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More Questions Arise from Bhutto Assassination; Bhutto Widower Promises to Carry On Party

Aired December 31, 2007 - 13:00   ET

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

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Days after the killing of Benazir Bhutto, a new mystery surfaces. Who blocked the autopsy? We're going to get an expert's view of the forensics this hour.
Also, NASA clears the air on its formerly-secret look at airline safety. Miles O'Brien joins me for a pilot's eye-view of what's really going on in the skies.

Hi, everyone. I'm Kyra Phillips at the CNN World Headquarters in Atlanta. Don is off, and you're live in the CNN NEWSROOM.

First the crisis in Pakistan. Increasing doubt today about the government's version of the death of Benazir Bhutto. Video has surfaced, apparently showing a gunman firing shots at Bhutto's head. Take a look right here. The man who's circled with his right shoulder raised.

Bhutto is sticking out of her sunroof and wearing a white scarf. And as we let the tape roll, you're going to hear three pops and then an explosion.

Pakistani government says that Bhutto wasn't killed by bullets or shrapnel but a blow to the head that she purportedly suffered dropping back through her sunroof. But this close-up just shows that something lifted Bhutto's headscarf right in the moment that's in question.

Also today, a new allegation that a high police official blocked an autopsy that might have set the record straight.

CNN's Matthew Chance live now with more from Islamabad -- Matthew.

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Thanks very much, Kyra.

Well, these latest images really casting doubt on the official line of what happened to Benazir Bhutto as she met that tragic death. As you mentioned, the official line had been that, in an attempt to dodge her assassin, she banged her head violently against the lever of the sunroof in her car, causing her to penetrate her skull and to die.

That's not what these pictures appear to show. As you mentioned, that gunman stepping from the crowd, firing three very audible shots towards Benazir Bhutto. And then we see the former Pakistani prime minister slumped back into the vehicle.

Now, supporters of Benazir say that this whole idea of the former prime minister bumping her head was simply an attempt by the government to minimize their responsibility for her death. The security around Benazir Bhutto was provided by the government. It seems that the government was able to penetrate that security and, of course, later we hear the suicide blast go off, as well -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: And we're going to talk more about that with a forensic expert also coming up, Matthew. Now let me ask you about the elections. Do you think they'll still be held on January 8?

CHANCE: Well, that's the big question. Because in the aftermath of Benazir's killing, there was violence; there was confusion all across this very volatile country.

At least ten voting centers in the south of the country were destroyed. That doesn't mean just windows and doors and chairs. It means those all-important voterless ballot papers were destroyed. So tens of thousands of people are without ballot papers if those elections go ahead.

Now, all of the political parties, particularly Benazir's former party, the Pakistan People's Party, want the elections to go ahead on January 8th. There's a sense in which they feel they can capitalize on the sympathy vote, perhaps, for the death of Benazir and secure a big majority in the Pakistani parliament.

But the government is reluctant, it seems, to do that because of the technical problems it's faced with in getting everybody ballot papers and with the general law and order situation in the country, Kyra. It's very unsettled at the moment.

PHILLIPS: No doubt. And I want to ask you about Benazir Bhutto's party. Obviously, the family members involved here, the son, Biliwal, apparently running the party now. What do we know about him, besides that he's young, he's still studying at Oxford University. What's going on behind this?

CHANCE: Frankly, we don't much know about him at all, because there's not that much to know about him. He is very young; he's just 19 years old. His name is Biliwal Zardari, which is the name of his father, Ali Asif Zardari.

He's changed it now to Biliwal Bhutto Zardari to try and link himself more clearly with his mother, with the all-important Bhutto political dynasty in Pakistan.

He is the chairman of the Pakistan People's Party, the political heir to Benazir Bhutto in this country, but he's still at Oxford University studying history and political science. And so, until he finishes his university course in several years from now, he'll be kept very much in the back seat, in the sidelines while the party is run on a day to day basis by his father.

PHILLIPS: And I understand, too, our Wolf Blitzer is going to have an exclusive with his father, Matthew. That's going to be coming up soon. We'll let our viewers know about that. So really it's the father that's running things, you believe? And also there's been a lot of controversy surrounding Benazir Bhutto's husband and things that he has been involved with, correct?

CHANCE: There is. There's a great deal of controversy around Asif Ali Zardari, Benazir Bhutto's husband, now her widower.

He is running party affairs on a day-to-day basis. He made that quite clear at the press conference yesterday, at which the political will of Benazir Bhutto was read out.

