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Accused Gunman Killed; U.S. War Plan in Afghanistan; Winning the War; Impressive Cyber Monday

Aired December 01, 2009 - 09:00   ET

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

JOHN ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR: Right now, the news continues on CNN with Heidi Collins in the "CNN NEWSROOM."

Good morning, Heidi.

HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, good morning, guys. And good morning to you, everyone.

That's right. We have a big day in the NEWSROOM today. In fact, breaking news to get to right off the top today. Washington state, a manhunt ends, an accused cop killer is dead. We'll have the very latest details.

In Afghanistan, the future begins today. President Obama prepares his primetime announcement of how many more U.S. troops will be headed to war.

And can a Tiger change his stripes? We'll look at the PR nightmare facing the world's most recognizable athlete.

Good morning, everybody. I'm Heidi Collins. It is Tuesday, December 1st, and you are in the CNN NEWSROOM.

We are going to be focusing much of our hour on the war in Afghanistan today. In fact, White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux is standing by to tell us a little bit more about the breakdown of the new U.S. strategy and how the president will be delivering that strategy.

Also, directly to Afghanistan, our correspondent, Atia Abawi is looking at the fight on another front today. The renewed efforts to win over the hearts and the minds of the Afghan people, but is it too late for that? We'll get to her in a moment.

And also, this story about the accused cop killer in Washington state. As you see, our Dan Simon is standing by, telling us more about how this accused killer was shot dead by police. We'll have all the newest details.

In fact, here is what we know at the moment. Accused killer Maurice Clemmons was shot and killed this morning while running from police in Seattle. It ends a two-day manhunt for the man suspected in the ambush-style attack that killed four police officers.

Dan Simon is in Seattle, Washington now this morning with the very latest. So, Dan, what exactly do we know about what happened here this morning?

DAN SIMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, good morning, Heidi. This unfolding about 3:00 this morning in a south Seattle neighborhood. From what we understand, from authorities who briefed us just a short time ago, an officer was on routine patrol on this block, saw a car that was just sitting there. The ignition was on, no one was inside.

The officer ran the license plate because he was a bit suspicious and realized that it was a stolen vehicle. As he was dealing with all the paperwork, he saw a man emerge. A man he believed was the suspect in the shooting case, Maurice Clemmons. He ordered that person to stop, ordered Clemmons to stop. Clemmons refused.

The officer then fired his weapon, firing it several times and killing Maurice Clemmons on the spot. According to police, Clemmons was armed and had a weapon that he stole from one of the police officers he allegedly murdered.

Let's listen now to what authorities said just a short time ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ED TROYER, SPOKESMAN, PIERCE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE: As you heard, the gun that was recovered from the suspect today was taken from one of the Lakewood officers after he was killed. And the suspect here does have a gunshot wound, like we suspected, and it's an old gunshot wound.

And I'm surprised that he managed to live from that gunshot wound. The officer did a good job in Lakewood, after that fight, getting a round off before he was shot and killed himself.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SIMON: Now investigators were under the impression that Maurice Clemmons was getting some help from family and friends. They said that Clemmons was shot during that confrontation with officers in the coffee shop on Sunday morning.

They don't believe that this was a situation where he was getting help in terms of what led him to this street. They believe that this was simply a random event in terms of why he was here. Again, he was -- according to police, he was in a stolen vehicle and they asked him to stop. He wouldn't and the officer fired his gun and killed him right here on the scene -- Heidi?

COLLINS: Wow. Obviously, a lot going on in this story as we continue to think about the victims and their family members at the moment.

Dan, we'll check back with you later on. Thanks.

Now switching subjects for the moment. A look at the president's speech tonight. He will deliver the address from the U.S. military academy at West Point. The new strategy is expected to send more than 30,000 U.S. troops to Afghanistan. As early as Sunday night, the administration began informing military advisers and foreign allies in a series of private meetings and phone calls.

Now at least one group of Marines is expected to deploy within two or three weeks. They would be in Afghanistan by Christmas. Larger deployments would not follow until early 2010.

Let's get the very latest now from the White House and CNN's Suzanne Malveaux.

Suzanne, good morning to you. Why is President Obama likely to face a tougher audience, if you will, than his predecessor, President Bush, did?

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Heidi, as you know, really one of the fierce points of debate inside this White House was the fact that Afghanistan is really not the same place it was eight years ago. Covering President Bush for eight years, he was able to lay it out and simply say that al Qaeda headquarters is in Afghanistan.

