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Photo Finish?; Bhutto's Legacy
Aired December 30, 2007 - 19:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DREW GRIFFIN, ANCHOR: Next in THE NEWSROOM, the mad dash to the end of line in Iowa. A contest so hot it is too close to call. We're headed there live.
Plus, an awakening in Baghdad; a group of Iraqi patriots quelling some of the violence in a beleaguered country.
BENAZIR BHUTTO'S SON: My mother always said democracy is the best revenge.
And the top story: the teenage son of the late Benazir Bhutto on top of his grave, the weight of his mother's legacy.
The last moments of Benazir Bhutto's life caught on tape. That's our top story tonight. We have new dramatic video of the opposition leader's assassination. Your hear shots ring out then an explosion, and for first time you can see Bhutto drop back into her car amid the gunfire. Let's take a look.
Here it is in slow motion with Bhutto highlighted. The tape does not resolve the controversy surrounding the cause of her death. The Pakistani government says she died after hitting her head on a sunroof lever. Bhutto's party disputes that saying her body had visible bullet wounds.
A lot of questions which just yesterday Pakistan insisted could be answered without any international help. That stance may be changing. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown spoke to President Pervez Musharraf by phone today. The Pakistani leader told him he will now consider international support into the investigation. Bhutto's opposition party is calling on the United Nations to launch its own probe.
And that party has picked a new chief; Bhutto's 19-year-old son. The decision made during a meeting today that was emotional and at times chaotic.
Here's CNN's John Vause.
JOHN VAUSE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The third and final day of official mourning for Benazir Bhutto began with prayers, tears, and much confusion over who would take her place as leader of the people's party. More than a thousand loyal supporters gathered outside the Bhutto family compound as the family read Benazir Bhutto's will to find out who she wanted to be her successor.
The same will that her husband said she updated just days before returning to Pakistan from herself-imposed exile. But in the crush of Pakistani politics, many from the party executive responsible for making a final decision were left stuck outside the compound.
What's happening is that the party workers are also outside this door. They want to attend the meeting and they are not going anywhere.
Eventually security gave way. The heavy steel doors opened and hundreds rushed in. It was chaotic. Once inside they made their feelings known.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We want the Bhutto in the people's party. The Bhutto family we have trust upon.
VAUSE: In the end Benazir Bhutto named her husband, Asif Zardari as her successor. But he then handed power to his son, Bilawal, a student at Oxford, just 19 years old.
BILAWAL BHUTTO ZARDARI, BENAZIR BHUTTO'S SON: My mother always said democracy is the best revenge.
VAUSE: he is now the third generation of this political dynasty. Benazir Bhutto took over from her father who was executed by a military dictator.
ALI DAYAN HASAN, HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH: When political leaders die seeking high office this is seen as a blood sacrifice and the only way of dealing with it is to pass on political leadership, the succession to the leadership to a blood relative.
VAUSE: Bilawal will wait until finishing the university before taking over; until then senior party advisors will take charge. Even so, this teenager with no political experience has now been thrust to the center of the treacherous world of Pakistani politics.
John Vause, CNN, Naudero, Pakistan.
GRIFFIN: Benazir Bhutto's husband will hold a powerful position as party co-chair. He spoke out today about his wife's death; calling the government's position that she died after hitting her head "a pack of lies." It also explained why he refused to allow local officials to perform an autopsy on his wife's body.
(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)
ASIF ALI ZARDARI, BENAZIR BHUTTO'S HUSBAND: I have lived in this country long enough to know how and where the autopsies are done and how they are done. It was an insult to my wife, to the sister of the nation, to the mother of the nation if I was to give her last remains to be post-mortemed. And I know the forensic reports are useless.
We know what the wound is. We know how it was done. We have a dying declaration here with us. We don't need postmortems to prove the death.
(END VIDEOCLIP) GRIFFIN: CNN crime expert Mike Brooks is going to take a hard look at the Bhutto crime scene and the science needed to solve that mystery. We are going to have that tonight at 10:00 eastern.
Just four days now until the Iowa caucuses and the races don't get much closer or hotter than this. The top three Democratic candidates are breathing down each other's next. Take a look at this new Mason Dixon Poll suggests John Edwards, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are within two percentage points of each other.
Because of a margin of error plus or minus 5 points, it is really too close to call. And a race that's too close to call could favor the campaign of the most organized. That's the man you see on the screen, John Edwards. He has been in Iowa running in Iowa for years now.
CNN senior political correspondent Candy Crowley caught up with John Edwards today. Candy, did you get a sense Edwards believes he will win Iowa and not just come in a close second?
