: Twelve past the hour -- three of the stories we are working on for you right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.
Three people are now in custody after a teacher was shot and wounded near a Miami area high school. The teacher was taking a smoke break when he was shot in what police think was a robbery attempt. They made the arrests at a nearby apartment complex.
Crude oil prices have reached another record high. They hit nearly $97 a barrel in futures trading. Predictions that demand will surge and supplies will dwindle are driving prices up.
One girl, eight limbs. A little Indian girl born with four arms and four legs is in surgery right now to give her a normal body. Some people in her village saw her as the reincarnation of a Hindu goddess.
PHILLIPS: Back to the crisis in Pakistan. It is not just Pakistan's emergency. If the country falls apart under so-called emergency rule, the whole world could be in for desperate times.
More now from CNN terrorism analyst Peter Bergen.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PETER BERGEN, CNN TERRORISM ANALYST (voice-over): It is the Bush administration's greatest fear: Today's Pakistan will become tomorrow's pre-9/11 Afghanistan, a lawless home base for extremists, where al Qaeda can regroup to plot and prepare future large-scale terrorist attacks.
After September 11, the White House relied on Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf to eliminate or at least contain the radical elements in his country. Today, with Pakistan now operating under virtual martial law, President Bush offered more support to the Pakistani president, despite worries that Musharraf might be destabilizing his own country.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: President Musharraf has been a strong fighter against extremists and radicals.
BERGEN: Well, yes and no. Pakistan has provided the United States with valuable intelligence, but in the past few years, the Taliban and al Qaeda have been rebuilding in Pakistan's wild tribal regions and attacking U.S. troops over the Afghan border.
Musharraf had vowed to drive the extremists out, first through military force and then by negotiating through tribal leaders. Meeting in Washington last year, President Bush sounded confident.
BUSH: When the president looks him in the eye and says the tribal deal is intended to reject the Talibanization of the people, and that there won't be Taliban and there won't be al Qaeda, I believe him.
BERGEN: But Musharraf's government hasn't delivered.
STEPHEN COHEN, SENIOR FELLOW IN FOREIGN POLICY STUDIES, BROOKINGS INSTITUTION: The cooperation in the so-called war on terrorism has been mediocre at best.
BERGEN: Terrorist attacks on the border have escalated. Pakistan expert Stephen Cohen argues the Bush administration expected too much of Musharraf. COHEN: We wanted him to round up al Qaeda. We wanted him deal with Taliban. Now we want him to expand democracy in Pakistan. No Pakistani leader could have delivered all of those items.
BERGEN: Now the terrorist threat has spread throughout Pakistan. Look at the devastating October attacks in Karachi. And with a country in crisis, the United States fears a post-Musharraf Pakistan could become dominated by radicals, opening a major new front on the war on terror. The nightmare scenario?
COHEN: Larger and larger amounts of Pakistani territory will be in a sense ungoverned. And in those areas you would see Taliban, but also al Qaeda units moving into those regions as a safe haven. There, we would be back exactly where we were with Afghanistan before 9/11.
BERGEN: A potential catastrophe. So, American hopes for a democratic Pakistan may have to wait.
Peter Bergen, CNN, Oxford, England.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: Even with almost two months left, 2007 has been the deadliest year yet for American forces in Iraq; 855 U.S. service members have been killed. And that's according to a CNN count of Pentagon figures.
The peak coincides with the military's buildup in and around Baghdad. But we also note the rate of killings is way down in the second half of the year.
PHILLIPS: A Chicago cop's wife vanishes, leaving two young children behind. We're live with the growing search and suspicions.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BUSINESS REPORT)
PHILLIPS: Lakshmi is a little girl with a big smile who is having a rare and risky surgery.
The 2-year-old that was born with four arms and four legs joined at the pelvis to a twin that had stopped developing. For the past 18 hours now, dozens of doctors in India have been removing the extra limbs and organs, in hopes of giving her a more normal life.
Dr. Sharan Patil is leading that massive surgery with all those doctors. He joins us now by phone from India.
Dr. Patil, tell us how it is going.
DR. SHARAN PATIL, SURGERY TEAM LEADER: The surgery has gone on very well so far.