We got used to seeing some of these pictures here. They've become almost iconic, where you've got them training on what looks like a jungle gym. But this used to be very menacing, when people first saw this kind of video being brought forward.

You could also point to the fact that it was Osama bin Laden who essentially was motivating al Qaeda and that this was where the attacks of 9/11 were essentially born. This White House cannot necessarily say that. Al Qaeda has become dispersed around the world, they are regrouping in neighboring Pakistan. So the enemy, essentially, is a lot less clearer.

The other thing is, is that the September 11th attacks, a distant memory for a lot of folks here. It was very fresh before. President Bush, all the time, used to talk about it in his speeches. People are less concerned about terrorism.

And finally, Heidi, I have to say, this president and this administration very reticent about using any kind of tone or language that is similar to President Bush, because they feel that it was fear- mongering.

They have got to make the case to the American people that, yes, it's dangerous in Afghanistan. It is worth lives lost, American lives lost because there is a real threat coming out of that country and out of that region. That's going to be a tougher case to make now -- Heidi.

COLLINS: Is there anymore discussion about -- you know, we've been watching this for a while and waiting for this address to come -- about what sort of message he will give to the troops themselves, regarding what their mission will be and this idea of possible exit strategies? MALVEAUX: Certainly. One of the things that he's going to talk about and it's important and significant that he's going to be at West Point to do it, because he's essentially saying, I have empathy, I have sympathy, I get it, I understand that it's going to be those in the armed forces who are going to sacrifice the most.

They're the ones who are going to potentially lose life and limb over this war. So he's going to say, I understand it's a sacrifice, but he's also going to say, this is not open ended. We are not going to be in this for the long-term.

That our message is -- our mission is clear and therefore you can be proud, you can own this, take ownership of participating in this war in Afghanistan, that you will be given the tools, the resources, to succeed, but we're not going to be in this for the long-term.

COLLINS: Suzanne Malveaux at the White House for us this morning -- thanks, Suzanne.

Make sure you tune in tonight now for President Obama's primetime address. Our special coverage gets under way at 7:00 Eastern, 4:00 Pacific.

Let's take a quick look now at U.S. troop levels in Afghanistan. The majority of U.S. and NATO forces are deployed in southern Afghanistan in areas like Helmand Province. You've heard us talk about it here.

There are around 37,000 international troops there right now. The U.S. has a total of 68,000 troops in country. Some of them are serving with the NATO-led international security force. NATO nations have 45,000 troops there. This year, 300 American troops and 185 coalition soldiers have died in Afghanistan.

We're going to have more on the troops there and their mission coming up in about 30 minutes.

One person is dead after a bomb exploded near a mosque in southern Afghanistan. It happened just north of Helmand Province. Two others were injured by the improvised explosion device. The majority of violent attacks have come in the volatile Helmand and Kandahar provinces.

Whatever the strategy to end the violence in Afghanistan, you first have to win the hearts and minds of the people.

CNN's Atia Abawi looks at how Afghans feel about other troops on their turf.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ATIA ABAWI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Walking through squalor, but this, for now, is home. At least for Said Mohammad and thousands of other Afghans finding refuge from the constant fighting plaguing their towns and villages. U.S. and coalition forces realize that they can't win the war in Afghanistan without the support of the Afghan people. But after eight years of fighting, it's becoming increasingly difficult.

"They should negotiate with the Taliban," Said Mohammad said. "It's not right, the Taliban shoot one bullet and then the Americans start bombarding our villages."

These men are from some of the most volatile areas of the country. They've seen Afghans killed and maimed, caught in the cross fires of war.

La La Jaan was injured when coalition forces bombarded his village in Kandahar Province. He is lucky to be alive. And although he is not angry, it is clear who these men believe are causing them the most grief.

"Why are the Americans on our land," Khan Mohmad said. "What can I say? We are powerless."

The displaced families here do not support the Taliban or the coalition forces. They just want peace.

(on camera): Said Mohammad, John, said he doesn't want to stay here any longer than he has to. He's hoping that the U.S. and the Afghan governments can come up with a reconciliation program with the Taliban so he and his family can head back home to Helmand.

(voice-over): Just 20 minutes away inside the bustling capital, a different perspective. They don't want the Americans in coalition countries to leave. They say they need the help.

"We welcome their arrival if they really expel the Taliban, terrorists, and al Qaeda from the borders of Afghanistan," Zia says. "But if they come and kill more civilians and destroy villages, then they shouldn't come."