CANDY CROWLEY, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: They really do believe they will win. Part of that is you can't start going off with saying, "Well, I'm not really sure. I may get second and I may get third." You have to say you are going to win.
The fact of the matter is that John is -- Edwards is looking very good in these polls right now. They have a very good organization that is based on the 2004 organization when he placed a surprising second.
They really are looking for a win here. What do they have to do to do that? Well, I talked to John Edwards this afternoon. He said first of all, obviously, he has to get his people to go to the caucuses and then he has to work on those undecided voters.
They've heard you a lot over the last couple of years. If they are undecided now why would they come to you at this point? Haven't you pretty much been saying the same thing?
JOHN EDWARDS, (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: A couple of reasons: one I think is the fire and passion of what I'm doing now that is hard to maintain over a long period of time. We are in the closing now. And I know how to close it.
The second thing is the message of ending corporate greed and standing up to the middle class and jobs in this country just resonate was people. It just does. And I think that Iowans by nature they wait until they have to make a decision or a big chunk of them do.
There is no reason for them to decide before they have to decide. Now we are at a place they have to decide and I think we are in an awfully good place.
CROWLEY: Now, at this point all of the campaigns for Democratic and Republicans are exuding confidence. But again, there are those numbers, Drew, that tell us there is a reason for some confidence here in the Edwards camp. But they obviously are not going to let up. Edwards, for instance, is going do a 36-hour tour in the final hours before those caucuses. Somebody asked him today who are you going to talk to at 3:00 a.m. in the morning? And he said, "Well, that's a good question. We will find out."
It is going to be right, right, right up to the limit, Drew.
GRIFFIN: Candy, Edwards wins Iowa, so what? Does that translate into anything for him? Does he just have a big name in Iowa?
CROWLEY: Sure. Drew, what it does is, it moves -- big mo. George Bush the father used to always come at the big mo, momentum. Gets you five days between the Iowa caucus results and New Hampshire primaries. When you roll out of here on a win, a couple of things first happen.
First of all, you get that -- all that free media. Second of all, you look like a winner. If someone can beat Hillary Clinton in Iowa she no longer looks invincible. Whether it is Barack Obama or John Edwards, if it is a Hillary Clinton loss here, that is a blow to her campaign.
And it is not a fatal blow there are lots more to come. But it is certainly beginning to turn things around. You remember a while back we were talking about how Hillary Clinton looked unbeatable and while her campaign will say "We never said that about Iowa." Nonetheless, that was the aura that was coming out of that campaign so for someone to beat her here would give some major media to those rolling out and into New Hampshire.
GRIFFIN: Candy, great stuff. Thanks, we're looking forward to the next few days, as you do, I'm sure.
Also, campaigning in Iowa today Barack Obama, CNN's Suzanne Malveaux is on the CNN election express. She joins us from Indianola, Iowa with that part of the story. Hi, Suzanne.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Drew, if you have been following the elections and candidates, Senator Barack Obama really in his style and message, his tone, has really evolved here. We are seeing somebody who is very aggressive and has stumped -- stump beat is punchy, he uses humor, repetition.
One of the things that he says is if you believe, if you believe, if you believe that he's the person to bring hope, to bring about change, when you talk about civil liberties he said that he taught the constitution and he believes in the constitution and therefore as president he will follow the constitution.
These are the kinds of lines that voters can follow. It is very simple and straightforward. He's making one last pitch here and is talking about electability. Making the case that he's more likely to win on a national scale than his opponents, primary opponents, saying that Senator Clinton, that he feels that she's not liked well enough. That she would not be able to get over that hurdle.
Senator John Edwards he says he does not believe would really bring about real change because of experience as a centrist, as a senator. He really would not be tough enough on special interests.
But it is interesting to just listen to the language here. One of the other things that he talked about here, when he talks about fighting special interests, he says that he's fought in the courts and fought in the legislature. He knows difficult the fight is going to be.
We've heard him talk about hope; we've heard him talk about faith. But now he is defining what hope is. He says it is doing what you never thought was possible. He goes on to talk about abolishing slavery, the civil rights marchers.
Then I thought, Drew, this was particularly interesting and personal. He also used humor to make his point. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The only reason I'm here is because of a belief in things that might not seem possible. I mean, when you are a black guy named Barack Obama running for president, you got to have hope. Right? You have to be hopeful about that.
(END VIDEOCLIP)
MALVEAUX: And Drew it was interesting because the crowd really had gotten them going. They laughed and they were obviously with him; supporting him on this point. You look at the crowd here. And Iowa, if you look at the population, less than 2 percent black. Less than 3 percent Hispanic. Clearly, he's winning people over.