PHILLIPS: Tell us.
PATIL: We have -- sorry.
PHILLIPS: No, no, no, go ahead.
PATIL: Yes.
We managed to removing the parasitic twin out of Lakshmi's body. And, right now, we have started reconstructing her pelvic bone. And we have managed to get the pelvic bone together. And she's holding up to surgery and responding very well. And we are quite upbeat here. We are hoping that it will continue this way, and we should be successfully able to finish the surgery.
PHILLIPS: Dr. Patil, have you ever seen anything like this? Have you ever operated on a toddler like this?
PATIL: No. This is pretty much unchartered territory for us.
However, our team has operated many surgeries in pieces, but all of us coming together to perform on Lakshmi is the first ever time.
PHILLIPS: And tell me how you have done that. How do you organize a surgery like this with so many doctors? Does each doctor weigh in on his or her specialty, and you figure out where to begin and where to hopefully end?
PATIL: That's right.
At Sparsh Hospital, we have been planning the surgery for the last one month now. And the child has been with us for one month. We held many, many meetings with all the specialists. And we did tackle the entire program. And, fortunately, everything is going according to the plan.
We have had many surgeons working in tandem together, and sometimes on their own. We have had no problems so far, fortunately.
PHILLIPS: So, Doctor, once the surgery is over, will she be able to use her legs and arms like any normal child and walk normally?
PATIL: Yes, we are quite optimistic about that. We will have to wait and see. The next couple of days, if we can keep her safe and get her out of the woods, we do expect that she should be able to walk normally and lead a normal life.
PHILLIPS: Wow.
And I know there was an issue with the kidneys. Will she have one or two kidneys functioning? Because we -- we understand that she was joined with the twin that obviously did not make that birth.
PATIL: It is very interesting.
She has two functioning kidneys, but one of the functioning kidneys is draining into Lakshmi's bladder, was located in the parasitic part of the body. So, we have managed to mobilize that, keeping its vascularity intact into Lakshmi's own abdomen now. So, both kidneys are safe.
PHILLIPS: Dr. Patil, I have to ask you, of course, the spiritual question. India being one of the most spiritual places in the world, she was named Lakshmi after the Hindu goddess that has four hands.
Tell me how that has incorporated into this whole story. A lot of people believe she's the reincarnation of this goddess.
PATIL: Well, we know, as science people, that these things can happen, even though we do not for sure what exactly is the reason. We do know that these things can happen.
A few of the religious people around Lakshmi did believe in that. The parents, however, were really practical. And they knew that they had to go ahead with medical treatment for a good life for Lakshmi. In fact, the parents are very sensible and they are very brave. They understand the risks of surgery. And they are really keen to have it done.
PHILLIPS: And I'm not quite sure if those are prayer beads that I see around Lakshmi's neck. But do you believe that she does have a spiritual gift?
PATIL: Well, she's a very charming young girl.
(LAUGHTER)
PATIL: I'm sure she will grow up and be something special.
(LAUGHTER)
PHILLIPS: No doubt. Dr. Sharan Patil, team leader there with all these doctors, undergoing this surgery.
It really is a beautiful story. We look forward to a happy ending.
And thank you so much for your time, Doctor.
PATIL: Thank you so much.
LEMON: He co-opted a name that resonated in American history. Now questions about whether the head of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps is co-opting donors' money -- we're "Keeping Them Honest."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Hello, everyone.
I'm Kyra Phillips live at the CNN world headquarters in Atlanta.
LEMON: And I'm Don Lemon.
You are in CNN NEWSROOM.
Batons, beatings, thousands of arrests -- that's how police in Pakistan are enforcing the nationwide state of emergency, now in day four. Their target -- the nation's judiciary. Lawyers rounded up and hauled off to jail, judges confined to their homes -- court lockdown.
Opposition leaders like Benazir Bhutto are desperately pushing for democracy, but there's no letup in sight to the crackdown. We'll bring you the latest from the streets and check in live with our CNN International Desk.
As a matter of fact, let's check in now with our Pakistan Desk.
Isha Sesay holding it down for us -- Isha.
ISHA SESAY, CNN INTERNATIONAL: Thanks, Don.