But he is this controversial figure. He's been arrested and put into prison on numerous occasions, spent at least 11 years in jail. The charges against him are, frankly, range from the bizarre to the horrific.

He was first arrested for extortion. He allegedly strapped a remote control bomb to a Pakistani businessman's leg and made him allegedly go into a bank and withdraw money. In '96 he was charged with the murder of Benazir Bhutto's brother and spent several years in prison for corruption. In Pakistan, he was known as "Mr. Ten Percent." So a very controversial figure.

PHILLIPS: It will get much more interesting, that's for sure. Matthew Chance, thanks so much.

And all these questions surrounding Bhutto's assassination, as well, are serving to undermine President Musharraf, who remains through it all a crucial U.S. ally in the war on terror.

And to tell us what the White House is thinking today, CNN's Kathleen Koch joins us live -- Kathleen.

KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kyra, when it comes to the investigation of just how Benazir Bhutto died, right now the White House is using very measured tones, deputy press secretary Scott Stanzel saying that it is in the interest of the people of Pakistan, in the long-term interests of democracy, that a thorough investigation take place, adding, quote, "That's what everyone expects."

But Stanzel explained that this is a matter for the Pakistan government to move forward on. He called it a sovereign government, and he said while the U.S. has -- does stand ready to help and has indeed, as he said, offered to provide any guidance or assistance, so far none has been requested.

As to the matter of the date of the elections, whether or not they will go forward on January 8 or potentially be delayed for as much as six weeks, Stanzel says it's up to the political parties in Pakistan to reach an agreement on that. Though he did say that, if they are delayed, that the White House really does believe that a date certain should be set so that the process can be what he called open and predictable, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Well, Kathleen, while I have you, I just want to ask you a completely different question here. We've gotten word that there was violent reaction to the presidential elections in Kenya. Apparently, it was captured on video.

Did this catch the White House by surprise? And does the U.S. ever get involved with monitoring elections there?

KOCH: Well, the White House -- the U.S. does often monitor elections in different parts of the world. This election, I believe, there were only European election monitors present.

But certainly, Stanzel said in his meeting with reporters today the White House is very concerned about the outbreak of violence. The State Department said that, while the U.S. applauds the Kenyan people for the vote and the record turnout, it has, quote, "serious reservations about the irregularities of the votes."

So the U.S. is urging all parties to -- to have the members of their various political parties respect the rule of law, refrain from violence. But, indeed, they do want people to be able to express their concerns about the vote, though Stanzel said that the challenges should be channeled through, quote, "legal and appropriate mechanisms" -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right, Kathleen. We're also getting word now 124 people confirmed dead there in Kenya since that violence broke out. We'll follow up on it.

Kathleen Koch from the White House, thanks a lot.

KOCH: You bet.

PHILLIPS: And leading our political ticker, a new poll bears it out on both sides: Iowa is too close to call.

Among Republicans, the MSNBC/McClatchey/Mason Dixon survey -- that's a long one; sorry about that -- shows that Mitt Romney at 27 percent, Mike Huckabee close behind at 23 percent. Fred Thompson and John McCain battling for third.

And on the Democratic side, you can't get much closer than this: John Edwards leads with 24 percent, Hillary Clinton at 23 percent, Barack Obama 22 percent, Bill Richardson fourth with 12 percent.

And you've heard this question before, but it won't go away. Will New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg join the race? Bloomberg and other potential Independent candidates plan to meet next week with moderates from both parties to talk about a third party bid. The event is being organized by former Democratic senators David Moore and Sam Nunn.

Steve Forbes, a former Republican candidate for president, had this to say on CNN's "LATE EDITION WITH WOLF BLITZER."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STEVE FORBES, FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I think it would be highly unlikely that he wouldn't run. I felt for a long time he's itching to do it. He may have blown hot and cold on it short-term, but he's itching to do it. And so he can wait. He's got resources to wait until after February 5th, see who the two party nominees are. But unless something extraordinary happens, I expect him in the race.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: CNN's Jim Acosta will have much more on Bloomberg's possible presidential bid, 4:00 Eastern in "THE SITUATION ROOM."

Who's behind this? Mormon-themed holiday cards mailed to voters in South Carolina in the name of Mitt Romney. The Romney campaign says the cards are bogus, as is a temple that's named on the cards as sponsor. Cards include controversial passages from the Book of Mormon on race and polygamy. South Carolina's Republican chairman that it plans to contact the FBI now. And Romney camp says that the tactic will backfire against whoever is behind it.

In Iowa a young reporter gets a brush-off from Chelsea Clinton. Nine-year-old Sydney Rieckhoff covers the campaign for Scholastic News. Well, on the trail yesterday, she asked Chelsea whether she thought her dad would be a good first man.