He's showing that he gets it, what he's trying to say is like he knows there is a risk here. He knows that people are going out on a limb but that he believes it is worth it and ultimately he will bring about that change.
I talked to some of his aides yesterday. What's the strategy in the next couple of days? Going into the caucuses; they are mobilizing. They have 37 campaign headquarters stationed throughout the state. And they have been on the phone. They have been knocking door-to-door and they have been making calls.
And they have decided what they are going to do is offer free babysitting service. 90 minutes, they say, to watch your child on caucus night and they are really catering to the people who they have the strongest support. Those are younger folks. That's 45 years and under.
They say that's male and it is different than the Clinton campaign. I'd spoke with their aides as well. And they say what they are doing is they are providing -- they offered and bought 600 snow shovels because they are concerned if it is snowy or icy that the people will not be able to get out and their supporters are largely elderly women, those who are staying home and might have more difficulty getting to those precincts.
GRIFFIN: Interesting stuff, Suzanne. I'm just wondering if you get the sense it seems like it is Obama and Edwards now; that they are moving against each other. And leaving Senator Clinton behind. As I see the two stump speech sound almost exactly the same between Edwards and Obama. Except, of course, for Obama bringing up the point you raised.
MALVEAUZ: There are a couple of things that are happening here. What you are hearing is Senator Obama and Edwards taking on each other over specific issues. When it comes to independent organizations and advertising, whether or not that is being used appropriately. And whether or not they are tough enough or who is tougher when it comes to fighting special interest groups.
What senator Clinton is doing and we have seen this over the last couple of days, she's really trying to present herself as above it all. That she is almost ignoring Barack Obama and Edwards saying in making the case she is focusing on the issues that would be presented to her as if she were president.
You will hear her focus on the whole issue of Pakistan, Pervez Musharraf. What should happen next on a global scale? She's trying to almost give voters the message that that is petty, too petty for her. They are squabbling among who is going be the nominee and she's already looking ahead, fighting the Bush administration and whatever Republican will come next. Drew?
GRIFFIN: Thanks, Suzanne. We have been on the campaign trail with Hillary Clinton today as well. She actually showed up at an African- American church of all places while Barack Obama is talking about his race and here she is at the Corinthian Baptist Church in Des Moines. Her husband, Bill, called his wife a commanding leader who will be ready to deal with the unexpected.
(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)
BILL CLINTON, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: President Bush never talked about Osama Bin Laden and didn't foresee Hurricane Katrina. If you are not ready for that, then everything else you want to do can be undermined. And you need a president that you trust to deal with something that we will not discuss in this campaign.
To continue to do what you hire the president to do. And I -- I said it before. I will say it again. I think on this score she is the best of all.
(END VIDEOCLIP)
GRIFFIN: Bill and Hillary Clinton will spend New Year's Eve at a "New Year, New Beginning" celebration in Des Moines. If the Democratic race is a real nail biter the Republican race is a barn burner. Way too close to call. We will take a look. And tell you who 2008's comeback kid might be.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GRIFFIN: Before the break we told you the Democratic president race in Iowa, too close to call. Same thing with the Republican race. New Mason/Dixon Poll shows Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee within four points from each other in Iowa at 27 percent and 23 percent, respectively. That 4 percent spread within the margin of error.
Two other Republicans are in a virtual tie for third place, Fred Thompson and John McCain though much farther down the line. With a closer look at what the Republican candidates have been doing today, let's go to CNN's Dana Bash. She joins us -- you are in Des Moines, right Dana?
DANA BASH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I am in Des Moines. This is where Mike Huckabee was all day but we didn't really see him very much. Here is why. We're told he was cutting a new series of television ads that we will see in the days leading up to the few days left leading up to the caucuses. The reason for that is because of the poll you just showed.
It is still very, very close, statistical dead heat. It does show that Mitt Romney is doing a bit better than he was. It looks like Mike Huckabee's surge may have plateaued a little bit and certainly is what the campaigns are telling us in terms of internal polling as well.
That's why you have seen a much, much more aggressive Mike Huckabee in defending himself but also going after Mitt Romney on some of the things he thinks he might have problems with; his record on abortion and his record on the second amendment, gun rights. Listen to what he said this morning.
MIKE HUCKABEE, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I am a pro-lifer and a pro-second amendment guy. And I -- I think my record of consistency on those issues that matter to the conservatives and Republicans in state and around the nation is far stronger than Mr. Romney's and that's why he is trying to dodge his own record and not only with me but with Senator McCain as well.
BASH: The message we have heard all day really past couple of days from Mike Huckabee is simply that he says Mitt Romney is not honest enough to be president. What he's pointing to is a series of ads that Mitt Romney has on the air right now here in Iowa going after Mike Huckabee on the issue of taxes and on immigration and spending in crime.