It's been extremely busy here on the desk. Lots happening. We want to tell you about the situation on the ground when it comes to the media. They, too, are being subjected to this crackdown by the Pakistan government. If you're actually in Pakistan itself, the only thing you can see on your television set is state-run television, Pakistan TV. And if you are actually watching that -- we have Pakistan TV there -- if you're actually watching that, what you're going to see is business as usual. I've seen tons of soap operas today, as well as the odd performance by a boy band, but very little to reference the situation there on the streets of Pakistan.
Now, in an attempt to get around the virtual news blackout, as it were, people in Pakistan are taking to buying satellite dishes, Don, to try and get information any way they could. That avenue has now been closed. The government has banned the sale of satellite dishes. So they're clamping down hard on the media.
Now, in terms of the privately run television stations, like Aj- TV and Geo-TV, well, they haven't, you know, shut up shop. What they've done is they've turned to the Internet. And they're actually streaming online their output. So people in Pakistan running to that medium now, trying to get whatever information they can. Those network, unlike Pakistani TV, focusing very heavily on the situation.
You see the Geo-TV there. They even have a clock emergency with the time -- 79 hours since the state of emergency was imposed.
And, in fact, what we're also seeing is that Geo-TV's Web site, such is the first for information, it has streamlined its appearance so it can cope with the increase in traffic.
Aj-TV, which we have -- which Majid has been monitoring for us -- they're calling on people to send in their comments. Let me read you a couple. People who are sending in their comments that have been rolling along the bottom there. And they've been saying: "The media should tell the truth and should not be afraid of the government. The media is giving awareness to the masses. Therefore, it is being banned in Pakistan."
Another comment that was posted on Aj a little earlier on: "The media should face the situation and continue its job for the people." That is what is required. Those comments translated for us by our producer, Majid, who has been working with me closely throughout the day. It's been a long day.
Now, Geo-TV -- another thing I want to bring out to you is they have been asking people to text in their opinions on the situation and whether they feel the media is to blame for what has come to pass. They've also asked people to basically write in and say what should be the media's role in the future?
So a lot happening. A lot of movement, even though the government is trying to clamp down. People are trying to get their information whatever way they can.
That brings me to soliciting e-mails and photos from you, our viewers. We want to hear your views, your opinions, your perspectives on the crisis in Pakistan. All you have to do is go to our Web site, CNN.com, click on the I-Report logo, send us your views, send us your photos if you're in Pakistan. We'd love to hear from you. Keep coming back to the International Desk. We're monitoring the situation for you -- Don, back to you.
LEMON: Isha, thank you for your report.
PHILLIPS: Well, you may have heard of a group called the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps. Its president, Chris Simcox, promises volunteer border patrols and is trying to raise millions of dollars for a high tech fence. Tonight on "ANDERSON COOPER 360," CNN correspondent Abbie Boudreau investigates allegations of broken promises and questions about how donations are being used.
Here's a preview.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
ABBIE BOUDREAU, INVESTIGATIVE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It was reaction to the horror of 9/11.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If elected officials will not lead, then it is up to the citizens.
BOUDREAU: A way for people to really do something to make America safe.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Secure our borders and enforce our laws.
BOUDREAU: One man actually mortgaged his home, donating more than $100,000.
Keeping them honest, we went looking for the fence. We did find the fence the federal government is building, but where was the 14- foot high Minuteman fence?
Paul Newman, the board supervisor of Cochise County, Arizona, says Simcox's fence was a pipe dream from the beginning. After all, the border is a patchwork of public and private land and a fence builder could never get permission to cross all of it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In actuality, for the people who are still are giving them money, they should know that that money is not going to building a fence.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
PHILLIPS: All right, so the federal governor is building a border fence.
Is this the same fence that the Minutemen are involved with?
BOUDREAU: Well, no. They're two separate fences.
PHILLIPS: OK.
BOUDREAU: OK. The federal fence right now -- the federal government is actually building their fence right now. And we went on one ranch and you could see the small Minuteman fence on one side and you can actually see the federal government's huge fence -- this 13- foot high fence -- on the other side. And they're separated by just yards -- literally, a road. And so you do have to ask yourself why. You know, why is Chris Simcox, the leader of the Minutemen, actually asking for more donations at this point to build a border fence.