Many Afghans welcome a troop increase, as long as it's for what they consider the right reasons.

"NATO plays a key role in Afghanistan," Zia adds. "But still, they need to focus on expanding their civilian projects, such as reconstruction, job creation, and assist the counter-narcotic struggle."

Others believe the country will fall apart without their help.

"Because of the critical situation and widespread discrimination among the various ethnic groups in Afghanistan," Ali says, "we have to welcome the arrival of new troops."

At the camp, faces reflecting those the troops will encounter in the war-torn provinces. Afghans who will decide the victor in this war. Because for the coalition forces and the Taliban, it's not just about warfare and weaponry, the bigger battle is that for hearts and minds. (END VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS: Atia Abawi joining us now live from Kabul.

Atia, it seems like we've been talking about hearts and minds for eight years. What is it that most Afghans believe will help them at this point?

ABAWI: Well, right now, the majority of the Afghans you talk to, when we've gone from different provinces, they still say that they need help when it comes to infrastructure. They want stability in their country. They want a government that they can trust.

When you go to places in the south like Helmand and Kandahar, the places that are the most volatile, where we're seeing the most fighting, they're scared. They're scared of the Taliban, they're scared of the coalition forces, but at the same time, they don't trust their government in those local areas, so that's why you see them moving more and more towards the Taliban, because they're making them promises that they say that they hope they will keep, because when they see the coalition forces coming and then leaving because they can't secure and hold, they say the Taliban come back and punish them -- Heidi?

COLLINS: Yes, understood. It certainly is something to continue talking about here and we will do that in just a little while.

Atia Abawi joining us live from Kabul this morning. Thanks, Atia.

Now we've been talking about what President Obama is expected to announce tonight. How does that compare with what he has said in the past? Our Josh Levs is checking into that this morning.

Hey there, Josh.

JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey there, to you, Heidi. He made a lot of promises about Afghanistan when he was on the campaign trail. The Obamater. Keeping track of whether he is keeping his word. We're going to show you what this president promised and how well he's doing -- Heidi.

COLLINS: All right, we'll do that in a few minutes. Josh, thank you.

Meanwhile, Tiger Woods, laying low. Embarrassed and injured in last week's SUV crash, the golf superstar now says he's skipping his own tournament.

ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: And it's December 1st, the first unofficial start of winter, at least in the weather community. Yes, there are some spots for some good golfing, but there's a nasty storm that's brewing across the Gulf Coast and it's heading to the north and east. We'll detail it for you when the CNN NEWSROOM comes right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: Tiger Woods is staying out of sight. He's now cancelled plans to play in his own golf tournament this week, citing injuries from last week's one-car crash near his home in Windermere, Florida. The tournament raises money for the Tiger Woods Foundation.

Woods also isn't talking to Florida police, who say the investigation is ongoing and charges are pending. Woods has called the accident a private matter. Florida law says he is not obligated to speak to police about the crash.

Rob Marciano joining us now from the Severe Weather Center, because there's a cold front to be talking about here, right? In the middle of the country?

(WEATHER REPORT)

MARCIANO: Did you stay up to watch it? Only got through the first half.

COLLINS: Well, I made it to like the third quarter or so. So good, I couldn't stop watching. But then it was kind of a blowout so there you go.

MARCIANO: Good stuff for New Orleans. Congratulations.

COLLINS: Yes, no kidding. All right, thanks so much.

MARCIANO: You bet.

COLLINS: Talk with you later, Rob.

Time now to check some of the top stories we're watching this morning. "Our lives have been destroyed." That's what the couple accused of crashing last week's White House dinner are saying in their first public comments today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TAREQ SALAHI, ACCUSED PARTY CRASHER: I can tell you this has been the most devastating thing that's ever happened to us. We're greatly saddened by all the circumstances that have been involved and portraying my wife and I as party crashers. I can tell you, we did not party crash the White House.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: They say they have documentation in the form of e- mails, they say, makes it clear they were invited guests. The Obama administration says they were not invited. The Secret Service is investigating, charges are possible.

President Obama unveiling his new strategy for Afghanistan in a speech tonight from West Point. The president's plan is believed to include an order for more than 30,000 additional U.S. troops. We will have complete coverage of this story throughout the day and special coverage of the announcement beginning at 7:00 p.m. Eastern tonight.

