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Candid Comments From the Commander; Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton Look Ahead to Mississippi for Tomorrow's Primary
Aired March 10, 2008 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN, ANCHOR: Candid comments from the commander, General David Petraeus talked to our Kyra Phillips in Iraq about progress made and still needed.
TONY HARRIS, CNN, ANCHOR: And taking drugs you don't know about. An investigation reveals traces of prescriptions in your water. It is Monday, March 10th and you are in the CNN NEWSROOM.
The race to the White House just like the mighty Mississippi just keeps on rolling. The Democrats Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton looked ahead to Mississippi for tomorrow's presidential primary. Thirty-three delegates will be up for grabs. Obama is looking to rebuild his momentum. Over the weekend, he won Wyoming caucuses that gives him another seven delegates while Clinton picked up at least four. According to CNN estimates, Obama leads in the overall delegate count by about 100. And it could be another couple of months before we see the final results of the Texas caucuses. Clinton narrowly won the primary there but the caucuses are leaning toward Obama. Keep in mind, only 41 percent of the precincts are reporting.
COLLINS: One big question facing the Democrats, whether voters in Michigan and Florida will have a say in choosing the nominee. The national party stripped the states of their convention delegates for holding their primaries too early. But those delegates, more than 350 in all, could be essential in giving one candidate a decisive win. One consensus may have emerged over the weekend. Democratic National Committee chairman Howard Dean says voters in those states could cast their ballots by mail. Some lawmakers are supporting the idea. But also unsolved, who would pay for the new primaries.
Meanwhile, Republican John McCain has a very different mission, fighting to stay in the national spotlight. McCain clinched the GOP nomination last week but that creates new challenges. Democrats now have one candidate to target. Over the weekend, the National Democratic Party attacked McCain for his support of the Iraq war and with both Clinton and Obama seemingly deadlocked, the Republicans can't concentrate their fire on a single opponent.
HARRIS: You remember Hillary Clinton's controversial campaign ad that shows a sleeping child and asks, who you want answering the White House crisis phone at 3:00 a.m.? Well, the commercial questions Barack Obama's experience. Some say it helped Clinton win the Texas primary. Today there's a twist. The child actress is now 17 and is a very active Obama supporter. She appeared on CNN's AMERICAN MORNING.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) CASEY KNOWLES, IN CLINTON AD BUT SUPPORTS OBAMA: Like I said, it makes me feel a little disloyal. And it kind of, it hurts that footages of me would contribute to a candidate that I'm not necessarily supporting. Hopefully Mr. Obama would forgive me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Sure, he will. Casey Knowles says she actually shot that video nine years ago for a railroad company ad. The Clinton campaign bought it as generic stock footage.
Stay with CNN for unmatched political coverage throughout the day. We have much more on the candidates and what happens next. Join us for the CNN "Ballot Bowl" with the best political team on television. Today at noon Eastern.
COLLINS: That is really interesting. Really interesting. We'll be following that story for you, of course.
Also, on the battlefield in Iraq, violence down. Death down. CNN's Kyra Phillips is in the war zone and she had a chance to talk to General David Petraeus, the man, of course, in charge there. Kyra is joining us know from Baghdad. Hi there, Kyra.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN, CORRESPONDENT: Hey there, Heidi. It all started in Baji with a secret briefing. I can show you the video now but obviously I can't tell you exactly what was said. But I can make the point that it was eye opening for me, that's for sure, as a journalist, just hearing about the struggles that all of these commanders are dealing with. It's overwhelming actually. They were talking about police corruption, criminal activity, the rise in the Baathist party, trying to get local tribes to hold elections and form provincial governments, trying to get farmers going again so they can bring in money to their areas.
However, with all the challenges that they talked about with the general there, there is something that is working and that's the CLCs, Concerned Local Citizens. Otherwise known as sons of Iraq. These are the men that are in the local tribes who are working as terrorists but now they're working with the U.S. and Iraqi troops to fight the terrorists. Now, I had a chance to meet some of them out in the battlefield. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS (voice-over): What's so important about these CLCs?
GEN. DAVID PETRAEUS, U.S. IRAQ COMMANDER: Well, that they are taking a stand and they are contributing to security in their areas. And they have the opportunity and the desire to do that. And it's made a big difference.