PHILLIPS: And you -- I guess you sort of wonder why does there have to be two?
It's like a competition of fences.
BOUDREAU: It is. But there's not much competition. You'll see why I say that tonight on "A.C. 360".
PHILLIPS: OK.
Excellent.
All right, welcome aboard, by the way.
BOUDREAU: Thank you.
PHILLIPS: All right. Abbie Boudreau, our newest edition to the investigative unit.
Great to have you here.
BOUDREAU: Thank you.
LEMON: Welcome aboard to you.
Well, catch Abbie's full report, two part report, in tonight's "A.C. 360". That's at 10:00 Eastern only on CNN.
A week ago Sunday -- that's the last time anyone saw Stacy Peterson, wife of a cop, mother of two young children in suburban Chicago.
Let's get the latest now from CNN's Keith Oppenheim.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE) KEITH OPPENHEIM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This church behind me has been used as sort of a volunteer command center in the search for Stacy Peterson today. There are more than 20 people out looking for her.
Also today, we're hearing some suspicion from Stacy Peterson's family about her husband, Drew. Keep in mind, Stacy Peterson is just 23. Drew is 30 years older. He's 53, a police sergeant. And they have been married for four years. She's been missing for nine days now although her husband actually doesn't believe that she's missing. He is telling the media that he thinks that she ran off with another man.
But friends and family of Stacy Peterson really discount that.
We're going to hear now from Melanie Greenberg, who is the cousin of Lisa Stebic, another missing woman in Illinois -- a well publicized case here. She is helping in the search for Stacy Peterson.
And here's what she had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MELANIE GREENBURG, LISA STEBIC'S COUSIN: The same way that we know that Lisa would never have left her children, this family is adamant that Stacy would never have left her two small children and that she adopted Drew's older children, as well.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
OPPENHEIM: There's another layer to this story. The local prosecuting attorney is looking into some old police files to see what happened to Drew Peterson's third wife. She died in 2004 and a coroner ruled that her death was accidental -- that she drowned in a bathtub. But, still, her family is suspicious of Drew Peterson, as well.
Now, keep in mind, Drew Peterson is officially not a suspect in this case. In fact, it's not being called a criminal investigation. It's still a missing person's case at this point.
Keith Oppenheim, CNN, Bolingbrook, Illinois.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
PHILLIPS: One-on-one with the frontrunner -- how does Hillary Clinton feel about the issues and what's the biggest obstacle in her campaign?
And French President Nicolas Sarkozy is coming to America.
Is he the country's new best friend?
We're going to take a look.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: Well, here's been here before, but Nicolas Sarkozy today begins his first official trip to the U.S. as president of France. He won't go hungry . President Bush will host a dinner in his honor tonight. Tomorrow, the two will have lunch at Mt. Vernon. Sarkozy's election half a year ago marked a turning point in Franco-American relations and he and Mr. Bush stand united against Iran's nuclear program. They also support Kosovo's push for independence from Serbia.
Back home, Sarkozy is known by some as "Sarko the American."
Well, he is no Jacques Chirac. And as far as the Bush administration is concerned, that's high praise for the new French president, Nicolas Sarkozy.
CNN's Jill Dougherty has more.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Four years ago, some Americans were pouring French wine down the drain, angered over France's opposition to the war in Iraq. Tuesday night, President Bush will be toasting the French president at a formal White House dinner, as Nicolas Sarkozy arrives for a two day state visit -- complete with an address to a joint session of Congress.
Just why have U.S.-French relations turned so cozy?
Sarkozy, elected president in May, is a swashbuckling conservative with star power. Nicknamed "Speedy Sarkozy," he's transforming France's relationship with the U.S.
SALLY MCNAMARA, THE HERITAGE FOUNDATION: There was this big talk about him going jogging, which was seen as an American pastime. You know, he is willing to do these things and he's willing to stand up and say hold on a minute -- America spent blood and treasure twice to rescue Europe, let's not try to pretend they're our enemy here. America is our friend.
DOUGHERTY: Sarkozy spent his first vacation as French president in New Hampshire. He said he understood Americans were struck in the heart by 9/11, that they considered France's opposition to the Iraq War betrayal.