Huckabee is insisting that that simply is not credible. And he also is admitting, Drew, that these ads are chipping away at Mike Huckabee's lead here and that it is really showing voters that it is not just somebody who may support a lot of the issues that they support here like opposition to abortion and opposition to same-sex marriage and things like that.
So what we saw from Mitt Romney was really different today. He was crisscrossing -- he has been crisscrossing the state of Iowa and is on a bus tour. At least in public, he's trying -- to really sort of have an optimistic rhetoric, if you will.
He's sort of speaking in platitudes about the need for a better future while he's still really hitting Mike Huckabee pretty hard in the air and also in the mail. And on the response to Mike Huckabee, listen to what Mitt Romney says about his ads against him. (BEGIN VIDEOCLIP) MITT ROMNEY, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: An ad that describes where I stand on an issue and where my opponent stands on an issue I think is totally appropriate.
What I don't do on my ads is attack on a personal basis.
(END VIDEOCLIP)
BASH: Now he's saying he's not attacking Mike Huckabee on a personal basis. Obviously Mike Huckabee begs to differ. So that's where you see the rub here as we are getting to the final days before the caucuses. Both men are trying to define themselves but also trying to define the others; a classic political tactic but it is much, much hotter.
The rhetoric is much, much testier than we have seen in the past several weeks or months between these two lead contenders here in Iowa in the Republican side, Drew.
GRIFFIN: I guess it is not personal, it's just politics. Thanks a lot for that report. Republicans John McCain and Rudy Giuliani were both in New Hampshire today. The primaries there just five days after the Iowa caucuses and CNN's Jim Acosta reports from Bretonwoods, New Hampshire.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
JIM ACOSTA: From political road kill to road warrior John McCain's straight talk express is on a roll in New Hampshire in the "Live Free Or Die" state McCain insists it is not do or die time just yet.
Is this a must win?
JOHN MCCAIN, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: There is no such thing as do or die. We've been through that several times. But it is very important. New Hampshire is very important.
ACOSTA: McCain is bounding a comeback at the expense of former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney. Some polls show the two men neck and neck which explains why they are going for the jugular.
MCCAIN: Attacks on other people who have seen as moving up in the polls. And so I -- I can view it as a form of flattery. It is also hard to respond sometimes because a position he has today may not be the position he has tomorrow.
ACOSTA: The first shots were fired over the airwaves. Earlier this week Romney released this ad accusing McCain of being soft on immigration and taxes. McCain responded with a spot that quoted now infamous anti-endorsement in the "Concord Monitor" newspaper which labeled Romney a phony. The Romney campaign accused the Arizona senator of getting personal.
Are you, senator, saying that Mitt Romney is a phony?
MCCAIN: I'm saying "The Concord Monitor" and "The Manchester Union Leader," words are, I think, those people of New Hampshire pay attention to.
ACOSTA: this past summer newspapers across the country had all but written McCain's political obituary. Much of his support had eroded over his backing of an immigration reform bill in Washington that some conservatives labeled amnesty for the documented.
MCCAIN: I will secure the borders first but --
ACOSTA: McCain is vowing to secure the borders first but is urging compassion, promising one rally to help a woman who called herself an illegal immigrant who is struggling to obtain legal status.
MCCAIN: These people also are God's children. We are all created in God's image.
ACOSTA: Pollster Andy Smith says McCain is peaking at exactly the right time in a state where he knows how to win.
ANDY SMITH, NEW HAMPSHIRE POLLSTER: But the fact that he has this built-up well of goodwill in the part of the voters in New Hampshire allowed him to kind of get through that tough patch.
ACOSTA: Smith notes negative campaigning has worked in the past in this state so it is no surprise McCain is taking swipes at Romney's deep pockets.
MCCAIN: You can't buy an election in the state of New Hampshire.
ACOSTA: McCain may have to show voters he is willing to lock horns to win here again.
(END VIDEOCLIP)
GRIFFIN: Our political bloggers have their own thoughts about the presidential race from the left and the right. Wait until you hear what they have to say. That's right after the half-hour mark on our newscast tonight.
Winter storm warnings, heavy rain, and just plain cold. The nation's New Year's forecast according to Reynolds Wolf. Reynolds.
REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST: We have plenty to talk about tonight. So many people want to know how we are going to end up at the very end of 2007. What we can expect as we start things off for 2008. A lot to talk about in the forecast and that is coming up in just a few moments right here on CNN.
GRIFFIN: Thanks Reynolds. Also coming up, a real pregnant pause.