Chelsea's response, "I'm sorry. I don't talk to the press, and that applies to you, unfortunately, even though I think you're cute."

And for all the day's political stories, you can log onto our special political news Web site, cnnpolitics.com.

On New Year's Eve day, catch the game that really matters, the battle of the presidential candidates. It's all the contenders talking about all the most important issues. CNN's Ballot Bowl tomorrow, beginning at 9 a.m. Eastern.

More questions than answers. Four days after Benazir Bhutto's assassination in Pakistan, the question everyone's asking: what really killed her? We're going to hear from a security expert and former police investigator.

Also, Wolf Blitzer joins us live with an exclusive interview with Bhutto's widower, live in "THE SITUATION ROOM" in just a few moments.

NASA releases some troubling information from a flight safety survey. Miles O'Brien joining us live right here in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: It's 1:12 Eastern Time right now. Some of the stories that we're working on in the CNN NEWSROOM.

How did Pakistan's former prime minister, Benazir Bhutto, really die? More doubts are emerging about the government's version of her assassination.

Mississippi governor, Haley Barbour, names his choice to replace Senator Trent Lott. It's Republican Congressman Roger Wicker. Lott stepped down earlier this month.

And you've still got a few hours before 2008 arrives, but some places around the world are already ringing in the new year.

More questions than answers. Four days after Benazir Bhutto's assassination in Pakistan the question everyone's asking now: what really killed her? We're going to hear from a security expert and former police investigator.

Also, Wolf Blitzer joining us live with an exclusive interview with Bhutto's widower. Live from "THE SITUATION ROOM" in just a few moments.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: It took me a while to figure out what all that was. It was a bunch of balloons there in New York City as they're preparing for the New Year's Eve celebration tonight. That's right. We're ringing in 2008. Hopefully, you'll join us for our live coverage.

We're also waiting to hear from our Wolf Blitzer. He's getting geared up in "THE SITUATION ROOM." He's got with an exclusive interview with the widower of Benazir Bhutto. And I am told we are now connected.

Wolf, I know that you had a number of exclusive interviews with Benazir Bhutto before she died. You have had communications with the family and now an exclusive interview with her widower.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: That's right, Kyra. Asif Ali Zardari is joining us on the phone now from Pakistan. He's the co-chairman of the Pakistan People's Party. That was the political party that Benazir Bhutto had led. And he of course is the widower, the husband, of the late former prime minister of Pakistan.

Asif Ali Zardari, first our condolences to you. I know these are difficult times for you and your family and your son and your other children. Thanks so much for spending a few moments with us here on CNN.

I know you have a lot going on right now, but first of all, tell us whether or not you believe the elections should go forward on January 8, the parliamentary elections, as scheduled.

ASIF ALI ZARDARI, WIDOWER OF BENAZIR BHUTTO: Hello, Wolf. Thank you for your concern and your help always.

Of course I believe that the elections should go on. That's the reason -- that's the mission that my late wife, Benazir Bhutto, was carrying with her. That's the mission that she gave her life for, democracy. That is how my son Biliwal Zardari, and her son, Biliwal Zardari, has said, by saying that democracy is the best vengeance.

There can be elections in Sri Lanka where there's a constant war. There can be elections in Africa where there's a constant war. Why can't there be elections in Pakistan? There can be elections in Afghanistan, where there is an al Qaeda movement. Why can't there be elections in Pakistan and on time? BLITZER: So you want the elections to go forward January 8 as scheduled. Now I understand you've been talking to Nawaz Sharif, another former Pakistani prime minister, who's also anxious to now see these elections now go forward. Is that right? Have you worked out some sort of common arrangement with him?

ZARDARI: Yes, he has. He's also endorsed the fact that he wants to go in for the elections. Originally, he had called to stop the elections after the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, but now he wants to join in and he's joined. And he also is asking for the election at the same time as we are.

BLITZER: So you want the elections to go forward. Now what happens in the elections? Who is likely to be elected, assuming these elections are free and fair, according to what you see?

ZARDARI: All the polls when she was alive and all the polls in her martyrdom now have always said that Pakistan People's Party will win these elections. So we are hoping to unite the country again in a democratic form by having a win in the election.

BLITZER: And who would be the next prime minister of Pakistan, assuming your party wins?

ZARDARI: Pakistan People's Party has nominated at the moment. (INAUDIBLE) was the nominee by Benazir Bhutto. But we have to consult the party on that.