PHILLIPS: So, these are the members of the tribes that are deciding to protect the area and work with you?
PETRAEUS: They are. They are. And to work with the Iraqi army and the police.
PHILLIPS: Do you speak English?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No.
PHILLIPS: No? Why are you doing this? Why are you joining the CLCs?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Because we need people to walk in secure areas. I watch the streets, the stores, before, people used to be attacked by insurgents. Now it's getting safer and people are just trying to get back to normal.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: Now, Heidi, not only did I talk to the CLCs about protecting their areas but I talked to them about Iran, do they see Iran as a threat. The CLCs, Iraqi soldier, even General David Petraeus told me that is basically the number one problem. That is what's funneling the weapons and terrorists here. it's no help that Iranian President Ahmadinejad came here last week and believe me that was the last person General David Petraeus wanted to shake hands with.
COLLINS: Yes, imagine not.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: The president of Iran was here.
PETRAEUS: First of all, I wasn't invited. Sadi did.
PHILLIPS: Would you have gone if you were invited?
PETRAEUS: Oh, gosh, I guess I would probably ask Washington about that. I'm not sure that much meaningful would have come out of that other than perhaps an opportunity for them to use a photograph of a relatively meaningless encounter. What we would like to do with Iran, of course, is to sit down across the table and let's discuss, you know, the Iranians have pledged at the very highest levels to stop arming, training, funding and equipping and directing these special groups and these other militia extremist elements. Al Sadr himself has declared a cease-fire and yet it appears very clear they continue to send in these explosives, reform projectiles, other weaponry and to continue to train these special groups' members and master trainers, as they're called, who are a very lethal accelerant, as term is used here in Iraq.
PHILLIPS: And as a general who is in charge of rebuilding this country, how did that make you feel that the Iranian president came here for two days and met with the government officials?
PETRAEUS: Well, again, you have to keep in mind that Iran and Iraq are linked. They are always going to be the neighbors to the east and west, respectively. I think it is very understandable that senior Iraqi leaders should want to establish a constructive relationship with their neighbor in the east. It's also understandable for them to say as they did, we welcome the Iranian religious tourists, we welcome Iranian investment money, we welcome their goods and services but we don't welcome their bombs.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: Heidi, I think you can probably see it in the general's eyes, he was being very diplomatic with that answer. He has a lot I'm sure stirring in that mind about Iran.
COLLINS: And I know Kyra, that you haven't had time to be with General Petraeus around the same time last year. What are some of the noticeable differences you noticed when you were talking with him this time around?
PHILLIPS: Bottom line, Heidi, the death toll. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: You and I were together at the same time last year, what do you think has changed the most since the last time we talked and walked the streets?
PETRAEUS: Well, the level of violence has obviously come down dramatically. You'll recall that I think that month or the month before there was something like 42 car bombs in Baghdad alone.
PHILLIPS: Right.
PETRAEUS: The level of civilian deaths was very, very high, just everything was fairly bleak in a number of different areas.
PHILLIPS: And deaths are down but it's still extremely dangerous in Baghdad. I mean, you've seen what I had to go through just to do a story about the school for the blind or a TV show about Iraqi kids.
PETRAEUS: Well, no one says this is a, "acceptable level of violence." What we have all said is that it has dramatically reduced from what was the situation that was on the verge of civil war. So again, everyone recognizes that there's a lot more work to be done. I've said repeatedly, there's nobody doing victory dances in the end zone over the situation at present. On the other hand, everybody ought to be very proud of what our troopers and Iraqi counterparts have accomplished during that year.
PHILLIPS: Do you think Iraq is out of the woods in regards to a civil war?
PETRAEUS: I mean, no, Iraq is, again, stepped back from that and made enormous progress, but having said that, there still is clearly a lot of work to be done to cement the gains, to build on them, to capitalize on the momentum and to come to grips with the big national issues that are required for true reconciliation to take place between Sunni and Shia and Kurds and Arabs and so on and so forth.