And right now, we'd love it if you would share your views on the president's war strategy. Just go to our blog at CNN.com/heidi and let us know what you think. We're going to be reading some of your comments live in the CNN NEWSROOM next hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: Skipping the frustration at malls and big box stores. Retailers are showing a big spike on Cyber Monday this year. Our Stephanie Elam joining us now live from New York with more on this.

Hey there, Stephanie. So we did pretty well on Cyber Monday. I think a lot of people might be surprised by that, especially when you compare it to last year.

STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Yes, well, Heidi, I guess the way to put it it's better than last year. I don't know if it's an exciting number considering how rough last year was, but it's true. Cyber Monday sales looked like they came in 14 percent higher than last year.

There were also 30 percent more items per order this year than versus last year that consumers were buying. That's also nearly 10 percent from black Friday this year as well. So doing a little bit more shopping on Monday versus Friday.

And the average dollar amount per order, up 38 percent to about $180 compared to last year. And if you were just wondering when the peak of this was really happening, it was in the noon hour on the East Coast and 9:00 a.m. on the West Coast.

At that point, everybody was in the office, I guess, and they were able to troll around and find their sales. The interesting thing, though, is last year we saw that happen and then the momentum actually kind of fell off. This year, that didn't happen. The momentum stayed stronger.

So that's a good sign. All this data coming to us from Core Metrics -- Heidi.

COLLINS: Got it. What items did people buy the most?

ELAM: It seemed people were really looking to get some new clothing. Apparel did really well, as did jewelry. Those two sectors really saw an increase in sales there. They saw the largest jump in the average number of dollars that customers were spending on those two items.

Also if you take a look at sports gear, those type of sports apparel retailers, they saw new customers, people who had never been to their sites before coming in by an increase of 55 percent. That's big. At least getting eyeballs on to their site. Now they may come back around before they get to the holidays and buy something. So that was also really big.

But the difference there, though, the average online order, down about 3 percent for those kind of companies. But department store also seeing a jump in new customers coming to their Web sites. So, again, they like to see that. They like to see that they're getting new people coming to their site, because that could lead to potential sales down the road.

COLLINS: Yes. Got it. In fact, speaking of potential sales down the road, what do we expect for the rest of the holiday season? Is this any indication?

ELAM: Well, they're saying that at this point, you're going to be watching out for when we get closer to Christmas -- we get closer to really people trying to get those last sales in. Those last offers of, this is it, free shipping, once those start to come out, then you might see more people heading back to their computers to make those orders before -- you know, it's too late.

They can't get the shipping, and then their gifts will be there too late for the holidays. So we should see another spike here, but we'll be keeping our eyes on it. Retailers will be adjusting based on the patterns they see of people buying online.

So -- did you do any online shopping yesterday?

COLLINS: I didn't. Nope.

ELAM: You didn't?

COLLINS: I know, I know.

ELAM: Wow. You're one of a very few people I've talked to today.

(LAUGHTER)

COLLINS: I don't know what that means.

ELAM: Most people did.

COLLINS: It can't be good. It can't be good.

ELAM: Yes.

COLLINS: It's about procrastination, I guess. I'm not sure. All right.

ELAM: Maybe that's it.

COLLINS: Yes. Yes. The sales are better even later.

Stephanie, thank you, we'll back later on.

ELAM: Sure. COLLINS: Want to get to a fact check now on Afghanistan. And we look at some promises Barack Obama made before taking office versus the reality he's finding now that he's in office.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: All right. A late-session rally sent stocks higher yesterday and we're gearing up for more gains this morning as we listen to that opening bell.

Susan Lisovicz is at the New York Stock Exchange now with a preview.

Hi there, Susan.

SUSAN LISOVICZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Heidi.

Well, futures are rising on this first day of December as General Electric moves closer to a deal to sell a majority stake in NBC Universal. GE which owns 80 percent has reportedly reached a tentative deal to buy the remaining 20 percent from Vivendi for nearly $6 billion. Once GE owns the whole network, that will open the door for GE to then turn around and sell a majority stake in NBC to Comcast. And if that goes through, Comcast would become one of the world's largest media companies. Stay tuned.

AIG, meanwhile, has closed a deal that wipes out $25 billion of its debt. The deal, which was previously announced: the sale of two insurance subsidiaries to the Federal Reserve of New York. This will bring the insurer's debt to the New York Fed down to $17 billion. AIG also still owes the U.S. Treasury another $44 billion.

Checking the early numbers right now, we are seeing some green arrows. The Dow, the NASDAQ, the S&P 500 -- each up at least half a percent.