CHARLES KUPCHAN, COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS: He is a renegade. He is not your typical French leader. He has Hungarian and Jewish roots. He didn't grew up eating pate in the French countryside. But it's also that the world has changed. The -- many Europeans now no longer fear too much American power -- they fear too little American power. They fear that the U.S. has left Europe to go to Iraq and it will never return.
DOUGHERTY: George W. Bush has changed, too, says Kupchan, realizing he needs more help on issues like Iraq and Afghanistan. Both experts say that it's likely Bush will ask for French leadership on sanctions against Iran.
(on camera): Nicolas Sarkozy is saying things George Bush likes to hear. But will he follow through?
That would require confronting his own foreign ministry -- and the French public, who still are skeptical of the U.S.
(voice-over): In Washington and in Paris, a new detente between France and the U.S. is building, which could, according to the experts, lead to the best relationship in many years. One thing is certain -- at this White House state dinner, they won't be serving freedom fries.
Jill Dougherty, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
PHILLIPS: Well, whether you love her or hate her, Senator Hillary Clinton is a political force to be reckoned with. The frontrunner among Democratic presidential hopefuls, she's in a heated battle in Iowa -- the first big test of her campaign.
So how does she feel about the treatment she's getting from her rivals?
Clinton sat down with our Candy Crowley on CNN's Election Express and spoke candidly about the recent debate.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CANDY CROWLEY, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Post-debate, you've gotten pretty hard-hit. And if you boil down the criticism on the various subjects, it's this -- she lacks candor. When the questions get tough, she dodges.
What's your reaction to that?
SEN. HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON (D-NY), DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Well, I understand the necessity for criticism. We're getting toward the end of a very long presidential primary process. And I wasn't at my best the other night. We've had a bunch of debates and I wouldn't rank that up in my very top list.
But I've answered probably -- oh, I don't know -- more than 5,000 questions in the last 10 months. And I've been very clear about where I stand and what I want to do for the country.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Well, you can hear more of Senator Clinton's in-depth interview in "THE SITUATION ROOM". That starts next hour. And for the most up to the minute political news available anywhere, cnnpolitics.com is your one stop shop. Get behind-the scenes details from the best political team on television and see why it's the Internet's premiere destination for political news -- cnnpolitics.com.
LEMON: She is viewed as sacred in her remote village in India.
But what makes her unique threatens her life, as well. An update from little Lakshmi's surgeon.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Well, Lakshmi is a little girl with a big smile who's having a pretty a rare and risky surgery right now. The 2-year-old was born with four arms and four legs joined at the pelvis to a twin that stopped developing. For the past 18 hours now, dozens of doctors in India have been removing the extra limbs and organs in hopes of giving Lakshmi a more normal life.
I just had a chance to talk with Dr. Sharan Patil, who just stepped out of the O.R. To talk to us.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
PHILLIPS: Doctor, once the surgery is over, will she be able to use her legs and arms like any normal child and walk normally?
DR. SHARAN PATIL, SURGERY TEAM LEADER: Yes, we are quite optimistic about that. We will have to wait and see, the next couple of days, if we can keep get her safe and get her out of the woods. We do expect that she should be able to walk normally and lead a normal life.
PHILLIPS: Wow! And I know there was an issue with the kidneys.
Will she have one or two kidneys functioning, because we understand that she was joined with the twin that obviously did not make that birth?
PATIL: Yes, it's very interesting. She has two functioning kidneys, but one of the functioning kidneys is draining into Lakshmi's bladder was located in the parasitic (ph) part of the body. So we managed to mobilize that, keeping its vascularity intact into Lakshmi's own abdomen now. So both kidneys are safe.
PHILLIPS: Dr. Patil, I have to ask you, of course, a spiritual question -- India being one of the most spiritual places in the world. She was named Lakshmi after the Hindu goddess that has four hands. Tell me how that has incorporated into this whole story. A lot of people believe she's the reincarnation of this Goddess.