BLITZER: What is the latest on the investigation into the assassination, the killing, of Benazir Bhutto?

ZARDARI: The government has been trying to put a new spin on it every day, but the latest -- the latest film or the latest piece of evidence that has come on the television is a Channel 4 report of the exact way the assassin hit Benazir and the exact position. And everything is now very clear that she was shot.

I've maintained from the first day that she was shot either point blank or by a very high-powered sniper rifle. Now it seems that she was shot nearly point blank by a pistol.

BLITZER: What about the Pakistani government's assertion that she hit her head on a latch going into the van, into the sunroof, and that was the cause of her death?

ZARDARI: That was three days ago. Since then, this footage was released on Channel 4, and that denies all their claims. It just proves they've just been trying to muddy the water from the first day.

BLITZER: Do you believe Baitullah Masood, the Taliban-al Qaeda- oriented rebel leader, was responsible for killing your wife?

ZARDARI: Wolf, when the first attack took place, that is what the government claimed. And Benazir herself had denied that. On the second day she said, "I will not hold him or any of these so-called al Qaedas responsible." She left a letter for you also in which she -- she does not put the responsibility on the al Qaedas.

BLITZER: Well, who do you believe is responsible for killing...

ZARDARI: I think whoever has to gain from her death, and definitely, the sitting government has to gain from her death. They should be held responsible. And anyway, we've been calling for -- the Pakistan People's Party has passed a resolution.

We're calling for a U.N. -- an investigation team under the auspices of the U.N., United Nations, to be assisted by the British authorities. And we are going to be writing to the United Nations. And we are going to be writing to the British prime minister and British parliament. And we are hoping to lobby in America for that support, too.

BLITZER: Because in that e-mail that she sent to Mark Siegel, her friend, and U.S. spokesman at the end of October, she suggested that, if anything were to happen to her, she would hold the president, Pervez Musharraf, responsible, because of the lax security.

But do you believe that the government, the president, Pervez Musharraf, was directly responsible for ordering the killing of your wife?

ZARDARI: I will -- I am not going to take any position on that at the moment, Wolf, because I have asked for an international investigation. I will wait for the international investigation to come and find out.

And obviously, I would not hold them responsible because it was their responsibility. We'd written so many letters to them. We'd written, asked for international assistance for security, which they did not do. There are so many reasons that I should be apprehensive of the present government.

BLITZER: Let me ask you, when you suggest that you have to see who benefits from her death, who does benefit from Benazir Bhutto's death? There's no doubt the Taliban and al Qaeda were after her. They never liked the idea of a modern woman leading a Muslim country like Pakistan.

ZARDARI: It's not -- it's not the question of they didn't like her, but it's too far-fetched. If we win, and then maybe they would have taken another approach to it. And they're -- Baitullah Masood has already denied it.

BLITZER: So you suggest -- you're suggesting that this was not necessarily an al Qaeda or Taliban-related assassination?

ZARDARI: The whole situation of al Qaeda and the terrorists is very, very wishy-washy. We have too many things going around that seem to be pointing towards different sources in Pakistan.

BLITZER: And so who benefits, from your assessment, as a result of the death of Benazir Bhutto?

ZARDARI: Obviously, the government of the day.

BLITZER: Why would the government of the day benefit, because Pervez Musharraf is coming under enormous pressure right now as a result of what has happened? Why does he benefit?

ZARDARI: They all benefit because there is no opposition, there is no Benazir Bhutto, there is no larger than life figure to oppose them. Because she was not looking for just shared government to come into government. She was looking for them to go back, oust the army and get into power and get the people's government, the democracy going.

BLITZER: Asif Ali Zardari, what do you want the United States government to do right now?

ZARDARI: I -- I want them to help me find out who killed my wife, the mother of my children.

BLITZER: And specifically, what would you like President Bush to do?

ZARDARI: I think President Bush should first of all assist us in getting the investigation going that we are demanding.

BLITZER: An international investigation. You want that to be under the auspices of the United Nations?

ZARDARI: Yes, we do.

BLITZER: Similar to the investigation into the assassination of the late Lebanese prime minister, Rafik Hariri?

ZARDARI: Yes.

BLITZER: That's the kind of investigation you want, an international...

ZARDARI: That's the kind of investigation I want. It's not just that she was -- because if you see the latest footage, it is very obvious, Wolf, that first the assassin fires, and then the bomb goes off. That means the assassin dies as -- in the bombing. So there's no proof of anybody or nobody.