Oh, yes. Wait until you see the surprise. Stick around, we'll tell you about this one, two actually.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GRIFFIN: This is a landslide in Oregon. It shut down a road outside the town of Vernonia. It happened yesterday on Timber Road which had already been reduced by one lane by an earlier slide. Crews waiting for the okay to begin removing all the debris.
The problem is that the area is still unstable. The road connects to Highway 26, expected to be closed for about three days. Now, when it rains, well, you know.
It has been pouring across parts of the drought-stricken southeast with Atlanta seeing a fourth straight day of rain today in some areas of the city. So almost too much. Dry creek beds overflowed causing scattered flooding.
Forecasters say despite the good soaking 2007 will still go down as one of Atlanta's driest years on record. One of, Reynolds Wolf but not apparently the, is that correct?
WOLF: Absolutely. Today -- we need to have 1.26 inches of rainfall to keep this from being the driest on record. We got 1.26. Exactly hit that point, so we just avoided being the driest on record.
The rain that provided the heavy mark is now drifting off to the east of Atlanta right now, near Charleston. We will zoom in on a couple of locations and move to the north. In Washington, back in Charleston, West Virginia, the other Charleston, we are seeing scattered rain showers. In the high elevations, not rain. We are talking about some snowfall.
Even heavier snowfall north of New York. New York, you may be dealing with light snowfall for the evening hours. But look at the heavy stuff we are expecting from later tonight and into Monday. For Boston, four to seven inches of snowfall possibly. You take I-90 westward back into the Berkshires, you'll get anywhere from 5 to 9 inches of snowfall. And as we head farther out west, the snow is going beginning to pile up. Take a look at Seattle. The computer models indicate they can see anywhere from a foot to nearly three feet of snowfall in the Seattle area. We got some video to show you. Take a look at this. This is from Snoqualmie Pass and you will see these trucks, they're all covered up with snow. And still the snow is always going to continue to fly. We're getting a lot of cold air at the surface. The all burning moisture from the pacific all adds up, giving you those icy conditions.
Now, let's show what you we have from Seattle. My goodness. What a beautiful shot it is. A little bit of sunlight coming on through. Closing out a wonderful day in the Pacific northwest but all that moisture. Those clouds moving up into the high elevations where it's going to spell out into snow. As you come right back to me, you're going to see some of that snowfall stacking up over into (inaudible) back into parts of Idaho, anywhere from six to 12 inches of snowfall. That's great for skiers. Southward into Salt Lake City, anywhere from 9 to 16 inches of snowfall. Places like Snowmass, a lot of snow for you. In Colorado, some light to moderate snowfall but also some wind gusting from 70 to 80 miles per hour.
OK. Here is what you can expect for new year's. For New York, we are thinking that for places like Madison Square Garden, outside of that area, anywhere from say Rockefeller Center and Times Square, snow by about 10:00 tomorrow morning and then drying out for the new year, it's going to be great. But then early tomorrow morning, around 2:00, a few scattered snow showers. Snowy for Chicago. Dry in Dallas. Look for a mix of sun and clouds for Los Angeles for the evening, mostly clear and clouds for the Pacific northwest. That's your forecast. Let's send it back to you at the news desk.
DREW GRIFFIN, CNN, ANCHOR: Looks good. Snow where it is supposed to be, I think.
WOLF: Absolutely.
GRIFFIN: Not bad. Thanks, Reynolds.
WOLF: You bet.
GRIFFIN: Well, they call themselves the "Awakening." Their mission is to end the violence in Iraq.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GRIFFIN: These guys' efforts apparently paying off there. That is coming up. Plus, some dead heat in the dead of winter. Who's got the edge in Iowa? Passionate bloggers from the left, the right. They're next.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GRIFFIN: 2007 has been the deadliest year yet for U.S. troops in Iraq. We have 899 men and women in uniform there. But over the last few months, violence has actually been down. Part of the reason, the rise of civilian militias, CNN's Harris Whitbeck has that story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS WHITBECK, CNN, CORRESPONDENT: A civilian militia practices detention techniques in an orchard where just a day before a gun battle resulted in the arrest of two suspected Al Qaeda insurgents. In nearby Taji, a local Sheik tourist checkpoints in his area, to supervise militia members on the job on a cold winter's night. These are the civilian groups known as "Awakening councils." That have been widely credited with being a key factor in bringing levels of violence down in Iraq.
And a subject of Osama Bin Laden's latest internet message.
OSAMA BIN LADEN (through translator): Our duty is to foil these dangerous conspiracies which seek to prevent the establishment of an Islamic state in the land of the two rivers. So, be an aid in victory for the people of Islam everywhere in thwarting America's mission in dividing Iraq.