(END VIDEOTAPE) PHILLIPS: Heidi, I like that line from the general, "no victory dances in the end zone yet." We were right there in Baji, crucial area for the general and hi commanders. It's getting a little bit better but still when we talk to locals there. Their biggest beef now is jobs. They just wants to be employed and open up the shops.
COLLINS: Sure. Makes sense. So, Kyra, what are you going to have for us tomorrow?
PHILLIPS: One-on-one with an oil smuggler. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): I have 12 people to feed in my family and I can make up to $300 a day. I work from 4:00 a.m. to midnight. It's worth every bit of money.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Heidi, we'll take you on to a ship. He'll show me how he hides the oil, siphons the oil and who his number one customer is. That's coming up tomorrow.
COLLINS: Wow, all right, we'll be looking forward to that. Thanks so much. CNN's Kyra Phillips coming to us live from Baghdad this morning.
Well, violence may be going down in Iraq, but it looks like the cost of paying for the war steadily rising. A new analysis shows this year the conflict will cost ability $12 billion a month. That's triple the cost in earlier years. That assessment coming from Nobel prize winning economist Joseph Stiglitz in a book that he co-authored called "The Three Trillion Dollar War."
HARRIS: What's in your drinking water? The Associated Press investigated and turned up traces of some powerful medications in everyday tap water. Among them, antibiotics, sex hormones and mood stabilizers. At least 41 million people in 24 major cities could be affected. So far, no one is saying it's dangerous to your health. But an EPA spokesman tells CNN the agency takes it very seriously and is evaluating ways to remove the drugs and if you think bottled water might be a better option, most of that is just repackaged tap water.
COLLINS: In court today, an Iraq war vet charged with killing 18-year-old Lauren Burke. She is the Auburn University freshman who killed on Tuesday. Now 23-year-old Courtney Lockhart is facing capital murder charges for abduction and death. Over the weekend, Lockhart's mom made a tearful apology.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CATHERINE WILLIAMS, SUSPECT'S MOTHER: I'm sorry for that family. I'm sorry. I'm just sorry. I just don't have nothing else to say. I'm just sorry for the loss of that family.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: Catherine Williams says her son has not confessed anything to her but she says he's been different since he returned from Iraq. Still, she never saw anything like this coming.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WILLIAMS: I never - I never thought that he would do this. I never, never thought it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: Lauren Burke was laid to rest yesterday in an Atlanta suburb where she grew up. The rabbi asked hundreds of people to turn their anger into something positive and to pray for justice.
Today Auburn University is holding a memorial service.
HARRIS: In North Carolina today, police are investigating whether a second person may have been involved in the killing of Eve Carson. She is the University of North Carolina student shot dead Wednesday. This morning, the news at "Observer" newspaper is reporting the police are taking a second look at this photo. It shows man a man using Carson's ATM card. Now, check out that shadow behind the driver's seat. The papers say the police think that may be an accomplice. Police had previously said they think the car in that photo may be Carson's. If the second photo is involved, it could explain the getaway.
And while the investigation continues, hundreds of people are mourning the loss of Eve Carson. In Athens, Georgia, yesterday. they gathered to say good-bye. Those who knew Carson say she touched everyone she met.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Amazing how one person can bring so many people together.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: When you think of Eve, you can go by her being the greatest person in the world. And you really can't say that about anyone else.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Carson was the student body president at the University of North Carolina. She was just 22 years old.
COLLINS: The storm of the season. Yes. Record snowfall buries central Ohio. Today, digging out.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: You are in the CNN NEWSROOM, everyone. I'm Tony Harris. Good morning, and how fast is the dollar dropping? Just ask our reporter. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RICHARD QUEST, CNN, CORRESPONDENT: The cheesecake here is very good but expensive. Now I've run out of cash. Please send more.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Richard Quest becomes a currency casualty in the NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: Digging out and cleaning up from Ohio to New England. People are trying to get back on track after major weekend storms in Ohio. Students are out of school today after a record snowfall, 20 inches fell in the Columbus area. Side streets and sidewalks are still buried in the piles of snow. In Pennsylvania and New Jersey, the lights are back on. Utility companies say they've restored power to the majority of people affected by severe thunderstorms there. Cruisers still crying to clear downed power lines and tree limbs. And look at this.