Finally, Heidi, Yahoo! has put out its list of the top 10 economic-related searchers for 2009, considering the times we're in -- no surprise -- the number one search word, "coupon."

(LAUGHTER)

LISOVICZ: Also on the list, "unemployment," "stimulus plan," "government jobs," and "Bernie Madoff."

COLLINS: Huh!

LISOVICZ: What an assortment. Coupons, though, we like coupons, especially right now about now, right, Heidi?

COLLINS: Yes, we do like coupons. All right, Susan, thank you. We'll check back later.

LISOVICZ: See you shortly.

COLLINS: Decision Afghanistan. After months of debate, President Obama is just now hours away from revealing details of the new U.S. strategy there. In his primetime speech, he'll call for at least 30,000 more U.S. troops to be sent in. He'll also call on NATO allies to send more troops of their own.

We will carry President Obama's primetime address live. Our special coverage gets under way, 7:00 Eastern, 4:00 Pacific.

The first wave of reinforcements will arrive in Afghanistan by Christmas and the rest will flow in over the next several months.

So what will the mission be for those new boots on the ground?

We get some answers from CNN Pentagon correspondent, Chris Lawrence.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Most of the new combat forces will be sent south, to help shrink the huge battle spaces troops are trying to cover, in places like Kandahar province.

CPL. JIMMY PARKER, U.S. ARMY: We need the help down here. Even though we're handling it on our own, but we need more forces down here.

LAWRENCE: NATO has nearly 37,000 troops in southern Afghanistan, more than the rest of the country combined. But officials admit it hasn't been enough manpower to remove the Taliban from parts of Helmand province and other areas.

SPC. BRIAN SCHOENBECK, U.S. ARMY, 117TH INFANTRY: More infantry. Get another battalion or brigade out here to help us out.

LAWRENCE: A defense official says the U.S. Marines will nearly double their numbers there, with 1,000 expected to deploy in late December and 8,000 more over the next few months. Troops say it will allow them to get to know Afghans in their area, which could encourage more of them to cooperate.

SCHOENBECK: To give us information if they have anything about where the Taliban are and what they're doing.

LAWRENCE: Roadside bombs kill more troops in Afghanistan than any amount of enemy artillery. And a key mission for new troops would be putting more eyes on Highway 1, a road known as "IED Alley." The goal is to catch insurgents planting bombs and then replanting them after route clearance teams go through.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just to make sure that the routes are -- stay clear.

LAWRENCE: The Obama administration also emphasizes quickly increasing the size of Afghan forces -- nearly 40,000 more soldiers and nearly 70,000 more Afghan police in the next year. That's why the U.S. troop increase will include thousands of additional trainers. The key will be the trainers' backgrounds and how experienced they are in actual police work.

Right now, units like the 82nd airborne are training Afghan police but combat paratroopers are no experts in evidence collection or investigations.

MAJ. SCOTT BRANNAN, U.S. ARMY, 82ND AIRBORNE: A lot of the guys don't have that skill set, so we're working now to try to get more law enforcement professionals attached to us.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS: CNN Pentagon correspondent Chris Lawrence is joining us now from New York.

So, Chris, I know that you're just back from Afghanistan. I've got to wonder, is this plan going to work to add so many Afghan soldiers and police so quickly? And where are day going to get them all from?

LAWRENCE: It's a great question, Heidi, because, you know, they say the exit strategy all depends on raising up the Afghan forces. But that's a goal. It's not a guarantee.

Right now, the attrition rate is estimated to be somewhere around 25 percent. So, even though you're recruiting a certain number, you may be losing up to a quarter of them who just quit or fall off. So, to get that 40,000, say, Afghan army by next fall, you know, to account for those that quit, you're talking about recruiting over 4,000 a month. That's a tall order.

Now, they have just gotten a pay raise. They're going to be making about -- U.S. dollars about $165 a month now. Also, some bonuses for certain combat pay, high-risk situations.

So, there are some hope that maybe that will, you know, cut down on some of the attrition and help them increase some of their recruiting.

COLLINS: Yes. Incentives, I would imagine, would need to be pretty strong here. You also mentioned the roadside bombs and now we know more troops are going to be directly fighting the Taliban. It sounds like the number of American casualties could go up pretty dramatically.

LAWRENCE: That's right. And it will be interesting to see how President Obama addresses that tonight, whether he prepares the American people for what will, inevitably, be a spike in casualties. When you put more forces on the ground, that's more Americans in harm's way, and it just stands to reason that if you're going to be directly challenging the Taliban in some of these areas, that the casualty rate in the short-term could dramatically rise.