WHITBECK: Attacks on the councils were stepped up even before the latest Bin Laden posting. This funeral for a leader of the council in Ba'qubah was targeted by a suicide bomber last week, resulting in the deaths of nine people. And attacks like this bombing of a council member's house in Halabjah are becoming more frequent.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITBECK: The U.S. says the "awakening councils" are continuing to grow, about 72,000 men have joined so far. With each attack, council members are becoming more defiant.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WHITBECK: This man was at the funeral for his son and five other militia members killed in that attack in Halabjah.
MAJID WAISS KHODAID AL DULAIMI, FATHER OF SLAIN MILITA MEMBER: We are ready to sacrifice our last drop of blood. We are defending our homes and our honor.
WHITBECK: The U.S. says the attacks are a signal Al Qaeda fears the "awakening councils." Al Qaeda's leader say they are traitors who must die.
Harris Whitbeck, CNN, Baghdad.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GRIFFIN: Kenya's government pulled all live television broadcasts off the air after violence erupted in the capital. Rioting broke out in Nairobi when it was announced that the president Mwai Kibaki won re- election. Kibaki was sworn in for his second term shortly after the election commission said he narrowly defeated the opposition party leader. The close vote prompted charges of fraud and vote rigging. At least 15 people killed so far in rioting across Kenya.
Dead heat in Iowa among the top three democratic presidential hopefuls. John Edwards, Hillary Clinton, and Barack Obama. One, two, three separated by a hair in a Mason-Dixon poll taken after Christmas. The mere 2 percentage points that separates them is well within the poll's margin of error. Not the greatest news for Mike Huckabee either. The poll finds him trailing Mitt Romney by four percentage points in Iowa. The other republicans lagging far behind.
The previous Mason-Dixon poll from the first week of December had Huckabee holding a 12-point lead. Of course, the polls, they each have a story to tell. But the blogs tell another one. I guess we can ask if we wanted to, Howard Dean about these polls in Iowa. We're going to bring in our two poll bloggers right now. Meet David Freddoso from the National Review online and Morra Aarons from blogher.org.
David, you know, let me start with you. The polls are one thing but the spin going out there in the blogosphere is another. Huckabee seems to lost his sail at just the wrong time.
DAVID FREDDOSO, NATIONAL REVIEW ONLINE: Well, I think his sails is in tatters. I think you could say the vote is starting to go down. One of the problems Huckabee is having are the extremely stupid things he said about the assassination of former Prime Minister Bhutto in Pakistan. For one thing, he tried to make this an immigration issue. To say well, look what happened. A Pakistani went and blew someone up so I guess all Pakistanis do that so we have to be really afraid about them coming to this country. I don't think that very intelligent. It think it really reflects poorly on him. He also, he got a few other things wrong when he was talking about it. And a guy that's running for president of the United States has to get things right when he is talking about what happens in other parts of the world. I don't think he is looking good. I think some Christians find it offensive that he is kind of flashing his cross around to win the election. I think a lot of people felt very dissatisfied with the other candidates, jumped on the Huckabee bandwagon but may be just as ready to jump off. And then the support that he is losing is showing up in the polls with Fred Thompson and John McCain at this point. McCain is doing especially well in Iowa which is a big surprise. He and Ron Paul, I guess, are the only guys who don't bow to the whole ethanol scam that's going on.
GRIFFIN: Let me bring in Mara here real quickly on the republican side. I want to ask you Morra about the democrats but on the republican side, Huckabee losing steam? Is Romney gaining. What's happening there in your eyes?
MORRA AARONS, BLOGHER.ORG: You know, it's funny. I think they're both losing steam. They are both too busy attacking each other to focus on the issues. The more Huckabee talks, the less I think we trust him as a future leader of our country. But of course, Romney has had that problem now ever since he hit the campaign trail and I think it is really, really good news for John McCain and, of course, really good news for the democrats.
GRIFFIN: Well, democrats are talking about each other, too. And not in very positive light. They are very tight there, Morra.
AARONS: They are. I mean, you know, it is anybody's race. And you know, Hillary's handing out shovels and Edwards is chartering buses. I would like a latte with my caucus vote, please. I think that it's very, very much about organization and the most important thing is Edwards almost won Iowa four years ago. Voters really know him there and I know it says there is something like 5% undecided voters right now. I can't imagine there are many undecided voters right now. I think it is about the weather and it's about who gets people out there on Thursday.
GRIFFIN: Morra, real quickly on Clinton, on Senator Clinton. Does she survive at number three in Iowa? I mean, it seems like Edwards and Obama go on no matter how they play but does she?