So it's -- the question is who benefits, why did this happen, why wasn't all this precautions taken which she'd been asking, begging for? I was running around the world, begging people all around the world to help us in security. Why would they not give us assistance on that? If they were so keen and if they're so fair, why -- why were we denied all sorts of security equipment that we asked for?

BLITZER: I understand -- and correct me if I'm wrong -- that you did have a conversation since the death of your wife with the president, Musharraf. Is that right?

ZARDARI: No, I don't have -- I didn't have any conversation with him. BLITZER: He never called to express his condolences to you?

ZARDARI: No, we would not accept the call.

BLITZER: Why wouldn't you accept his call?

ZARDARI: Because I don't think this case is fair. I don't think anybody is fair in this government, so why should I be in touch with him?

BLITZER: Are you scared for your own security right now?

ZARDARI: After the -- after the death of my wife, I mean, everybody is scared. Anything they can do, they can get away with. If they can get away with this, they can do anything.

BLITZER: What about your children, your son who's now been nominated to be the new leader of the party? Is he going to stay -- he's 19 years old, Biliwal. Is he going to stay in Pakistan or is he going to go back to Oxford University?

ZARDARI: At the moment he will proceed back to Oxford University. He finishes his studies, and then he comes back and joins active politics.

BLITZER: Tell us about your last conversation with Benazir Bhutto.

ZARDARI: The last conversation I had with her was actually, there was another attempt on her when she was in Peshawar, and they caught the man, apparently. So I called her up and I said, now, I think I must come back, because this is getting out of hand. And if I'm around, maybe we can do things in a different fashion.

So she agreed on my coming back. And she -- I had a conversation a day before this incident took place. And we were talking about when I would come and how I would come and where all I would like to go. She was making a program for me to address rallies and go out and, you know, help her in the elections as such.

BLITZER: I know that she was very worried about coming back after eight years in exile. I interviewed her here in "THE SITUATION ROOM" at CNN at the end of September. And we spoke extensively about her security concerns. But she wanted to take that chance; she wanted to go back.

Explain what motivated your wife to undertake that huge risk, which we obviously all know -- know how severe that risk was.

ZARDARI: Wolf, in one word, I'd say democracy, democracy, and democracy. And Pakistan itself.

BLITZER: She believed that she could survive the threat?

ZARDARI: She was certain that she had such faith in God. She said, "If God wants me to live they can't do anything to me." BLITZER: And your children, how are they doing now, especially your son?

ZARDARI: They are children, but they're coping as much as they can. I think they're coping much better than I am.

BLITZER: Well, we wish all of them, and you certainly, only the best. Our deepest condolences to you, once again. Good luck. Good luck to all the people of Pakistan right now. These are definitely trying times, not only for Pakistan, but for the region and the world. We'll stay in close touch with you. Thank you very much.

ZARDARI: Thank you for calling, Wolf. Thank you.

BLITZER: Thank you. Asif Ali Zardari is the co-chairman of the Pakistan People's Party.

Kyra, clearly a man determined to try to push forward the agenda of Benazir Bhutto. It's a difficult challenge. Clearly, our viewers in the United States and around the world can understand -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: No doubt. We'll be following the family, obviously, and the controversy also surrounding that family and that party, as well. Wolf Blitzer, appreciate the exclusive interview.

Also at the same time as Wolf was interviewing the widower there of Benazir Bhutto, new tape of her coming in from that killing. We're going to take a closer look with a noted forensics expert.

Also, straight out of the cockpit. Pilots' observations on airline safety. After a lot of unwanted attention, NASA finally releases survey results.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Hi everyone, I'm Kyra Phillips at the CNN World Headquarters in Atlanta. Days after the killing of Benazir Bhutto, a new mystery surfaces. Who blocked the autopsy? Straight ahead, an expert's view of the forensics. You're live in the CNN NEWSROOM.

It's been a rough ride for the stock market this year. Problems started in the housing and mortgage markets and that sparked a wider credit crunch that really squeezed financial stocks. Don't forget about those record-high oil prices though. Susan Lisovicz live at the New York Stock Exchange with a look back at 2007.

Hey, Susan.

(BUSINESS REPORT)

PHILLIPS: Well, we've told you about the new video that surfaced, and it's raising new doubts about the death of Benazir Bhutto. The tape shows a man apparently aiming a gun at Bhutto's head. And you can hear three pops, then a loud explosion. Pakistani government says that Bhutto wasn't killed by bullets or shrapnel though, but a blow to the head that she purportedly suffered dropping back through the sunroof.

But a close-up actually reveals that something lifted Bhutto's headscarf, you can see it right there, that's the moment in question. Joining us now from New York, security expert Lou Palumbo from the firm Elite Agency Limited.