HARRIS: whoa, whoa, whoa.
COLLINS: Ouch! Scary scene. Icy overpass in downtown Charleston, West Virginia. Freezing rain and sleet blamed for a number of crashes.
HARRIS: Yes. That will get your attention. Hang on, everybody. Boy, I'm thinking about Ohio, northeast Ohio. Rob, you know that area. You talk about the snow belt out there. Euclid, Wickliffe, Ashtabula, Chardon, I know those areas, absolutely --
COLLINS: Anymore?
HARRIS: Just nine years of local television there.
ROB MARCIANO, CNN, METEOROLOGIST: A couple of good places, maybe grab a bite to eat?
HARRIS: Yes, absolutely.
MARCIANO: You know, I've heard of some of those places but Tony, I trust you in your local knowledge. Pittsburgh back through Mansfield, a little bit of moisture falling in through Ohio here. Temperatures right - hovering about, a lot of this isn't hitting ground. Not a big deal but it just kind of remind the folks living in Ohio that what a miserably cold wintry weekend you had. Miserably wet from San Antonio to Austin. This is just kind of an upper level system that's going to wipe itself it out and eventually raining itself out. Until it does so, the south eastern third of the state of Ohio is going to be dealing with a little bit of moisture today. Some of it can be heavy at times. Some have hail mixed in there.
We get to Florida here and just a second, that doesn't look too bad. That's good. The reason I show you this radar shot is because, the space shuttle is going to be a nighttime launch tonight. It's pretty rare so it's going to be quite a sight. People will see mostly clear skies. Forecast out of Cape Canaveral calls for a 90 percent chance of seeing that launch go off successfully at 2:28 Eastern time. If you live anywhere on the southeast coast, you may want to take a gander out to the east and maybe watch that candle as it lights up tonight should it depart on time.
Can't say that for flights leaving La Guardia, 30 minute delays. D.C., also some 30-minute delays. And there on the increase. A little shot for you out of Memphis, Tennessee. Saw some snow over the weekend, didn't you? Graceland, just a few inches of snow on the ground there. Still seeing some white. You will see temperatures rise well warmer today. Get up to about 50, maybe even 60 degrees. How's that sound? That will melt some snow for you there in Memphis after seeing unusually cold temperature. Seattle, some wet, some wind, some waves along the coastline. Look at this thing wrap itself up. That is a curly-Q comma, a mature cyclone heading into British Columbia. And that will bring some winds to the northwestern coast of Oregon and Washington as well.
COLLINS: Wow, Rob that looks synoptic.
MARCIANO: Throwing out the weather 101 now. Yes that is a synoptic system.
COLLINS: I can't even keep a straight face with that.
MARCIANO: I can look that the sucker all day. That's a good looking cyclone.
COLLINS: Synoptic. We learned that from Jacqui, I confess. All right. We'll check back later, Rob. Thank you.
MARCIANO: All right.
HARRIS: And when the weather becomes the news, synoptic events, OK. Remember, to send us your i-report, go to cnn.com and click on i- report or just type I-report on cnn.com into your cell phone. But remember, we always remind you to just be safe.
Collecting an unemployment check. We will tell you the fine print on those jobless claims.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: Hard times, hard choices.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Everything the candidates are talking about is important to the candidates, but I don't believe it's hitting the pulse of what's happened to the gulf and the people here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: Can the candidates connect? Gulf coast misery, ahead on the CNN NEWSROOM.
A quick check of the big board there. You see the Dow Jones industrial average down about 40 points. It's right now below that 12,000 mark. You know what happened Friday, 11,852. Big drop on Friday. We will see, of course, what happens today. We'll watch it.
HARRIS: Job losses are the worse in five years. If you found yourself with a pink slip or maybe you're worried you might get one, Gerri Willis has what you need to know about your unemployment check. Gerri, remind us again, was it 63,000 jobs shed by this economy last month?
GERRI WILLIS, CNN, PERSONAL FINANCE EDITOR: That's right. Scary stuff.
HARRIS: All right. So let's give folks some advice if they're really concerned about unemployment, maybe the prospects of facing unemployment. What is it that people need to know about these unemployment checks?