AARONS: You know, there is a media war here, too. There's only so much media space. If Hillary loses in Iowa and comes in third that's a huge story. So, whose airtime does that take away from. I mean, I definitely think there will be huge momentum going into New Hampshire. I think Hillary coming in second is a good story for her. Obama coming in third is much more painful to him going...
GRIFFIN: David, where does McCain have to fit in Iowa to get to hopefully what he hopes is a win in New Hampshire? FREDDOSO: He, I think he will win New Hampshire no matter how he does in Iowa. Any success in Iowa is a big deal for McCain. He has not really played there. He isn't expected to do anything there. So, when he comes in around 15%, 16% to 17%, if he is able to get in there, especially if he finishes third he will be in very good shape. I think a second place finish is pretty much out of the question. It's going to be between him and Fred Thompson for third most likely.
GRIFFIN: Really quickly, I want to get your take, Giuliani that's the first time I said his name in two days, where is this guy? And Fred Thompson, not particularly interested in running, apparently not particularly gathering a lot of interest in voting for him either.
FREDOSSO: No. Giuliani has been out this for a couple of weeks now. His late state strategy seemed like a great idea at the time. And no matter what he is going to a substantial number of delegates. But it's highly, the only way I could see Giuliani going anywhere would be if Huckabee suddenly started winning everything. A lot of republicans would feel like the only guy who could stop him is Giuliani.
AARONS: Let's not forget the big news on the blogs today is Michael Bloomberg convening a very, very high-level group of people. Apparently talking about a third party run. I think that's going to distract a lot of people and really hurt Rudy Giuliani.
GRIFFIN: Morra, getting to wrap but I want to ask you a question. Hold on, Morra. I want to ask you a question. Hey, Biden, Kucinich are they leaving?
AARONS: I would think so. You know, they are going to - big jobs. Except Kucinich who will run again in four years, I'm sure.
FREDOSSO: What's interesting is they're supporters Iowa are going to have a chance to pick their second choice. That's the way the democratic caucus works. This is why Hillary Clinton's in so much trouble in Iowa. She is nobody's second choice. Edwards is going to win and I think that she comes in third. If it is bad enough, she is on the verge of losing the Obama campaign.
AARONS: David, I'm not sure that you can say Edwards is going to win.
GRIFFIN: Guys, you are going to have to take this to your blog. We don't have that much time. David, thank you. Morra, thank you.
FREDOSSO: Thank you.
AARONS: Thank you, too.
GRIFFIN: Take it easy, guys.
And how about a presidential candidate who wants a job but does not like running? Yes, we talked about him. You will find that story and a whole lot more on cnn.com where the best political news team files its stories online. The "Dallas Morning News" has named the Texan of the year. And it is the illegal immigrant. According to the paper's editorial board, everybody in Texas felt the tidal wave of his presence. It continues the story of the illegal immigrant in Texas as rich in history, complexity and controversy. "The impact on the state is pervasive. Because of this complexity, and also because of their illegal status, it was not possible for us to call out a single individual. But as the Board debated, it became clear to us that as a group, these people merited recognition." There you go, Texas.
Many are calling him a hero. The victim of the Christmas day tiger attack. Remembered with a candlelight vigil. Well, we've got new details about that frantic night at the San Francisco Zoo.
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GRIFFIN: In San Francisco, the grieving family of a teen mauled to death by a tiger is paying tribute to their 17-year-old. Even as police try to determine exactly what happened at the tiger's pen. Our Kara Finnstrom has a timeline of that attack.
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KARA FINNSTROM, CNN, CORRESPONDENT: Police radio transmissions from the night of the tiger attack set a chaotic scene. An 18-page long list a first report coming in at 5:08 p.m. with a very agitated male claiming he was bitten by an animal and bleeding from the head. The log says zoo personnel initially told police that the two men reporting an escaped tiger may be mentally disturbed and making something up. By 5:10, zoo employees themselves were reporting a tiger on the loose. At 5:13 the zoo was on lockdown as Fire Department responders arrived. By 5:20, medics have found one victim with a large puncture hole to his neck. The log warns the scene is not safe. Then an officer spots a tiger sitting down and at 5:27 it attacks another victim. Officers begin shooting. In less than 20 minutes after the first reports, they killed the 300-pound Siberian tiger. But not before the tiger killed 17-year-old Carlos Sousa, Jr..
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FINNSTROM: Saturday about 100 people gathered for a candlelight vigil in his honor. The same day the two brothers who were with Sousa Jr. and seriously hurt during the attack were released from the hospital. It may ultimately be the stories of those two survivors who we have yet to hear from to give us the best idea what happened that evening at the zoo. Kara Finnstrom for CNN, Los Angeles.