And Lou, let's start with that video, if it is OK with you. Just taking a look, you could actually see the shooter from the back there. He's circled, he's just below the security. I mean this is a man that definitely knew what he was doing, he knew exactly where to put that gun and where to aim.

LOU PALUMBO, SECURITY EXPERT: I agree. And I think that there isn't any question that she was shot. Even the initial reports from examination indicate she sustained a head shot wound as a result of this assassination. The simple problem here is that there wasn't proper supervision or protection around this young lady. If you look at her motorcade for example, her body was fairly well shown through the sunroof of the vehicle and what they're subscribing to is the possibility that she sustained a type of whiplash injury to her head, which is just not possible.

PHILLIPS: Tell me why that's not possible. I know obviously and I can look at this video and even the way you see the headscarf go and the way her head drops and she slumps, it seems pretty to us it's obvious to us that she was shot and killed. But tell me, go into more detail about why you say that just doesn't make sense.

PALUMBO: Well, simply stated, the movement of her head and her scarf is consistent with her being shot. Her head moved in a direction opposite of which the entry wound was, obviously, number one. Number two, I don't think the vehicle was traveling fast enough for her to sustain any kind of blunt trauma to her cranium that would result in her death. And if we revisit all of the initial reports, one of the things immediately outlined was the fact that she had a bullet wound to her head.

PHILLIPS: Have you had experience with Middle Eastern culture and would you be able -- I know I might be throwing a question to you that you can't answer -- about the politics involved here and why they wouldn't want it to be known that she was killed by bullets or shrapnel but rather a hit on the head?

PALUMBO: Well, it clearly is emotionally more palatable for us to believe that she died as a result of an accident and a failed assassination attempt. Obviously there were issues regarding her safety and her security and she herself indicated in interviews that she had requested security from the Pakistani government, which was refused.

I don't think they want to tarnish themselves anymore than they've already been tarnished based on what we know going into this incident. It is a completely different sound bite if you say she died as a result of a head injury, ducking back into her sunroof as opposed to her being shot in the head. It is completely different emotional experience for us. PHILLIPS: You know what else? You made me think of, too, Lou, you talk about the emotional experience. I just think about the assassination of JFK and remember when his Secret Service agent immediately rushed to him and tried to put his body over the president and embrace him. You see these guys, you can at least see two to three of them, and they just duck down. They want to disappear from the situation. They don't even go toward her to protect her.

PALUMBO: I think you have to realize this, that security and protection in the United States is vastly different when you travel outside of our country, number one. Number two, the Secret Service agent Clint Hill who was assigned to President Kennedy at the time was on the back bumper of the vehicle by the time these shots started to ring out and he did cover the president's body. That's called cover and evacuate.

In the case of President Kennedy, there really wasn't a way to evacuate him other than by speeding up the motorcade which is what they did in taking him to Parkland Hospital. But that's all part of your training.

I think the problem here simply stated is that the level of security or protection afforded to her was substandard, to say the least. You need trained professionals who understand what the responsibility is and a methodology of protecting people.

PHILLIPS: Point well made. Lou, final thought. You also believe there was more than one shooter, right? And why do you believe that?

PALUMBO: I think that if someone was out to eliminate this young lady, that we would want to be a little more sure in our footing that it was going to happen by having more than just one person run up alongside of the vehicle and start shooting at her.

As you can imagine, there were a number of vantage points that she could be shot from, including roofs, other points that are -- in the immediate area that were, say, more highly elevated than the level of the rest of the crowd.

There were a number of opportunities for her to be shot. I think that just subscribing to the notion that this was one individual without conducting a real thorough investigation, which will probably never take place, is just a little remiss.

PHILLIPS: Lou Palumbo with the firm Elite Agency Limited, great insight Lou. Great talking to you, thanks.

PALUMBO: Thank you.

PHILLIPS: Well it is a survey that NASA hoped would fall off your radar. Pilots polled on-air safety with the results deemed too troubling for the flying public. But when the agency tried to have the data purged, well a PR nightmare took flight. Finally today they relented and released the results. And of course our resident aviation expert Miles O'Brien here with the lowdown. Now we had a bit of a panic. And I know you are listening to it, right?

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm still listening, it's a teleconference. We'll put him down for a minute. We're recording, don't worry.

PHILLIPS: Good. I want to make sure we have all the details. But your producer actually walked to the NEWSROOM, we saw this sheer panic and she talked about the 27 piles of documents.

O'BRIEN: Yeah, 16,000 pages.