Well, the basics are these. First, these checks provide temporary financial assistance to folks who lose their jobs. The benefits can be paid for up to 26 weeks. In most states, that's a little more than six months. The amount in that check is based on a percentage of what you were earning over past year up to limits set by state. In New York, for example, your check won't be higher than $405. Now, about 15 states have additional benefits that will kick in after you've exhausted federal money to find out if your state is one of these, go to your state unemployment insurance agency. Tony.
HARRIS: Well, I'm wondering, I just lost my job. I'm thinking that I automatically qualify for an unemployment check. Do I?
WILLIS: It all depends. First, you must be unemployed through no fault of your own. So your job has to be downsized, you must have been laid off. You're not going to qualify for unemployment if you just quit you're job, or you got fired for reason, for cause that is. And you must have worked at that job for a certain length of time, that's at least a year in most states. You can check in say your unemployment insurance agency to get all of those eligibility rules since rules are really different by state, Tony. But if you want to find that agency in your area go to servicelocator.org..
HARRIS: So, Gerri, what advice do you have for people who actually want to get an unemployment check?
WILLIS: Well, job number one, do it fast. You got to apply quickly. As soon as you get laid off, contact your state unemployment insurance agency. I'm going to tell you that Web site one more time, servicelocator.org. Now, it can take two to four weeks to have your claim processed. So, the faster you file the sooner you get your money. In some states you don't even have to go to the unemployment office. You can actually file a claim by telephone or over the Internet, which is good news. Keep in mind you'll be asked about the addresses and dates you worked with your former employer, so make sure you have that info handy. HARRIS: Gerri, any other thoughts on resources to help folks get back on their feet again?
WILLIS: Yes. You know, your town may actually have a one-stop career counseling center set up to help jobless folks. The unemployment service can help refer you to training programs, labor market info. You may also be referred to job openings in your area and you may be offered testing and counseling to determine what kinds of other jobs you might be applying for.
Here's a number to call if you want to find a one stop career center. Get out a pencil, 877-US2-JOBS.
HARRIS: 63,000 jobs last month.
WILLIS: That's a lot. Surprised everybody.
HARRIS: Yes. And gas at $3.18, 19, $3.20, and more in some places. Tough times, indeed. Hey Gerri, I'm wondering if there perhaps is some information, advice that might be helpful for folks going through tough times in that new book of yours?
WILLIS: Well, you know, I mean, as a matter of fact...
HARRIS: That's here book.
WILLIS: Yes, there it is. Now, look, this book talks to you about how to make your home the best investment it can be. A lot of people lost sight of that in the last few years. You really have to manage your home as an investment, putting so much money into it, you sure as heck better get something out of it. This book guides you through the process, buying, selling, managing, upgrading.
HARRIS: Look, everyone, buy the book. Read it and get some great advice from CNN's personal finance editor. There she is, Gerri Willis. Gerri, great to see you. Thanks.
WILLIS: Thank you.
COLLINS: Two girls missing from their families. Why is only one of them in the headlines?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Let's not deny there is something going on because why isn't Shanon in the news? Like Madeline McCann.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: Missing in the media, still ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: Top of the hour. Welcome back, everyone, to the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Tony Harris. COLLINS: Hi there, everybody. I'm Heidi Collins. The road to the White House, just like the mighty Mississippi, it just keeps on rolling. Democrats Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton look ahead to Mississippi for tomorrow's presidential primary. 33 delegates up for grabs there.
Obama is trying to rebuild his momentum over the weekend. He won Wyoming's caucuses, that gives him another seven delegates. While Clinton picked up at least four, according to CNN estimates, Obama leads in the overall delegate count by about 100.
HARRIS: Clinton, Obama, McCain, along Mississippi's Gulf Coast. Voters just want someone who help them rebuild. CNN's Sean Callebs has that.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
DERREL NUTTER, LOSING BILOXI HOME: That's the house my father built. The house I was raised in.
SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Brothers Derrel and John Nutter grew up in Biloxi. And like many here, are still struggling to recover from Hurricane Katrina two and a half years later.
JOHN NUTTER, LOSING BILOXI HOME: Some people care, and some people just don't. A lot of folks probably in badder shape than we are right now.