PATIL: Well, we know, at times, people -- that these things can happen, even though we do not know for sure what exactly the reason, we do know that these things can happen. Few of the religious people around Lakshmi did believe in that. (INAUDIBLE), however, are very practical and they knew that they had to go ahead with medical treatment for a good life for Lakshmi. In fact, the parents are very sensible and they're very brave. They understand the risks of the surgery and they are very keen to have it done.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
LEMON: Well, check out this video -- steeped in tradition, full of pomp and political showmanship, it's the annual opening of the British parliament with Queen Elizabeth in the spotlight still. Her speech this year focused on ways to combat climate change, taking a tougher stance on terror suspects and dealing with Iran's nuclear ambitions. No surprise -- it was written by the prime minister, who has already laid out his agenda.
PHILLIPS: Dying to be famous -- this Texas man is clearly willing to risk it. We suggest scaling back on that ambition. And, yes, those are real rattlesnakes.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: Time to check in with CNN's Wolf Blitzer.
PHILLIPS: He's standing by in "THE SIT ROOM" to tell us what's coming up at the top of the hour -- hey, Wolf.
WOLF BLITZER, HOST, "THE SITUATION ROOM": Hi, guys.
Thanks very much.
Hillary Clinton stopping by on the campaign trail to talk exclusively to our own Candy Crowley. Coming up, how she describes her last debate and whether she'd consider running for vice president.
Also, history on the Hill -- Congress getting ready to override a presidential veto for the first time since President Bush took office. Why both houses now say Mr. Bush is wrong and must be overruled.
Plus, more than $4 million in only 24 hours -- and it just keeps on growing -- a tidal wave of cash is pouring into Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul's campaign. Coming up, how he's doing it and who's donating the cash.
All that and a lot more right here in "THE SITUATION ROOM" -- back to you.
LEMON: All right, thank you very much for that, Wolf.
We'll be watching.
It is 3:57. Getting closer to the top of the hour.
Here are the stories that are most interesting to you on cnn.com.
A young mother missing in Illinois -- tracking dogs, airplanes, volunteers on foot. It doesn't matter the tactics, still no clues to Stacy Peterson's whereabouts.
In India, doctors are working right now to give a little girl a normal body. The 2-year-old was born with four arms and four legs. Her surgery is expected to last 40 hours. We're told it's going to -- it's going as expected so far.
And finally, the patriarch of one of America's best known singing families has died. George Osmond passed away this morning at his home in Utah. He was 90 years old. For the latest on the stories that matter most, log onto CNN.com. PHILLIPS: A record breaking stunt in Texas, where everything, including foolishness, is bigger. You're looking at one Jackie Bibby. He sat in a see-through tub for 45 minutes with 87 rattlesnakes.
Why would he do this?
Well, the previous Guinness world record for snake sitting included only 75 rattlesnakes, but Bibby was compelled to break it even though it was his own record.
Why? We ask why? Why, oh, why?
LEMON: Can I look now?
PHILLIPS: Yes.
What was your -- what was your reasoning?
You were wondering why he wasn't naked in the bathtub?
Is that it?
(LAUGHTER)
LEMON: There's a joke there and I'm not even going to go there.
PHILLIPS: Yes. I guess that adds a whole another meaning to...
LEMON: I was just wondering where the water was. That's it.
PHILLIPS: ...the rattlesnake world record.
LEMON: Yes.
PHILLIPS: All right, the closing bell about to ring on Wall Street.
SUSAN LISOVICZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And we know how Don feels...
LEMON: I'm glad she said it -- what?
LISOVICZ: We know how Don feels about snakes.
LEMON: Well, that's why and -- I did this, because, you know...
PHILLIPS: You had to close your eyes.
LEMON: ...I can't stand the little critters.
LISOVICZ: OK. Well, some of us see snakes in the garden, which the segue to "House and Garden," one of the nation's best known magazines. It's been around more than 100 years. It's saying bye-bye -- closing its doors for good with its December issue. It's not only a crowded marketplace -- competing against other homes -- well-known magazines, such as "Better Homes and Garden," "Traditional Home," "Country Home," "Architectural Digest." It's that there's a housing recession. And think about what that does to advertising. So we're going to say good-bye to "House and Garden" after a century of telling us how to decorate.
(STOCK MARKET REPORT)
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