PHILLIPS: And you went through all of them, of course.

O'BRIEN: It's OK. I've got it committed. You just do this. Here's the thing. Here's the gist on this.

I can't get over the fact that this study ever occurred at NASA. These are scientists who should know better. And Mike Griffin, the NASA administrator said it wasn't properly peer reviewed from the start. The data wasn't properly analyzed at the back end and as a result, it is not worth the paper it is written on.

Millions of dollars spent to interview 29,000 pilots. The idea was to capture hangar talk, go out, call pilots and proactively ask them, in the last 60 or 90 days, did some bad things happen to you in the air? Which seems like it might be a good idea, except it becomes kind of mushy if you don't do something like that with a fair amount of rigor.

The results which came out showed a tremendous increase in some near misses, the possibility of near misses, bird strikes, you name it. The question is, were these double counted? Incidents that were reported in other ways? And the bottom line is, the administrator of NASA is now saying he doesn't believe any of it. Take a listen to what he had to say on the phone a moment ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAEL GRIFFIN, NASA ADMINISTRATOR: This is an area where, if someone comes in and says we're seeing four times as many engine failures as are being otherwise reported, it calls into question the reporting mechanism rather than the underlying rate of engine failure which we believe we understand.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

O'BRIEN: So there you have it. The NASA administrator saying the study isn't worth any - I asked him, how can you defend the money that was spent, several million dollars spent?

PHILLIPS: And the time.

O'BRIEN: He said well in the grand scheme it wasn't a lot of money.

Secondly, from now on, studies like this, as small as they may be, need to get to higher levels of management. So he's saying that it probably wasn't take care.

You know this all started, Kyra, when the "Associated Press" heard about this study, asked NASA to release it, Freedom of Information Act and not only did they say no, they said, no, we can't release it because it will scare the public and it will harm the airlines. Well, that was unfortunate language which the NASA administrator is also saying he wished did not happen.

PHILLIPS: Now we're hearing that it's not even worth it.

O'BRIEN: Well that's what they're saying. But nonetheless, the idea to try to capture pilots' in the case where they're not necessarily picking up the phone and reporting things, which the FAA does. The FAA has a whole system set up where within 24 hours of an incident you can anonymously report it. But you have to take the phone call. This idea was to go out to them and, in other words -

PHILLIPS: The hangar talk.

O'BRIEN: Remove the self-selection process. So there is probably a kernel of a good idea there, but it was poorly implemented and you and I got stuck with the bill.

PHILLIPS: As we do with a lot of things with the U.S. government. All right, Miles O'Brien, appreciate it.

Well, saying good-bye to the old and hello to the new, the new year. Got your party gear ready?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Whether you ring it in with a bang, a bell, a ball, we want to spend New Year's Eve with us. Anderson Cooper is going to be at his usual New Year's Eve post in Times Square tonight, but right now he's in our New York studio getting all ready.

Hi, Anderson.

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: So OK I remember last year you did your thing. And we went to all various correspondents all over the place from New York to around the U.S. But have you a special guest with you tonight, correct?

COOPER: Yes, should be a lot of fun. Kathy Griffin, comedian, is going to be there with us for the whole hour and a half. We go on at 11:00 p.m. East coast time, staying on the air until about 12:30. So Kathy will be there the whole time. Not exactly sure what she's going to do, but she can do whatever she wants.

PHILLIPS: Do we ever know what she's going to do?

COOPER: Right, even if you think you do, I don't think you really do. I know she has a top ten of the worst or best moments, depending how you look at it for 2007. I'm sure Britney Spears is going to be in there somewhere but I can't guarantee that.

PHILLIPS: Little Britney, a little Paris Hilton, you know the highlights of our 2007.

COOPER: All the names that should not be mentioned ever. We also have Widespread Panic, also Earth, Wind and Fire, and Miranda Lambert is going to be performing for us. That should be fun as well.

PHILLIPS: OK, Earth, Wind and Fire!

COOPER: Sure.

PHILLIPS: Now you're taking it back.

COOPER: We're kicking it old school.

PHILLIPS: We love kicking it old school. Now the other band you mentioned, they're here in Atlanta. Matter of fact, my neighbors -- Widespread Panic. That's it. My neighbors they have a son in college, that's all they talk about.

COOPER: I'm telling you, we're keeping it old school and we got stuff for the kids, too. And Miranda Lambert is country music. She's great. She's going to be in Atlanta as well. It should be a lot of fun. We've got country music, to really span all generations and all interests. And I'll be rapping, so there you go.