CALLEBS: The mortgage company just foreclosed on the family home.
MARK JONES, PRESIDENT, URBAN LIFE MISSIONS: The people here aren't interested in an education. They're interested in a bed and a pillow and a place they can call home. And there are no homes here for these people.
CALLEBS: Mark Jones is the President of Urban Life Missions. He moved here from New York City to help, but says his organization is out of money to help the Nutter family.
JONES: Everything the candidates are talking about is important to the candidates, but I don't believe it's hitting the pulse of what's happened to the Gulf and the people here.
CALLEBS: The iron any in Biloxi, casino business is booming.
MAYOR A.J. HOLLOWAY, BILOXI, MISSISSIPPI: This year they did over $1 billion in gross payment revenue. So what you see right out here is what we're doing with the casino money.
CALLEBS: A.J. Holloway is the Mayor of Biloxi. Tax revenue from casinos paid for this brand new school. But Holloway knows little's been done to help individual homeowners.
HOLLOWAY: We still need to maybe have some type of stimulus, the government could come in and do some -- put some kind of business in here something like that, could bring more people in here with more money and more -- better jobs.
CALLEBS: Looking ahead to Tuesday's primary, voters along Mississippi's Gulf Coast say the next two years must be better regardless of who wins the White House, because they say, things can't get any worse. For the Nutters and thousands in the same situation.
J. NUTTER: I'm done with it. In a few days, we're going to be out on the streets because we got nowhere else to go.
CALLEBS: It has been two and a half years of misery for many along the Gulf Coast. But now there is a sense of hope, and that is the tremendous interest that this year's presidential campaign has generated. Many of them here hope to seize the moment, grab the candidates' attention and hopefully, foster some long-term positive change. Sean Callebs, CNN, in Biloxi, Mississippi.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: Once again, stay with CNN for unmatched political coverage throughout the day. You know what? We're really good at this. Is it a little unseemly to promote ourselves on the air? Well -- but we're good. We have much more on the candidates and what happens next. Join us for the CNN BALLOT BOWL with the best political team on television. It's coming up today, noon eastern.
And if you are a political junkie, CNNpolitics.com is the place for you. Check out our interactive delegate counter game, where you can play real time, what if scenarios, delegate and super delegate super delegates, that and much more CNNpolitics.com.
COLLINS: Two missing girls from two very different families. Why does the media cover one story and not the other? Here now IS CNN's Emily Chang.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
EMILY CHANG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Her face has captivated world media for months, Madeleine McCann, a haunting character in a seemingly never-ending story. Just two weeks ago another British girl vanished, but her face is already fading from the headlines.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Police emergency.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I want to report (p) my daughter is missing, please.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How old is she?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Nine.
CHANG: 9-year-old Shannon Matthews was last seen on surveillance cameras walking way from a swimming pool in Dewsbury, England. She never made it home. Unlike Madeleine, most people don't even know her name.
FUNKE BAFFOUR, CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST: Let's not deny there is something going on in relationship to class, because why isn't Shannon in the news like Madeleine McCann?
CHANG: Madeleine disappeared during a family vacation in Portugal. Within two weeks, her parents, both doctors, launched an international campaign, a website, even a logo. Celebrities jumped in. The public gave generous donations.
BAFFOUR: It's a wholesome family. When you look at the Shannon story, they're -- what people might say quite dysfunctional.
CHANG: Shannon's mother has seven different children with five different fathers, they live in a poor neighborhood. A friend found a way to print just 24 T-shirts with Shannon's picture. The case, initially well publicized in the U.K. is now buried in the papers.
There's a $50,000 reward out for Shannon's return. Most of it donated by one of London's tabloid newspapers. Rewards for Madeleine add up to more than $5 million from newspapers and celebrities. A fund to finance the on going search has raised more than $2 million.
VOICE OF CLARENCE MITCHELL, MCCANN FAMILY SPOKESMAN: Naturally we would hope that Shannon's family are able to generate income for their search in the way that we have. We are very pleased that people do seem to have a connection with Madeleine, with the situation.
CHANG: This poster of Madeleine McCann has been on this wall inside Scotland Yard for more than ten months now, not far from this poster of Shannon Matthews that went up two weeks, ago along with dozens of other missing British children.