COLLINS: All right. Chris Lawrence, our Pentagon correspondent -- Chris, thank you.

On the campaign trail, candidate Obama made some promises about Afghanistan. So, is he keeping them?

Our Josh Levs is keeping you on track.

What are you finding out here, Josh?

JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Heidi. It's a good day to look -- to take a look at that, isn't it?

COLLINS: Yes.

LEVS: We're going to break these down for you right now. Let's go straight to this first one.

You know, there was major theme to the kinds of statements he was making about Afghanistan on the campaign trail. Take a look here.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We definitely are going to need a couple of additional brigades.

We need more troops there. We need more resource there is.

Part of the reason I think why it's so important for us to end the war in Iraq is to be able to get more troops into Afghanistan.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEVS: More troops, more troops. And you heard him mentioned a couple more brigades. I want to emphasize, that wasn't just one brief mention. It was something very specific that he spilled out repeatedly.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: As president, I will deploy at least two additional brigades to Afghanistan, to reinforce our counterterrorism operations and support NATO's efforts against the Taliban.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEVS: Two more brigades for Afghanistan. So did he keep it?

Well, let's zoom in here. The folks at PolitiFact.com keep tracks of the president's promises. They created this, they're calling it the Obameter. And within this, they've isolated a series of promises he made about Afghanistan, including sending two more brigades.

And they have their ruling here. Their ruling on this is: promise kept. They say that on February 17th, he issued this order sending two additional brigades to Afghanistan. So there, right there, send two additional brigades, promise kept.

Now, the next few promises they're showing have not yet been fulfilled, according to PolitiFact. Let's take a look at these. We have one for you here. The president promised he will work to end NATO restrictions on forces in Afghanistan, which control where those forces can operate. And a lot of people complain about those restrictions.

Well, here's the ruling. PolitiFact says this one: in the works. The president did meet with NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen and PolitiFact says it seems to be a step towards the kind of diplomacy that's needed in order to pressure NATO.

Let's do this. I'm going to jump (ph) to the next couple with you and check it out for yourself here, PolitiFact.com. I'm going to scroll down here. I'm going to show you the next two that they're taking a look at.

Train and equip the Afghan army. The president made a promise to increase training and equipment for the Afghan army. He also made a promise to increase non-military aid to Afghanistan by $1 billion, which would bring it up to about $3 billion.

And in both of these, PolitiFact is saying, you can see there in green: in the works. They say there's further to go but the president has taken steps towards those goals and is getting closer.

Finally, I want to show you this last one here. The president promised to make U.S. military aid to Pakistan conditional on anti- terror efforts. On the campaign trail, the president promised that that would be the case and the reason, what we're talking about here, is that a lot of officials complained that inside Pakistan, the Taliban has been using areas then launch attacks in Afghanistan. Important steps against Pakistan needed.

COLLINS: Yes.

LEVS: So, PolitiFact ruling for you right here: promise kept. They're saying, on October 15th, the president did sign that bill into law that will provide $7.6 billion in additional aid to Pakistan over five years with the conditions that he promised.

You can read all about it at PolitiFact.com. But basically, over all, Heidi, this is an agency that doesn't mind slamming the president when they feel he's not keeping something. So far, this thing, he's two for five, with three somewhere along the way.

COLLINS: All right. Well, what about in general? How is the president doing on keeping his promises listed on the Obameter?

LEVS: Yes, the Obameter. And this is something we're going to be talking a look at in the next couple of weeks. Let's zoom back in one more time. I want you to see their breakdown here. They have the Obameter scorecard.

And let me see if I can use this. I'm going to scroll down a little bit, right underneath his picture where it shows him and it says, the Obameter scorecard, promises kept, compromise, broken, stalled. So, they're giving him 55 promises kept, 14 there, and as not -- the promises broken, they're saying seven. So, they all matter.

I think politicians should have to fulfill every promise they ever make. But what we're going to be doing between now and the end of the year is breaking down more and more of these from the Obameter for you to see how the president's doing so far, Heidi.

COLLINS: All right. Josh Levs, appreciate that. Thank you.

LEVS: Thank you. You got it.

COLLINS: Demanding more from the international community. President Obama set to push for a bigger commitment from allies in Afghanistan. How will that request be received by America's partners?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: Checking our top stories now.