PHILLIPS: Actual, real rapping?

COOPER: No, I'm completely lying.

PHILLIPS: Maybe a little break dancing?

COOPER: You would not want to see that either.

PHILLIPS: Hey, 2007 you obviously did a lot of traveling. Highlights for you. I know I'm kind of throwing this at you. You've had a bunch of amazing trips, covering a number of stories in the past year but what stands out as you wrap up 2007?

COOPER: I was glad I got the chance to go to Iraq again. I was there for the anniversary of September 11th and it's always a privilege to go and spend time with U.S. troops. Last 9/11, I was in Afghanistan. I able to go back to Afghanistan once this year as well. So I like to try to keep the focus on places where U.S. troops are serving overseas, especially in Afghanistan where often that story is forgotten.

So I'm glad I got to do that this year as well. Been going to Africa a couple times for CNN and for "60 Minutes."

PHILLIPS: You've stayed on top of New Orleans, of what's happening in New Orleans, all the corruption and the issues going on there since Katrina.

COOPER: Absolutely. Obviously there's some new leadership in the state with the new governor there. And so hopefully that will have an impact. There are signs of progress there. I've been going to New Orleans a lot. And even on vacation I've been going.

And you know, a lot of the city is back in terms of the businesses, the places that the tourists go and that's great to see. But so much still needs to be done in the Lower Ninth Ward and other areas. A lot of people still waiting for money from the federal government, waiting for their homes, waiting for word on when they can rebuild, if they can rebuild.

PHILLIPS: Well, I'll look forward to tonight. I'll be counting down with you tonight, Anderson.

COOPER: All right, snuggle up.

PHILLIPS: OK there you go, you got it. With the popcorn and the pots and pans. That's kicking it old school with mom and dad.

All right New Year's Eve tonight on CNN. We're going to bring the party to you. Anderson is going to be hosting. Of course we've got a look back at the year's top stories, big events. Anderson and comedian Kathy Griffin live from Times Square. It all starts tonight at 11 Eastern only on CNN.

And most new moms have quite a story to share about the birth of their first child, right? But for one Washington state woman, well, it is a bit of a doozie.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Violence has spread across Kenya - we've been talking about it this morning -- in the wake of the president's re-election. Many Kenyans and international observers believe that the vote was flawed -- 124 deaths reported now. We're going to have more on this story from Nairobi with David McKenzie. David, bring us up to date.

DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, chaos in Kenya today, Kyra. All through the country there have been supporters of the opposition in running fights with police, they've used live ammunition and tear gas to disperse the opposition. And the situation now is very tense and Kenya still doesn't know the official announcement on its president whether the opposition will accept the announcement.

PHILLIPS: You mentioned just how the response was to the violence. Is that what is accounting for the 124 dead? Were they fired upon by the military, by the police?

MCKENZIE: Well, Kyra, we were right there where the paramilitary police were using live ammunition and tear gas to disperse the supporters who then went to the Kenyatta Hospital where we saw evidence of live ammunition being used. And we spoke to a doctor there who also told me that there were continuing people being brought in who were critically injured. So yes, they have been using live ammunition to disperse the crowds.

PHILLIPS: So, David, I understand, too, that the U.S. State Department now has pulled back its initial support with regard to the results of this election. So what's next? Will things stand the way they are? Could there be a new election?

MCKENZIE: Well, I don't know if there will be a new election. I spoke to the U.S. ambassador yesterday and he said Kenyans should respect the decision. Now, as you say, the State Department pulling that back. There won't be a new election for the time being because they have actually inaugurated in a hasty ceremony President Mwai Kibaki for a second term. But there is going to be more problems tomorrow as the opposition has planned more rallies. Back to you.

PHILLIPS: We will definitely follow up with you tomorrow. David McKenzie, live from Nairobi. David, thanks.

And most new moms have a story to share about the birth of their first child, right? But for one Washington state woman, it was a bit of a doozie. We'll explain.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Time to see what's clicking with you CNN dot.com'ers. Some of our most viewed videos. A surprise small fry served up at a Washington state McDonald's. An employee who says she didn't know she was pregnant gives birth in the bathroom. Mom and baby are both fine, we're told.

Another angle on the Benazir Bhutto assassination. New footage raises new doubts about the Pakistani opposition leader's official cause of death.

And a not so neighborly dispute in Phoenix. Six people shot and wounded allegedly by a suspect known as "psycho."

All these stories and much more at CNN.com.

Well this is how cartoonist Mike Luckovich captured some of the biggest stories of the year. You can get his take on how they unfolded live, right here in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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