Detectives say all of these cases are open, and they're working on them actively. They also say no one has phoned in any tips about Shannon Matthews, but they received hundreds of calls about Madeleine McCann and still do to this day. Emily Chang, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COLLINS: How fast is the dollar dropping? Just ask our porter (ph).
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RICHARD QUEST, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The cheesecake here is very good, but expensive. And now, I've run out of cash. Please send more.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: Is that a note to CNN? Richard Quest becomes a currency casualty.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BUSINESS HEADLINES)
HARRIS: The buck stops there. The once-mighty U.S. dollar makes a pretty feeble tourist these days. Its value as you know has plunged. But just how much?
CNN's Richard Quest goes on a spending free in Europe.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RICHARD QUEST, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Dear viewer, thank you for the $100 for my European trip. I'd heard Europe was expensive, but everywhere I go there's a reminder. The dollar's falling fast.
(on camera): A hundred dollars into euros, please.
(voice-over): Fifty-five euros was what I got in return.
(on camera): I must be able to do something in Berlin with this much money.
It's a short taxi ride from the train station to the first landmark for some sightseeing. How much will that be? Ten dollars down and museum tickets to buy.
(voice-over): Checkpoint Charlie, this is the cold war crossing where east met west.
(on camera): One ticket, please. How much?
(voice-over): The museum costs about $19. My money's going fast. Souvenir t-shirts can cost $20, but I can't go home empty- handed.
(on camera): I think I can afford a little model trebant (ph). It's only about $15.
(voice-over): A casualty of currency. No Starbucks for me. Here it's twice as expensive when converted to the dollar.
A trip to Berlin's Brandenburg Gate shows I'm not the only one feeling the pinch.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's hard whenever you go to a store and you know things are going to cost twice as much as what they look, and difficult.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't want to spend anything.
QUEST: Buy a little bit of this and a little bit of that, a bite of lunch, and I'm just about broke.
The cheesecake here is very good, but expensive. And now I've run out of cash. Please send more.
Richard Quest, CNN, Berlin.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: Well, today is his 60th birthday, but Bob Levinson's family is not celebrating. The ex-FBI agent missing in Iran.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: This just in to CNN. We are getting reports out of Baghdad now of a suicide bomb attack that was targeting a U.S. military convoy. This taking place in western Baghdad. The reporting now is that one person was killed in this attack.
Don't know yet whether we're talking about U.S. military, Iraqi military, Iraqi police, or an Iraqi civilian at this point. But the news, at least at this point, is a suicide bomb attack which appeared to have been targeting a U.S. military convoy. One person killed.
At this point, we are following this story with our folks on the ground there in Baghdad. And we will get you additional information as we get it here in the NEWSROOM.
COLLINS: Missing one year now and his family looking for answers. Bob Levinson, a former FBI agent, was on a resort island off Iran when he disappeared.
CNN's Susan Candiotti has the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHRISTINE LEVINSON, HUSBAND MISSING IN IRAN: We were married six weeks later...
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: At a rally urging friends to push Washington and Iran for answers, Bob Levinson's family cannot help but worry.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Dad if you can hear us, we love you, we miss you, we're doing everything we can to get you back.
CANDIOTTI: One year ago, Levinson vanished. His wife says the retired FBI agent is a private security consultant and was on a business trip to the Iranian island of Kish. She says she does not know exactly what he was doing there.
C. LEVINSON: The one thing that has remained constant in this whole year is the fact that we have not heard anything bad.
CANDIOTTI: But not anything good either.
C. LEVINSON: Our trip is almost over and...
CANDIOTTI: In December, Christine Levinson went to Iran with her son and her sister to retrace her husband's steps. Going to a hotel where she was told he registered and checked out. An American there told her he met with Levinson at the hotel and both were questioned by security agents.
(on-camera): Was your husband conducting government business?
C. LEVINSON: No. Bob's a private citizen. He's been retired since 1988.
CANDIOTTI: Mrs. Levinson, is it possible your husband could have been doing business for the government?