GRIFFIN: A poignant reminder to celebrate smart on new year's eve.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I just want anyone to think about drinking and getting behind the wheel to think twice.
GRIFFIN: The deadly cocktail of drinking and driving and how cops are cracking down. (END VIDEO CLIP)
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GRIFFIN: The most popular stories on cnn.com, filmmaker Oliver Stone's latest project - a rescue mission in Colombia. Stone is a part of an international delegation organized by his pal, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. Planning to meet with Colombia's largest armed rebel group to retrieve three hostages who have been held there for years.
Arizona police on the lookout for Francisco Mendoza. Also known as "Psycho." He is suspected in the shootings of six people and a dog outside Phoenix. The six victims hospitalized and in stable condition. Police say they were involved in an ongoing dispute with Mendoza.
And many of you were interested in a Hannah Montana scam. It involved an essay about a year 6-year-old girl's soldier father who was killed in Iraq. The piece won the girl tickets and airfare to a Hannah Montana concert. The only problem, her mom wrote it and not a word of it was true. Organizers took the tickets back and gave them to another little girl.
If you are planning to party on new year's eve, plan on making arrangements for a ride home. Law enforcement beefing up patrols for the holiday. Gary Nuremberg has that.
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GARY NUREMBERG, CNN, CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): She was 20 years old.
JOANN GILLIN, MOTHER: She was an incredible kid.
NUREMBERG: A big sister.
GILLIN: She had a lot of goals.
NUREMBERG: Loved motorcycles.
JEFFERY VETTER, FATHER: Anything that was loud and fast.
NUREMBERG: And working on cars.
VETTER: She was my grease monkey. She was a tomboy.
NUREMBERG: Jeffrey Vetter's daughter Jessie was killed in a traffic accident caused by a man accused of drunk driving. It's the family's first holiday season without her.
GILLIN: Missing someone that you love so much is a feeling that never goes away.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sir, have you been drinking tonight?
NUREMBERG: The federal government is spending $7 million on an ad campaign whose theme is over the limit, under arrest, and thousands of local law enforcement agencies are beefing up enforcement over the holiday.
DAVID KELLY, NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION: When people see the message and then they see the message on television and then they see the message with the checkpoints and the lights and the extra police officers out there, they are going to know that we are serious.
NUREMBERG: But even if drunk drivers are caught...
CHUCK HURLEY, M.A.D.D.: M.A.D.D. estimates more than 2.8 million drivers will be sharing the roads with the rest of us this holiday season with three or more convictions.
NUREMBERG: M.A.D.D., Mothers Against Drunk Driving, wants to require that everyone convicted of drunk driving have a breath tester installed in their cars.
HURLEY: If they try to start the car after drinking and the breath tester will detect that. The car won't start.
NUREMBERG: Hurley expects several state legislatures to pass the requirement in 2008, four already have.
VETTER: I just want anyone to think about drinking and getting behind the wheel to think twice. Because you take innocent lives. It is not fair.
NUREMBERG: Gary Nuremberg, CNN, Washington.
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GRIFFIN: OK. You're going to have to follow me on this one. When we come back, the story of a woman who is having babies, six months apart.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, yes. Oh, yes. It was a surprise.
GRIFFIN: We are going to tell you how this works. That's next.
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GRIFFIN: You knows some twins will go the extra mile for one another. Here is a case in point. A North Carolina woman became a surrogate mother for her twin sister when doctors said that twin's sister couldn't have kids. The story gets better. Here is Scott mason with CNN affiliate WRAL.
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SCOTT MASON, WRAL, CORRESPONDENT: Casey and Melissa are identical twins and when Melissa and Michael couldn't have a baby, Casey said "but I can."
CASEY: I said, absolutely, out of the two embryos that they put inside my sister, one took and that was little Madeleine.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I thought it was going to be Matt, Maddie. No, we're good.
MASON: Madeleine was born Christmas day.
CASEY: We couldn't ask for a better day or a better gift. It is awesome. I feel very bless is to have been able to do this for them. But seeing them deliver the baby made me even more happier, to have her as a sister.
MASON: In a story about identical sisters, things naturally come in twos. In six months, one bay will become two babies. Because Melissa, who doctors said couldn't have a baby, is going to have a baby. And baby what a surprise.
MELISSA: Oh, yes. Oh, yes. It was a surprise.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're due in June. So, they'll be six months apart.
CASEY: In six months, we'll have another one. It's all they wanted. You know, kids and now we're going to be just bombarded with them.
MASON: What a bundle of joy.
MELISSA: The best gift.
MASON: Scott Mason, WRAL
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