The suspect in the killings of four Seattle police officers is dead. Police confirmed they fatally shot Maurice Clemmons earlier this morning. They finally caught up with him after a two-day manhunt. Police say Clemmons had a gun on him this morning, but did not fire. Clemmons is suspected of killing four police officers at a coffee shop near Seattle on Sunday. His motive is still not clear.

Another manhunt is going on in Texas right now for an escaped child molester. Guards were transferring Arcade Joseph Comeaux between prisons. Authorities say he somehow pulled a gun on the guards, took one of their uniforms, and fled on foot near Baytown. And here's the really strange part, affiliate KPRC says Comeaux has been confined to a wheelchair for 10 years. He was serving a life sentence for a number of offenses.

Another possible step towards impeaching South Carolina's governor -- a state house subcommittee is meeting to talk about it again today. Governor Sanford disappeared for a few days back in June and later admitted he was seeing his mistress in Argentina. An ethics panel has also accused Sanford of 37 violations.

We've been talking this morning about President Obama's upcoming announcement on Afghanistan tonight. Besides committing additional troops to the mission, the president is also expected to push international allies to send more soldiers.

Con Coughlin is a foreign affairs editor for "London Daily Telegraph" newspaper. He's joining us this morning now from Washington.

Nice to have you, Con. I wonder -- is that going to be possible? Will NATO send more troops? I mean, we've already gotten some numbers on this. We should talk about feeling, the overall attitude with our allies.

CON COUGHLIN, LONDON DAILY TELEGRAPH: Well, good morning, Heidi.

I think this is going to be a very tough call for the president. As in America, the war in Afghanistan is becoming deeply unpopular.

And there's growing resistance among the governments of Europe to commit extra troops. French President Nicolas Sarkozy has said not a single -- not one more troop will go to Afghanistan. The German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, is also under great domestic pressure not to send more troops. In Britain, the British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has pledged another 500 troops. That will bring the British contingent up to 10,000.

COLLINS: Right.

COUGHLIN: But that's about as far as Britain can go.

COLLINS: Why is that? What's happened? I mean, I've heard you say that you believe this is the biggest challenge for NATO in its 60- year history.

COUGHLIN: French President Nicolas Sarkozy has said not a single -- not one more troop will go to Afghanistan. The German Chancellor Angela Merkel is also under great domestic pressure not to send more troops. In Britain, the British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, has pledged another 500 troops. That will bring the British contingent up to 10,000...

COLLINS: Right.

COUGHLIN: ... but that's about as far as Britain can go.

COLLINS: Why is that? What happened? I mean, I've heard you say that you believe this is the biggest challenge for NATO in its 60- year history.

COUGHLIN: Well, that's right. And after the September 11th attacks, Article Five of the NATO chapter was invoked. All the NATO member states, all 28 of them are supposed to come to the defense of a fellow member that's been attacked.

COLLINS: Right.

COUGHLIN: The problem is I think the mission statement on Afghanistan has got lost in translation over the last few years. And people in Europe, as in America, are confused. What are we doing in Afghanistan? And in Britain, we're taking significant casualties that's alleged to an erosion of support.

And the government is now struggling to persuade people what we're doing there. And I think it's very important for President Obama tonight in his statement to clarify what this mission is all about.

COLLINS: Well, I guess, September 11th would have quite a bit to do with that. And maybe, it's because some of this language has changed.

I mean, we should talk about the fact that the president has wanted to veer sharply away from his predecessor in calling this the war on terror.

COUGHLIN: But it's a war against terrorists. And the problem is the people that we're fighting, the Taliban who are allied with al Qaeda, are basically adapting terrorist techniques to attack us.

A lot of the plots against the West, particularly in Europe, come from this part of the world. And it's central to the security of the West that the mission is maintained until the terror threat is basically annihilated. And we're still some way from getting there.

COLLINS: So what happens next? I mean, as I have also heard you say, this is a NATO mission and yet the U.S. is taking on the brunt of it, clearly, obviously. What happens next? I mean, it can't all be about one speech by the president tonight.

COUGHLIN: Well, I think we need to see NATO come together and this be a proper NATO effort because otherwise, people are going to question what is the NATO alliance for.

COLLINS: Sure.

COUGHLIN: The NATO alliance is set up to defend the West from attack. It's been attacked. NATO should defend itself against that threat.

A lot of countries are failing to come to the party. If that continues to be the case, Heidi, then people are going to ask very, very serious questions about what is NATO for, should we have alternative trans-Atlantic alliances or even a separate European defense force to look out the European defense or the Americans go it alone.