C. LEVINSON: I don't believe so.
CANDIOTTI (voice-over): Something the FBI and State Department both confirm. Iran's government told her it knew nothing, but promised to try and find out.
C. LEVINSON: I was extremely disappointed and it's almost three months and I have not heard anything. So I'm very concerned about that.
CANDIOTTI: Without formal relations with Iran, the U.S. must send diplomatic notes through Swiss embassy in Tehran.
TOM CASEY, STATE DEPT. SPOKESMAN: We believe that after a year has gone by that the Iranian government certainly must have or be able to obtain information on Mr. Levinson's whereabouts; information that will help us find him and reunite him with his family.
CANDIOTTI: Christine Levinson says when she needs a lift she picks up the phone and hears his voice.
VOICE OF BOB LEVINSON, MISSING IN IRAN: This is Bob Levinson, I'm not available to take your call right now. Please leave your name and the date and time of your call and I'll get back to you as fast as I can.
C. LEVINSON: In the moment when I listen it makes me sad, but then it makes me keep going because I know I'll hear him again in person.
Happy birthday to you...
CANDIOTTI: Monday is Bob Levinson's 60th birthday. His family desperately hopes he will be home soon to celebrate.
Susan Candiotti, CNN, Coral Springs, Florida.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: On the streets of Atlanta, fighting crime with a tricked out chicken smoker.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RUFUS TERRILL, BAR OWNER: This is your public address system. Testing, one, two, three. This is infrared camera. It's got what I call a water gannon, it's like a super-duper super soaker.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Rusty Dornin, what have you found this time?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Squirt first, ask questions later.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: When the police can't get there, a bar owner has an unusual weapon in the war on crime.
CNN's Rusty Dornin has the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's midnight on the streets of Atlanta. Bar owner, Rufus Terrill, is on patrol with his crime- fighting partner, one Terrill created himself. He calls it "Bombbot." To others, he's robo cop.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You need to leave the property.
DORNIN: At night, this is a hangout for drugs, prostitution, and the homeless. By day, a preschool. Lydia Meredith runs the day care center.
LYDIA MEREDITH, DAY CARE OPERATOR: This whole square is enveloped with homeless people and drug dealers. Defecating, urinating, prostituting, the whole nine yards.
DORNIN: Since Terrill is on the day care board he decided to take matters into his own hands. He mounted a chicken smoker on a three-wheel scooter, covered it in black rubber. But if you're up to no good, it's a lot more than that.
TERRILL: This is your public address system. Testing, one, two, three. This is an infrared camera. It's got what I call a water gannon, it's like a super-duper super soaker.
DORNIN: Terrill says he only soaks the extremely stubborn.
TERRILL: It's awfully cold out here tonight.
DORNIN: But is he going too far?
(on-camera): Some people might say you're -- being a vigilante. The police are saying that by using this water gun, you're actually assaulting people. You're actually breaking the law by using the water gun.
TERRILL: Well, I'm not assaulting anybody. I mean -- you know, if you're on the sidewalk, I'm not bothering you. If you're on my private property, I'm going to bother you.
DORNIN: Terrill says most of the time he just turns the spotlight on and people scatter. But homeless advocate, Anita Beatty, who runs the near by shelter has a problem with robo cop. ANITA BEATTY, HOMELESS TASK FORCE: I just think the whole robo cop spraying people is a little freaky. We really need some police protection in this neighborhood.
DORNIN (voice-over): Bar patrons say they've seen a difference.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It does scare people. And to be honest with you, I'm grateful for it.
DORNIN: It doesn't always scare people.
TERRILL: This is private property, guys.
(LAUGHTER)
DORNIN: But Terrill says his robot helps fill a void when the cops aren't around.
Rusty Dornin, CNN, Atlanta.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: And good morning again, everyone. You're with CNN.
I'm Tony Harris.
COLLINS: Hi there, everybody. I'm Heidi Collins.
Developments keep coming into the CNN NEWSROOM on this Monday, March 10th.
Here's what's on the run down. Politics all over our radar. Democrats digging for delegates in Mississippi, while John McCain is on a different quest.
HARRIS: More than H2O. An investigation uncovers drugs in your drinking water. What you need to know.
COLLINS: And pursuing justice in the killings of two college students.
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