I mean, these are big questions and these are the questions that will be put, if the NATO alliance does not come to the party in Afghanistan.

COLLINS: Yes, exactly some of the things that President Bush was criticized for, going it alone. Very, very interesting.

COUGHLIN: Precisely.

COLLINS: We will continue to follow this, of course, closely. Con Coughlin, nice to see you, thanks for seeing us today.

COUGHLIN: A pleasure Heidi.

COLLINS: Tiger Woods trying to maintain his privacy, but people want to know more about the details surrounding his car crash. So is Woods' silence turning this situation into a PR nightmare?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: Rob Marciano standing by. There you are, right where you needed to be, right on time.

(WEATHER REPORT) COLLINS: We do have an awful a lot going on this morning. Our CNN crews are in place to bring it all to you. We want to check in with some of our correspondents now beginning with Suzanne Malveaux at the White House.

A big night for the president, Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: Absolutely, Heidi. President Obama is writing his speech to give to the American people essentially calling for more U.S. troops and the war in Afghanistan. Essentially, this is a war that was called a forgotten war. He is now making it his own and White House aides acknowledge that it is going to be a pretty tough sell.

POPPY HARLOW, CNNMONEY.COM: $40 billion a year that is how much President Obama's expected troop surge could cost. How are we going to pay for it and will you, the taxpayer, have to chip in this time? We're going to have more on that coming up in the next hour.

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: When you get a test at the doctor's office or in the emergency room, you expect the results to be accurate. That's not always the case with the flu test. At the top of the hour I'll tell you how one family has suffered.

COLLINS: All right. Thanks so much, guys.

Also, a man who knows a little something about bringing peace to war-torn countries; Retired General George Joulwan (ph), former NATO supreme allied commander brings us his view of the war in Afghanistan.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: Tiger Woods laying low. He will not appear at his own charity golf tournament this weekend because of injuries from his car crash. Woods is still not talking publicly about it. So is his silence hurting or helping the situation?

CNN's Randi Kaye has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RANDI KAYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Tiger Woods finds himself in a public relations bunker and police are in the rough. Three times he has blown off scheduled interviews with investigators who want answers about his mysterious one-car crash.

These photos just obtained by CNN from tmz.com show the golfer's badly-mangled SUV.

Public relations consultant Ken Sunshine says if Woods is hoping his silence will make this story go away, good luck.

KEN SUNSHINE, PUBLIC RELATIONS CONSULTANT: Bad move. You look guilty. Looks like you're hiding something.

KAYE: investigators have tried to get surveillance tapes of the accident from neighbor's homes but no luck. Just yesterday authorities vowed to continue investigating even without Woods.

And we've learned they are considering a search warrant to seize the golfer's medical records and possibly learn more about just what caused his injuries.

CNN legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin.

JEFFREY TOOBIN, CNN SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST: This was a single car accident in which the driver had a slight injury. That's the whole case so far and I don't see why the police need to conduct an investigation if that's all the evidence they have.

KAYE: Woods' squeaky clean image took a hit 2:30 a.m. Friday morning when his SUV hit a fire hydrant and a tree outside his Florida home.

A neighbor called 911.

911 OPERATOR: Ok. Are you able to tell if he's breathing?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No. I can't tell right now.

911 OPERATOR: Ok. We do have help on the way. What color is his car, too?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a black escalade.

KAYE: In Florida Tiger Woods is not required by law to speak with police and his agent told CNN, quote, "it has been conveyed that he simply has nothing more to add and wishes to protect the privacy of his family."

TOOBIN: Tiger Woods has a public relations problem and not a legal problem.

KAYE: The first statement Woods made came via his website Sunday after days of silence. He called the accident embarrassing and wrote "I'm human and I'm not perfect. I will certainly make sure this doesn't happen again."

He added "My wife acted courageously. She was the first person to help me. Any other assertion is absolutely false."

SUNSHINE: He said it would never happen again. If you're innocent of everything you don't apologize for something that might not have happened. So, very confusing.

KAYE (on camera): Woods spoke of, quote, "malicious rumors" in his statement. One of those maybe a report by the "National Enquirer" and others claiming that Woods was having an affair with a nightclub hostess. The woman denied a romance with woods.

Among other questions, why was he leaving his house at 2:30 in the morning and what exactly caused him to hit a fire hydrant and a tree?

We may never know.

Randi Kaye, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)